Germany's handball players on the crossroads: quarter -finals or journey home?

Von Kl Redaktion

The German handball players face an emotional roller coaster after they lost their last preliminary round against Norway at 18:30. This defeat put her hopes of progressing to the quarter -finals and ensured a nerve -wracking waiting for the results of other teams.

Significance of the tournament for the team

For the DHB selection, participation in these Olympic Games has been the first since 2008. This makes the positive performance particularly important for German handball. If the team preserves the chance of the quarter -finals, it may fight against the host and world champion France, who won all games in the preliminary round and is a hot favorite on the gold.

Fate game for the DHB selection

In order to move into the quarter-finals, the German players have to hope for a defeat from South Korea against Denmark. In the event of a happy outcome of this game, all three teams would be tied and the DHB women could progress thanks to a better goal difference. However, if South Korea win, the German selection would only remain home.

The sporty challenge and team failure

The game against Norway was characterized by a promising start: the German team led 3-0 at the beginning. But after a brilliant beginning, they broke completely. The passes became inaccurate and the goal finishes were weaker. This meant that Germany had to catch up with 6:13. Back space player Xenia Smits loudly demanded more communication in the team, while goalkeeper Katharina Filter prevented an even higher deficit.

The view of the knockout

The knockout games are to take place in the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, where up to 27,000 spectators will be expected who want to create an exciting atmosphere. For the players, this would be a great opportunity to prove themselves under pressure, even if the current achievements against such a strong opponent as France are a huge challenge. Even if you make it into the quarter -finals, victory against the French women remains questionable in this constitution.

However, the atmosphere in the stadium and the support of the fans could have a decisive influence on the performance of the German team. Handball has a loyal followers in Germany, and the potential games in the knockout round could symbolize the return of German handball onto the international stage, regardless of the challenges that are still imminent.