Germany’s handball gamers survived a take a look at of character on the World Cup after a useless thriller, conserving their probabilities of fifth place alive. The German crew, led by the as soon as once more excellent Andreas Wolff, beat Olympic fourth-placed Egypt 35-34 (30-30, 17-14) after extra time on Friday and can now combat to finish the match in peace on Sunday.
After a ten-minute interval with no objective at dwelling, Germany utterly misplaced their groove in the ultimate interval, dropping an eight-goal deficit after 42 minutes and forcing extra time. After captain Johannes Golla (7 targets), playmakers Juri Knorr (6) and Julian Köster (6) grew to become the most effective German hurlers in entrance of 1,604 spectators in Stockholm.
Two days after dropping to Olympic champions France (28:35) in the quarter-finals, nationwide coach Alfred Gislason’s crew confirmed themselves to be recovered and extremely motivated, however a weak remaining interval left many questions. Wolff, who made 19 saves after 60 minutes, was once more named the participant of the sport. Germany’s remaining spot will now be selected Sunday’s remaining day, with both Norway or Hungary in the fifth-place match.
“The boys are very eager to construct on what now we have collected and never depart the match with a defeat,” Gislason instructed Sportschau forward of the Egypt recreation: “It’s solely doable with two wins.”
Gislason spreads the sport over a number of shoulders early on – his crew thanks him with a robust early interval
For this enterprise, the nationwide coach has flown in two rookies with Lucas Stutzke in the backfield and Lucas Zerbe on the suitable wing. Berlin’s Paul Drucks, alternatively, left, whereas Jibril M’Benge and Tim Zechel stayed. This new vitality made itself felt rapidly. Gislason unfold the sport over a number of shoulders early on – and his crew thanked him with a extremely robust early interval. It took till the fifth minute to concede the primary objective. Up entrance, playmaker Juri Knorr managed the sport intelligently. Wolff screamed in a abandoned Tele2 soccer enviornment after the goalkeeper saved the Egyptians’ sixth shot after 1 / 4 of an hour to make it 10-6.
And when the nimble Kai Hafner made it 15-8 ten minutes later, Gislason known as out to his proteges throughout a timeout: “You’re all doing very well.” Even extra annoying was the truth that the German crew conceded six targets in the final 5 minutes of the primary half – the African champions all of a sudden got here again to inside three targets. “I hope the crew can be targeted till the top,” DHB sporting director Axel Cromer stated at half-time: “Then now we have an excellent likelihood of successful the sport.”
Golla and Co. initially maintained a excessive focus in the second spherical. At the again, Wolff continued to carry out at world stage, and on the entrance, Knorr scored twice to make it 24:19 (thirty ninth). “They’re going to interrupt. We’re drained, however they’re extra drained,” Gislason stated throughout a timeout. It was nonetheless fascinating: Stutzke noticed a crimson card after a 3rd penalty (52nd) – and Egypt hit the crossbar in the final second of regulation time.
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