Did you surrender? Did goalkeeper Andreas Wolff actually say that the German team “gave up” in direction of the finish of the recreation in opposition to the French? No, nationwide coach Alfred Ghislason did not need to depart it at that on broadcaster ZDF. He “did not suppose we got up,” Gislason stated after the quarter-ultimate in opposition to France, somewhat bitter as a result of of his goalkeeper’s tough resolution: “On the opposite, we continued, however we threw badly. “
For nearly two weeks, the nationwide coach had lots of enjoyable along with his team at this World Cup, and this impression ought to final after the ultimate, which was essential for Gislason. In truth, though his team’s two-objective defeat sounded higher than the seven-objective defeat in Gdansk on Wednesday evening, they weren’t giving up. The consequence was 28:35 (16:16) and the course of the recreation was extra relentless than predicted for a very long time. Because: The German team wore down the French at occasions, exhibiting for greater than 40 minutes that they might beat this world-class team – or not less than convey them to the brink of defeat.
But then Gislson’s team confirmed the place they had been missing in comparison with the French. A team like the French wouldn’t lose the lead in the first half (11:7) and after the break (19:17) twice as simply as the German team. No, a team like the French wouldn’t enable an eight-minute timeout with no objective in the second half of an important World Cup quarter-ultimate.
The DHB team cannot even fly house and throw tantrums – it is nonetheless about placements.
“Bad throw,” Gislason stated. Analysis may be actually easy. French goalkeeper Remy Desbonne merely intercepted a number of balls from the German backcourt. Hit with two arms. This is the highest penalty for a thrower in the backfield, and also you hardly ever see it at this degree.
But the French will stay the French for now, and the Germans will stay the Germans who have not crushed a team in main tournaments for years, not even the 2023 World Cup. France will face hosts Sweden in Stockholm on Friday in the semi-finals. And for the Germans? It’s going to be onerous, you may’t simply fly house and let it damage. The logic of the World Handball Championship dictates that each place have to be performed in the ultimate rating. Thus, two extra video games of sporting significance observe, the first on Friday afternoon in opposition to African champions Egypt and the second on Saturday. It’s about 5 to eight locations. “Fifth place is a fantastic objective,” stated captain Johannes Golla. Did he actually imply it then?
One for the future: Juri Knorr (proper) performed brilliantly at the World Cup, however he additionally had timeouts in opposition to France.
(Photo: Jan Woitas/dpa)
At far, the Germans create a blended, maybe barely optimistic stability in the World Cup. You’ve clearly improved in phrases of outcomes. Twelfth place at the World Cup in Egypt in 2021, fifth and eighth place two years later. There had been video games the place the enthusiasm of the younger team rose; There are new handball gamers in the nation, similar to Juri Knorr, Julian Koster or Lucas Mertens, who may be counted on to play an excellent (in Knorr’s case, perhaps nice) function in German handball for the subsequent decade.
This is the place Gislason began. “Germany nonetheless have an inexperienced team in key positions,” stated the Icelander. All 4 nations that reached the semi-finals are one step forward. He “made certain that each one the gamers be taught from their errors,” Gislason stated, including, “We can take lots of optimistic issues with us.” Lots of issues make me really feel assured.”
There are two points that plague the discipline of sport psychology
But secretly they thought they may very well be nearer to a team like France in the German Handball Federation (DHB), nearer to the semi-finals, which they need to attain a 12 months later at the 2024 European Championships. But earlier than that, the team must develop correctly. The discipline of sports activities psychology has two issues that weigh closely on the thoughts – and because it seems, they’re doubly tough to beat.
It’s a recurring dilemma for the Germans at main tournaments: a team takes timeouts like in the second half in opposition to France – eight or ten minutes with no objective and the recreation is misplaced. Gislason has labored onerous to make sure that this theme doesn’t repeat itself at this World Cup. Here it is in the quarter finals. “If we need to play for titles, we’ve got to make the video games extra common than 60 minutes,” stated captain Golla.
In addition, there are groups which are extra assured, extra self-assured with every objective when they’re in the lead, and greet the opponent like ice. The Germans had been removed from it in opposition to France. Twice main by a number of objectives, then twice taking part in poorly earlier than it was France’s flip. Similar traits had been noticed in the final important spherical recreation, once we misplaced to Norway. In such conditions, you need to be “calm and extra assured,” goalkeeper Wolff stated. Therefore, this defeat is a “lesson”. This time, the nationwide coach didn’t protest.
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