Handball
DHB team qualifies for the Olympics – Gislason stays
Lukas Mertens and the DHB team have secured qualification for the Olympic Games. photo
© David Inderlied/dpa
The German handball players are going to the Olympic Games. After the win against Austria, there is also clarity on the coaching question.
Only national coach Alfred Gislason, whose contract is extended until the home World Cup in 2027, remained reserved as usual. With his arms folded across his chest, the Icelander watched his DHB pros’ lap of honor almost emotionlessly, as they were loudly celebrated by the 10,099 fans in Hanover.
Third Olympic participation in a row
“It was nice to see this performance. The fire is there in the team,” said Gislason, praising the performance of the European Championship fourth-placed team, who finished the qualifying tournament in second place behind Croatia. “I feel great relief. It was the difficult game that I expected,” exulted goalkeeper Andreas Wolff and praised: “The boys showed morale. We deserved to win.”
With eight goals each, Julian Köster and Renars Uscins were the best throwers for the German team, which had been under a lot of pressure after the 30:33 defeat against the Croatians the day before. “I’m incredibly proud. We put up a huge fight,” said U21 world champion Uscins.
For the DHB team it is the third Olympic participation in a row. In 2016, Germany won bronze in Rio de Janeiro. In Tokyo it was over in the quarterfinals. A German team has only become Olympic champion once. The GDR team triumphed in the legendary final against the Soviet Union in 1980.
Gislason will stay until 2027
Thanks to the qualification, there is finally certainty regarding the national coach question. Gislason, who has responded irritably to questions about his future in recent days, will remain in office until February 2027. “I was a little annoyed by the questions,” he admitted. In Hanover, the Icelander had completed his job on probation. If the DHB team had not solved the Paris ticket, Gislason’s time at the DHB would have been over.
“I’m very happy to continue to look after the team. I think it will get better every year,” said the 64-year-old, who took over the position in February 2020. “We are very pleased that we are continuing with Alfred. We said before the tournament that he was the right coach,” confirmed veteran goalkeeper Wolff.
Gislason now has around four months to turn an unsettled team into a serious medal candidate. The five-ring tournament in France could even offer a double chance for handball Germany. The women will also be fighting for their Olympic ticket in April in a group with Slovenia, Paraguay and Montenegro. The qualifications of the DHB colleagues should be incentive enough.
Emotional, aggressive and few mistakes
24 hours after the catastrophic opening phase against Croatia, Germany looked like a substitute in the decisive duel with the Austrians, against whom they had only managed a draw at the home European Championships in January. Hardly any trace of weak finishes. The leading players around Julian Köster brought the necessary emotionality and physicality onto the floor, while the defenders offered significantly more resistance. The 9:7 lead after a quarter of an hour was deserved.
Gislason even chose the adjective “outstanding” during his first time out. The fact that the European Championship fourth-placed team was unable to break away despite Wolff’s good saves was due to simple ball losses. The DHB team was able to reduce technical errors compared to the previous day, but could not avoid them. All the better that tournament high-flyer Uscins had another great day and put his team in the lead with five goals (18:13).
U-21 world champion Späth creates atmosphere
After the break the intensity increased again. In goal, Gislason now relied on U21 world champion David Späth at times, who sent the hall into ecstasy with two saves. Köster also benefited from the charged atmosphere. The backcourt ace scored three goals in a row and restored the five-goal lead (24:19).
The 24-year-old repeatedly broke through Austria’s back rows with his irrepressible will. Teammate Lukas Zerbe, on the other hand, failed twice from a promising position, so that Germany had to tremble again in the end. Eight minutes before the end of the game the lead shrank to two goals, but the DHB team didn’t let the victory be taken away from them and went to the Olympics.