The frustration of the World Cup is forgotten, the upheaval is over, the participation in the European Championship is the goal: Under the new national coach Henk Groener, the German women handball players want to start the turnaround and take an important step towards the European Championship finals in Stuttgart on Wednesday (7 p.m.) with a victory against the leader Spain. November until 16. December in France.
Two points are urgently needed after the German Handball Federation (DHB) only scored 26-26 in their first home match against Lithuania, which had been underestimated, said Dutchman Groener, who took over from Michael Biegler in the eighth-finals 25 days after the disappointment of the home World Cup at the beginning of January.
Spain is the strongest opponent in our group,” said Groener, “but the result will be good for us with joy, commitment and passion,” and the coach attaches particular importance to his team going into the game unburdened: “I want to give room to looseness, then creativity comes too”, which was exactly what the German team lacked at the World Cup.
The return match against Spain will take place three days later in San Sebastian. In qualifying group 6, the DHB women will play Spain, Lithuania and Turkey for two direct tickets. In addition to the draw against Lithuania, the team has a 30:16 in Turkey in the account.
Goal: Dinah Eckerle (Thüringer HC), Isabell Roch (TuS Metzingen) – left wing: Ina Großmann (TuS Metzingen), Franziska Müller (HSG Blomberg-Lippe) – left back: Xenia Smits (Metz HB/FRA), Shenia Minevskaja (TuS Metzingen) – centre back: Anna