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Kai Häfner
Photo: Sascha Klahn / dpa
The German national handball team lost their first main round match against Spain 28:32 (13:16) at the World Cup in Egypt.
Due to the defeat, the possible entry into the quarter-finals is a long way off: Only the first two teams of each main round group move into the knockout round, with two outstanding games the German team needs two wins and more shooting help than can realistically be expected.
In the first ten minutes, the DHB selection made the game balanced, only two early time penalties against Sebastian Firnhaber let the game tip in favor of the Spanish selection.
The European champions of 2018 and 2020 took the lead with two goals for the first time after eleven minutes.
A few hectic deals, the aggressive Spanish 5-1 defense and the strong goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales prevented the German team from coming up again.
In the meantime, the lead of the Spaniards increased to four goals, with a 13:16 the German team went into the break.
The German team got off to a strong start in the second 30 minutes, with Johannes Bitter replacing the temporarily unfortunate Andreas Wolff in goal.
Led by the strong shooters Timo Kastening (seven hits) and Kai Häfner (six hits), they equalized at 18:18 (35th), and a little later, Kastening took the first German lead since the beginning.
Then Bitter parried a seven-meter throw from Spanish right winger Aleix Gómez, DHB youngster Juri Knorr scored on the other side with his first action of the game - and Germany led 21:19.
Finally comes the break-in
The Spaniards reacted to the strong German phase by switching to the more conservative 6-0 cover, the German team now found fewer gaps.
On the other side, the stars of the co-favorites played their class, the 39-year-old Raúl Entrerríos scored to 25:25 (47th), the lead by Ángel Fernández followed immediately.
Nothing came together for the Germans, Marcel Schiller discarded a seven-meter (51st) for the first time in the tournament.
Firnhaber was out of the game after his third time penalty (55th), while the Spaniards moved away to five goals.
The other German opponents in the main round are Brazil on Saturday (8.30 p.m.) and Poland on Monday (8.30 p.m.).
In order to have a chance of progressing, at least in theory, you need two wins - and two defeats for the Spaniards in the remaining games.
However, since they still have to play against the so far hopeless newcomer Uruguay, the quarter-finals for the Germans are probably only mathematically possible.
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