liveblog
Germany’s handball players arrived in the “Mecca of handball” on Wednesday for the main round in Cologne. Thursday is the European Handball Championship against Iceland – all the news here in the live blog.
10:02 p.m
The main round is open
The first matchday of the main round of this European Handball Championship has been played, Denmark and Sweden celebrated confident victories against the Netherlands and Slovenia respectively and are leading Group II with four points each from two games. The victories from the preliminary round were retained.
Portugal caused the surprise of the evening with its 37:32 victory over Norway. The team around ex-Kiel star Sander Sagosen is already on the verge of elimination.
9:34 p.m
“Cologne carried us to the semi-finals back then”
Fans at Cologne Central Station told us that they were a bit shy, the national handball players. Well, Cologne’s open-heartedness isn’t for everyone, and the snowy weather could have been a factor. Even if it didn’t look like that to some spectators on Wednesday afternoon: the handball players are looking forward to Cologne.
“I like to think back to the 2019 home World Cup,” says Jannik Kohlbacher, who was already part of the national team at the time. “If the whole hall jumps in the stands and shouts ‘Super, Germany! Super, Germany’ and the hall announcer heats it up even more, then a lot is possible. Back then, that carried us all the way to the semi-finals.”
Daniela Müllenborn, Sportschau, January 17, 2024 8:16 p.m
8:52 p.m
Gislason – “We can do more”
Handball national coach Alfred Gislason has ticked off the 30:33 defeat at the end of the European Championship preliminary round against France and is looking forward to the four main round games with hunger. He was “proud of the boys’ performance, but we can do more,” said the Icelander the day before the duel with his home country in Cologne. “We are really looking forward to the atmosphere in the Cologne Arena,” emphasized the Icelander, who also welcomed the end of the trips to the previous tournament locations in Düsseldorf and Berlin: “Now there is more peace and quiet, less distraction,” which could be “an advantage.” .
8:01 p.m
“Like coming home”
Juri Knorr chatted with his friend David Späth, Sebastian Heymann posed smiling for photos with fans: With their departure from Berlin, Germany’s handball players finally put their first European Championship setback behind them. After a short night, the anticipation of the upcoming festival in Cologne’s Lanxess Arena outshone the first tournament defeat against France – especially since the chances are still completely intact.
“It’s a bit like coming home,” said DHB sports director Axel Kromer on Wednesday morning on platform 14 of Berlin Central Station, before he boarded the ICE 952 with the DHB men towards snow-covered North Rhine-Westphalia. “We said to ourselves that we now have four finals for a very big goal: to reach the semi-finals. Nothing is lost.”
6:45 p.m
“Kölle Alaaf” as a welcome
A triple “Kölle Alaaf” resounded through the swirl of flakes at Breslauer Platz when Juri Knorr and Co. set their first foot in front of Cologne Central Station. The celebratory reception of the traditional “Rote Funken” corps put a smile on the faces of Germany’s handball players after their arrival at the completely snow-covered European Championship destination.
“This is crazy, this is Cologne. We are super happy to be here now,” said right winger Timo Kastening to the SID with shining eyes. After a short night, the anticipation of the upcoming festival in the Lanxess Arena outshone the first tournament defeat against France – especially since the medal chances are still completely intact.
6:03 p.m
DHB-Team im “Mekka des Handballs”
On the way to a new winter fairy tale in their own country, national coach Alfred Gislason’s team is relying entirely on the Cologne factor. “This is the mecca of handball,” said right winger Timo Kastening on Wednesday with a view to the main round games in front of almost 20,000 spectators. The European Championship setback at the end of the preliminary round against Olympic champions France (30:33) was quickly forgotten.
Germany still has reaching the medal games in its own hands. Gislason’s compatriots from Iceland are waiting in the first of the four “mega games” (Kromer) on Thursday (8.30 p.m./ZDF and Dyn).
5:34 p.m
Special game for Alfred Gislason
Iceland, it is said, is the third windiest place in the world – but no one lives in the other two. A country full of natural forces, geysers, winds – and powerful handball players. Alfred Gislason was one of them before he became a coach in Germany in 1997 – and has stayed here ever since.
At the European Handball Championships in his new home Germany, of all places, he will meet as national coach with the DHB team in Iceland. “It will be a very special game for me,” said Gislason after the 30:33 defeat against France in the sports show: “It’s always special against your own country.”
4:52 p.m
Iceland’s way to the main round – with a lot of effort, without points
The Icelanders only reached the main round with a lot of effort – and without any points. The last group game against Hungary, which also qualified for Cologne, was clearly lost 25:33. So Hungary took two points, the Icelanders none. In general, Snorri Steinn Gudjonsson’s team has not yet arrived in the tournament. At the start there was a lucky 27:27 draw in the last minute against Serbia, and Iceland also only won in the last minute against Montenegro with 31:30.
4:00 p.m
Welcome to the news blog about Germany – Iceland
Welcome, here you will find all the information about the German national team’s first game in the main round of the European Handball Championship. Kick-off against Iceland is on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ZDF broadcasts the game live.
