Handball: female handball players bent, but defiant

“Too little”,”nothing at all”,”total loss”: The German women’s handball team was dominated by frustration after the lesson against the Netherlands.

The team of national coach Michael Biegler missed not only the group victory at the 23:31 (10:18) against the vice-champion of the World Cup, but also landed before the round of sixteen on Sunday hard on the ground of facts.

“That was nothing at all,”said Clara Woltering, the goalkeeper who was still convincing in a weak team. Also Alicia Stolle, with six goals the ray of hope in the German offensive, put his finger deep into the wound:”That was not enough in defence and attack. Nadja Mansson even spoke of a “total failure”.

National coach Michael Biegler straightened up his “ladies”, who finished Group D with 7:3 points after the first setback, but immediately again:”The defeat is well deserved. DHB Vice President Bob Hanning saw a” very clear damper “, but also expressed his confidence:” I am sure that we will see a different performance on Sunday.

No matter who the opponent is, they’ll make it to the quarter-finals,”he says,” The final is decided between Serbia and South Korea in the evening game. Then the opponent in the round of sixteen on Sunday in Magdeburg is also certain.

He will not put any pressure on the team, Biegler said before the classic against Oranje:”I am still unagitated,”said Biegler. At the starting whistle on Friday it was over with the rest even with Biegler. The coach tigered up and down the sideline, rowing his arms and commenting loudly on every action of his players – but it didn’t help.

After just five minutes, Biegler took his first time-out and it was 1:4. In the eleventh minute goalkeeper Katja Kramarczyk cleared her box nervously and made room for Woltering (4:8), who prevented an even greater defeat with numerous parades.

But also in the aftermath the German attack against the aggressive defence of the opponent in front of 6000 spectators in the sold-out hall hardly found a means. While the Dutch women kept scoring simple goals, Loerper and Co. to fight for every degree.

The 5:10 after a quarter of an hour reflected the balance of power. At 8:15 (25th) a debacle loomed.

After the change of sides, top talent Emily Bölk (19) and Stolle (21) came onto the record, but the blood refreshment did not bring any significant improvement against the still concentrated Dutch women.

In the further course of the tournament Biegler meanwhile relies on a goalkeeper trio. Dinah Eckerle slipped Antje Lauenroth into the squad ahead of the game against the Dutch left-winger Antje Lauenroth. Thus, Biegler remains a personal option after the replacement of Stolle for Kim Naidzinavicius (cross ligament rupture) and the replacement of Bölk.