Driven by a great Juri Knorr, Germany’s handball players stormed into the semi-finals of the European Championships and can continue to dream of their first European Championship medal since the gold triumph ten years ago. The team of national coach Alfred Gislason kept their nerve in the main round final against record world champions France and impressed with an offensive power that was previously missing in the tournament at 38:34 (19:15).
In front of 10,850 spectators in Herning, Knorr was the best thrower with ten goals for the DHB selection, which at times acted furiously and which distanced itself from the strong competition from France, Spain, Portugal and Norway with 8:2 points in the second phase of the tournament. World champions Denmark and Iceland had previously reached the semi-finals.
One thing is clear: In this form, the DHB team can continue to hope for the first European Championship medal since the sensational title win in 2016 at the finals in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The strong performance against France should also silence discussions about the future of Gislason, whose contract runs until the end of the home World Cup in 2027.
The starting position before the showdown was clear: a draw was enough for the German team to reach the semi-finals, the four-time European champions absolutely had to win. Both teams went into the game with corresponding motivation, in which the DHB team had to do without defense specialist Tom Kiesler, who was ill, at short notice.
Unlike in previous games, the German team was concentrated and effective in attack from the start. The cover was initially not set up for this. It was only after a quarter of an hour that goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, who started again after his reserve role against Denmark, was able to fend off a throw from the French for the first time.
The parade seemed like a signal to those in front of him to be even more aggressive. And they did. After 18 minutes, Germany was within four goals at 11:7. Knorr played a major role in this, as he finally posed the goal threat he had hoped for and became a dominant figure in the first half. In addition, Justus Fischer proved to be a reliable enforcer in the circle.
France only countered Germany’s offensive strength with Dika Mem’s goal threat. The star from FC Barcelona, who is moving to German champions Füchse Berlin in the summer of 2027, was difficult to find. Nevertheless, the DHB selection took a four-goal cushion into the break room to the cheers of the numerous German fans.
Because Wolff wasn’t a factor at all in the first half, the national coach sent David Späth between the posts at the restart. And the 23-year-old delivered initially, so that those in front of him could afford one or two missed throws.
Twelve minutes before the end, the game was suddenly on the brink again at 29:28. Wolff returned and immediately defused the first throw. In the dramatic final phase, Germany had the better end and is now reaching for a medal.
