Germany’s handball players are in the semi-finals of the home European Championships and have secured the bronze medal game. Because Austria lost against Iceland and Hungary lost to the already qualified French, the DHB selection secured their ticket for the semi-finals before their final group game against Croatia in the evening.
Surprise team Austria had to admit defeat to the Northmen 24:26 after a strong start to the European Championship. Hungary lost to the Olympic champions 32:35 in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne.
In the fight for the final, the German team of national coach Alfred Gislason will face Denmark on Friday. The Scandinavian star ensemble, peppered with Bundesliga professionals, is the top favorite for the European Championship title. The second semi-final will feature record world champions France against defending champions Sweden.
The “Mecca of Handball” is supposed to be a good luck charm
After the 2007 world championship title in their own country and the gold triumphs at the European Championships in 2004 in Slovenia and 2016 in Poland, the DHB team can continue to hope for the next winter fairy tale. In goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, left winger Rune Dahmke, veteran Kai Häfner and pivot Jannik Kohlbacher, four professionals from the current squad were also there when they won the title eight years ago.
The Cologne handball temple should be a lucky charm for the DHB team. Germany has never lost an international match in the “Mecca of handball,” as right winger Timo Kastening put it. It would be the fifth German medal ever at the continental competitions. Before the tournament started, Gislason and the players had declared the semi-finals as their goal.
In addition to a European Championship medal, Germany could also secure a direct ticket to the Olympic Games in Paris. To do this, the DHB selection has to end up ahead of Sweden.
