The team of coach Christian Prokop has a hard time with the Netherlands – and even has to deal with a shock at the beginning. But in the end everything becomes clear.
Photo series with 16 pictures
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Mixed European start for Germany: In the opening game against the Netherlands, the team of coach Christian Prokop won 34:23, but had difficulties with the uncomfortable opponent at the beginning. For this, captain Uwe Gensheimer had to get off the plate with a red card after 17 minutes. In the end, however, the Netherlands had nothing left to oppose. It continues in Group C on Saturday – in the crash against Spain.
The highlights of the game and the scene due to which captain Uwe Gensheimer had to go off the plate with red can be seen in the video above or here,
“The course of the game was much tougher than the result would suggest. We had to nibble for a long time,” said national coach Christian Prokop on ZDF and distributed an extra praise to the strong goalkeeper Andreas Wolff: “Thanks to the goalkeeper performance, things went well. Andi was in the decisive phases on the spot and has pulled the tooth of the Dutch. ” The best throwers for the German team were back area players Kai Häfner and circular runner Jannik Kohlbacher, each with five goals. The first key game of the final against defending champions Spain is scheduled for Saturday. Then a clear increase is needed.
Bitter dismissal for Gensheimer
“It was a difficult opening match,” said Gensheimer. “We missed too many opportunities. We urgently need to improve that as quickly as possible.” The German team needed a few minutes to arrive in the tournament. Two technical mistakes at the beginning and a rejected seven-meter by Gensheimer were an expression of the initial nervousness. So it was up to the 8th minute before the World Cup fourth took the lead in 4: 3 for the first time.
Now it was going well in the game of the DHB selection, which by the middle of the first half had six goals (10: 4/15). Of all times, an own seven-meter shortly afterwards became a disadvantage for Germany: Gensheimer met Oranje goalkeeper Bart Ravensbergen from Bundesliga star HSG Nordhorn-Lingen with his throw in the face and saw the red card for it.
The DHB team got out of step with the 33-year-old world class left wing from the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. Slight mistakes in the attack and unusually large gaps in the defense meant that the comfortable lead at 12:11 (24th) was almost playful.
The increase was not long in coming
Prokop, who was swaying unhappily on the sidelines, responded with a break. “It is important that we play with dynamism and conviction again,” said the national coach from his protégés. It didn’t get much better until the break. Thanks to Wolff, who fended off 39 percent of the Dutch litters in the first round, it was at least a tight lead into the cabin.
“If we go to work with more conviction, we will get a grip on it,” said team manager Oliver Roggisch during the break on ZDF. But the urgently needed increase was not long in coming. Rather, the German team had to fight against the cheeky European Championship newcomer after a double error, which was achieved thanks to strong saves from Wolff.
In the middle of the second half, the Prokop group found their rhythm again and continued to break away. The Dutch now ran out of fuel, which enabled the DHB team to score many easy goals. So ultimately there was still a clear success on the credit side, which should give self-confidence for the course of the tournament.
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