Germany women’s basketball team opened their European Championship qualifiers with a 70–64 defeat against Hungary in Hamburg on Wednesday night.
Fifty-nine days after finishing fourth at the World Cup in Berlin, Olaf Lange’s side struggled for consistency in front of 2,892 spectators at the Inselparkarena. Leonie Fiebich led Germany with 19 points, but shooting lapses proved costly against an opponent that reached the World Cup quarterfinals.
The matchup began at a fast pace in the Wilhelmsburg district. Fiebich gave Germany a 7–6 lead three minutes into the contest, but technical errors pushed the hosts into a 27–19 deficit by the end of the opening quarter. A 9–0 run capped by a Frieda Bühner three-pointer narrowed the gap to 29–28 in the second period, though Germany trailed 41–33 at halftime after shooting 40 percent on two-point attempts.
Defensive intensity improved after the break, but offensive struggles persisted. Emily Bessoir converted consecutive three-pointers to pull Germany within 65–60 late in the game, but the visitors secured the win.
Germany travels to face Denmark on Saturday before playing an away fixture against Portugal on Tuesday. The four-team qualifying group reaches its halfway point before return fixtures take place in February. The top two teams in the group secure qualification for the European Championship.
The tournament takes place from June 16 to 27, 2027, across Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden.
The team played without injured key contributors including Satou Sabally, Nyara Sabally, and captain Marie Gülich. Seven players who featured at the World Cup took the court on Wednesday, including all five starters.
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