German handball players reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup

The handball players from Germany are early in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The win against the Netherlands is only tight in the first half. Now only the heavyweights are waiting.

Kattowitz – The German female handball players continued their winning streak at the World Cup and reached the quarterfinals early.

The DHB team showed a great performance and defeated the Netherlands 33:26 (15:12). This means that the knockout round is already perfect before the final game of the main round on Monday (8.30 pm / ARD) against the Norwegians, who are also qualified.

In front of some 5,000 spectators in Kattowitz, Poland, outstanding playmaker Juri Knorr was the best shooter for the still unbeaten German team with nine goals. As so often in this tournament, goalkeeper Andreas Wolff also put in a more than convincing performance.

France or Spain await in the quarterfinals

This will also be important in the future. The Norwegians on Monday are already among the best in the world. And in the quarterfinals, the DHB team faces the Olympic champions France or Spain.

The German team was already challenged by the Dutch, at least in the first round. National coach Alfred Gislason and his players barely missed an opportunity to warn their opponents before the game. That it would be a completely different game than 39:19 against the hopelessly overwhelmed Argentinians. You should be right.

From the beginning, an extremely fast and close encounter developed in Katowice. A two goal lead was initially the highest the DHB team could play. Because the Dutch kept coming back. Only in the second round did Germany pull away.

Prompted by their playmaker Luc Steins, the Oranje team kept pushing into the German defense at a crazy pace. The DHB team needed a few minutes to adjust to this. It was only when the strong again Wolff saved a 7-meter shot in the 11th minute that the German team took the lead for the first time soon after. And he was not far behind after that.

Knorr convinces again

Once again it was the youngest of the team who shaped the game for the DHB team. The Dutch never controlled the 22-year-old Knorr. Like Steins, the Rhein-Neckar Löwen pro led his team’s attacks at high speed.

If the Dutch defense formed quickly enough, they always found a breakthrough with their own shots. Or just turned his seven meters. Knorr was involved in almost all the dangerous actions of the DHB team.

“We did well in most phases, that’s why we’re three goals up,” DHB sporting director Axel Kromer said at half-time. After the change of sides, the German team extended their lead because the Dutch did not want to succeed in the meantime.

But the enemy never gave up. Because, unlike the German team, he lacked alternatives on the bench, in the end it was clear. But that should be different against Norway. dpa