The German handball women have successfully started in the World Cup in Japan. The team of national coach Henk Groener won their opening match against Panamerikameister Brazil thanks to the strong goalkeeper Dinah Eckerle 30:24 (14:11), putting it a perfect start in the group B preliminary.
The next German opponent on Sunday (10 clock / sport Germany.tv) is outsider Australia (1 December). Subsequently, heavier tasks await the DHB selection: Denmark on 3 December, one day later World and European Champions France and Asian champion South Korea on 6 December. Only the top three teams enter the main round.
Marco Wolf / dpa
Julia Behnke of Germany in action
Player of the match was goalkeeper Eckerle, the 24-year-old German champion SG BBM Bietigheim fended off 17 throws, including three seven-meter.
In Japan, Germany is above all interested in participating in the Olympics: In order to be part of a qualifying tournament for Tokyo 2020, the European Championship tithe must reach a place among the top seven at the World Cup.
The German team is at the World Cup outsider. One reason: The domestic league is too weak, and hardly a player seeks the way to a top club abroad - except Julia Behnke, which is under contract in Russia. Here is a portrait.
The complete World Cup schedule can be found here.