Alfred Gislason bravely swallowed his anger at the crushing quarter-final defeat. Again it wasn’t sufficient in opposition to a world-class team, and as soon as once more Germany’s handball gamers needed to cease earlier than the medal sport. But after the 28:35 (16:16) sport in opposition to the Olympic champion France, the nationwide coach famous optimistic issues.
“A whole lot of issues make me optimistic. The boys have discovered rather a lot,” Gislason mentioned as he obtained over his preliminary disappointment. The DHB team is “nonetheless an inexperienced team by way of breadth and core positions”. That’s why “it is crucial to get experiences like this. I’m certain all the gamers will be taught from their errors. We can take a variety of optimistic issues with us.”
After Germany’s second defeat in the seventh match, the World Cup just isn’t over. The aircraft leaves for Stockholm on Thursday morning. 16 years after the golden winter fairy story, this weekend in the Swedish capital, as a substitute of taking part in for medals once more, it’s now about fifth to eighth locations. On Friday (15.30 / ARD) in the Tele2 soccer area, the opponent is the African champion Egypt.
“We wish to end it good and end fifth,” captain Johannes Golla advised his team. And goalkeeper Andreas Wolf: “These video games are crucial for me. Fifth or eighth place in the World Cup makes an enormous distinction. If you attain fifth place, you present that you simply belong to the prolonged world class. This must be our declared aim for the subsequent two video games.”
After a traditionally poor World Championship (twelfth place) two years in the past, the German Handball Federation (DHB) qualifiers stepped up with performances in Katowice and Gdansk. However, the document world champion was defeated by France. “This could be very painful and a lesson for us,” Golla mentioned. On good days, the linebacker mentioned, “we will play thrilling handball. But if we wish to play for the title, we now have to play video games over 60 minutes persistently.”
The administration of the affiliation issued a passable (interim) conclusion. “Handball and sports activities followers in Germany have seen that one thing is rising right here,” mentioned DHB sports activities director Axel Kromer. The team “just isn’t at the restrict, however we now have constructed a variety of foundations and performed very effectively. We have the European Championship at house subsequent yr, so we wish to take the subsequent step.”
Wolff additionally believes he nonetheless has “just a little option to go to the prime of the world,” the long-time standout goalkeeper mentioned on Wednesday evening. Defeats in opposition to France will also be a lesson. We nonetheless must be taught one thing to strengthen our picture, to be extra calm and assured, we must always win the subsequent two video games.”