As of: January 21, 2025 10:28 p.m
Top favorites and hosts Denmark inflicted their first defeat on the German national handball team at the Handball World Cup on Tuesday, winning 40:30 (24:18). The Danish star ensemble shone at times, one stood out once again: world handball player Mathias Gidsel.
The 25-year-old left-hander from Füchse Berlin once again showed his top class: ten goals in twelve attempts, plus eleven assists – of course Gidsel was named player of the game. But it wasn’t just him, the whole Danish team played wonderful team handball, the German defense was left behind for long stretches.
“Of course the result was too high. We’re a bit lacking in the front and we’re making too many missed shots,” said national coach Alfred Gislason in the Sportschau interview. “In order to really cause Denmark problems, we need a very good defense, a very good goalkeeping performance and fewer mistakes up front.”
Späth was surprising right from the start
It was the expected “Hell of Herning” for the German team in the World Cup game against co-hosts Denmark. The Jyske Bank Boxen, filled with 15,000 spectators, was clearly in Danish hands, which made the task of inflicting the Danes’ first World Cup defeat in 31 games a little more difficult. World champion and ARD expert Johannes Bitter had “pretty big goosebumps” at the beginning.
The national coach surprisingly started with David Späth in the German goal. The 22-year-old was the match winner in the game against the Czech Republic and should now wear down the big favorites with his saves. Justus Fischer and Lukas Stutzke supported him in the inside block – captain Johannes Golla was once again left on the bench.
World handball player Gidsel determines the initial phase
Unlike in the Olympic final in Paris, the German national team wanted to start the game better and succeeded – for the time being. Right winger Timo Kastening scored from the seven-meter line to make it 1:2 (2nd) and increased the German penalty throw rate in the tournament (2/7 attempts), which had so far been expandable. But the man in the first ten minutes was a different person. World handball player Mathias Gidsel had already recorded three goals and three assists in the 8:7 (8th) – at halftime there should be six each.
-Then the currently best national team in the world picked up speed and distanced the DHB team with a 5:1 run to 12:7 (11th). Julian Köster ended this run with his first goal and was subsequently the invigorating element in the German attack. National coach Alfred Gislason was clear at the first time-out (17th) and demanded: “Let them throw it over the backcourt. No more speculation!” This was primarily intended to prevent easy breakthroughs by Gidsel and Pytlick in the half positions.
Denmark with 24 goals against a tame DHB team
But even this instruction could not stabilize the German backline. The Danish goals continued to fall every minute despite Andi Wolff’s involvement. The hitherto flawless Gidsel brought the “Hell of Herning” to boiling over for the first time at 21:14 in the 24th minute. With a 24:18 deficit, the Germans “saved” themselves into the break. Christoph Steinert summed it up aptly at halftime on the ARD microphone: “We play bad defense!”
This honest self-criticism apparently woke up Knorr and Co. in the dressing room. The DHB team came back with ball wins and quick goals and reduced the deficit to 22:26 (36th). “The national coach tasted blood,” said ARD expert Jogi Bitter after Gislason switched to a much more offensive formation during an early timeout (38th).
But the brief momentum fizzled out without the German team being able to really use it. The Danes shook themselves briefly and quickly found their way back into the game thanks to their individual class. Again and again there were duels won through which Gidsel and Co. appeared freely in front of Andi Wolff. At times you could almost feel sorry for the German goalkeeper duo.
Limits are shown to the German team
In the final phase, the Danes gradually increased their lead and thus highlighted the class difference on the scoreboard. Again and again it was the 10-time goalscorer Gidsel who threw the German defense into disarray. It was also up to the backcourt player to score the last Danish goal. Afterwards, he beamed with joy and received the award for player of the game.
Against self-confident Italians to advance
The German team doesn’t have long to process it – Italy’s previous World Cup surprise awaits on Thursday. In Herning, Alfred Gislason’s team will make a preliminary decision in the fight for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals (Italy against Germany, on January 23rd from 6 p.m. live on ZDF).
