At one level, the shoulders of the German handball gamers sagged. With each tempo the French positioned on the German gate; The hopes of a serious shock dwindled with each shot that French goalkeeper Remy Desbonnet made. After that, Yuri Knorr performed a nasty go, the French simply caught the ball and threw it into the German’s empty internet. The sport is misplaced.
It was a giant fight that lasted at the very least 45 minutes, the German handball gamers fought the French within the quarter-finals of the World Championships in Sweden and Poland, but solely 45 minutes. In the tip, France broke up, the Germans misplaced 28:35 (16:16) and left the World Cup.
“The result’s too excessive,” captain Johannes Golla stated on ZDF: “We took a step on this World Cup, but at this time you noticed that we’re nonetheless removed from the highest of the world.” Goalkeeper Andreas Wolff was additionally disenchanted: “We gave up just a little in direction of the tip.” The World Cup is just not over for the crew, there may be nonetheless a matter of putting, fifth place may nonetheless be within the remaining steadiness.
The Germans began strongly, even main by 4 targets
There have been a number of legendary clashes between German and French handball gamers, essentially the most memorable from a German perspective being the semi-final of the 2007 World Cup that acquired out of hand on the Cologne Arena. At that point, two world-class groups met and went to additional time twice; France scored as standard when Markus Baur gave the Germans the lead with a seven-yard volley earlier than German goalkeeper Henning Fritz turned away Daniel Narcisse’s last-ditch effort, leaving Fritz unconscious with the ball in his fingers. the world will get greater.
But that was a very long time in the past, and this time the place to begin was totally different. The French nonetheless have a world-class crew, the Germans are on their option to being a crew once more. If the Germans may win this time, then all the pieces, completely all the pieces, needed to go proper.
At first nothing labored, not even the schedule. The sport began 20 minutes late as a consequence of double additional time in Spain’s 35-34 win over Norway within the first quarter-final in Gdansk. When the referees lastly blew the whistle, Kai Hafner bravely refueled and scored the German purpose. Juri Knorr’s first seven-meter shot additionally hit the purpose; Goalkeeper Andreas Wolf additionally took away a number of balls from the French. Knorr additionally scored from open play to offer the German aspect a 7-4 lead eight minutes later. did one thing occur right here?
The important participant of France: goalkeeper Remy Desbonnet.
(Photo: Alexandra Schmigiel/Reuters)
Of course, such an early deficit didn’t faze the French. Many gamers within the crew had been Olympic champions, world champions and European champions; In handball, nothing has been invented but that Nikola Karabatic or Kentin Mahe haven’t skilled. They equalized the German four-goal distinction (11:7) lower than two minutes later (11:11). The French counter-attack was higher now, so DHB coach Gislason took his first break and referred to as for composure and focus. The lovely management left originally.
In the second half, the Germans failed too usually due to goalkeeper Remy Desbonnet
It was a game-changing second. Over the previous few years, the German nationwide crew has been inexplicably out of competition at main tournaments till the deficit grew to become too nice to make a comeback. But this time they had been repulsed: goalkeeper Wolf raised his proper foot very excessive and parried Dika Mem’s counterattack; Erlangen’s Christoph Steinert scored the third purpose within the first half. When Frenchman Melvin Richardson, son of the nice Jackson Richardson, stepped as much as the seven-yard line for a 3rd time, Gislason despatched his second keeper, Joel Birlem, between the posts. He reached for the ball, the sport machine jumped on the rope – he caught it. Both groups had been tied at halftime, 16:16. A quick, quick and actually balanced sport.
In the second half, issues moved rapidly at first. First, a camp trick by Lucas Mertens and Hefner, then Knorr’s go to captain Johannes Golla from his personal half – the Germans took the lead once more (19:17). But as soon as once more, Gislasson’s crew couldn’t shield the benefit for lengthy. Remy Desbonne, a global unknown within the French purpose, now grew to become a decisive issue, turning away purpose after purpose; German quarterbacks generally made it straightforward with misplaced throws. Now the French are main 22:20, they prolonged the rating. Gislason took a danger, bringing in Luca Witzke and Djibril M’Bengue. But France was not form.
In the semi-finals of this World Cup, the French will now meet Sweden, whereas the Danes will play Spain. The Germans additionally need to be on this group of final 4 groups – it might be an excellent second on the European Championships in Germany in a yr’s time.
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