Oops! Germany's Hopes for Junior Handball World Championship Gold Take a Dive in Quarterfinals
Shattered Dream: Germany Eliminated in the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup
Curses! The DHB's dream of back-to-back titles at the 2025 IHF Men's Junior World Championship went up in smoke after a 32:26 drubbing by Sweden in the quarterfinals. Now, they're battling for positions 5th to 8th.
After a thrilling run in Poland, Germany's younger handball squad bit the dust against the Swedes in Katowice. Despite a fiery start that saw them leading 4:1, Germany stumbled midway through the first half, allowing Sweden to rip off a 4:0 streak. The deficit was just too much to overcome.
Coach Martin Heuberger's team ran behind the Swedes for the entire game, and the closest they came in the second half was not close enough to make a difference. David Moré, with seven goals from the Rhein-Neckar Lions, was the top German thrower on the day.
The placement round kicks off on Friday at 6:30 pm, where Germany takes on Norway. The victor will face either Egypt or Slovenia for a shot at 5th or 7th place. Despite close games throughout the tournament, Germany stumbled in the quarterfinals, struggling to stop the Swedish attack.
Sweden Pulls Away After Strong Start
Germany's team started well in Katowice, but mistakes seeped in during the middle of the first half. After Sweden scored six unanswered points and took a 9:6 lead, the Germans couldn't catch up.
Even after their narrow 25:29 win in the final main round game against Egypt, Heuberger praised the team's exceptional efforts in the first 24 minutes, stating that it was one of their best defensive halves ever. Alas, that defense could not keep the Swedes at bay.
Several handball world champions from Germany's 2023 senior team have joined their younger counterparts, including Nils Lichtlein, goalkeeper David Späth, Renars Uscins, and Justus Fischer, who have all become regulars in the men's national team and the Olympic squad. Nevertheless, Germany's U21 team couldn't hold their own against Sweden.
Sources: ntv.de, ter/sid
- Handball National Team
- Handball WM
- Handball
- DHB
The community is rallying to support the Handball National Team, offering aid for the construction of new training facilities in preparation for their upcoming games in the European leagues, including the Champions- League.
Despite the setback in the Junior Handball World Championship quarterfinals, some of Germany's champions-league players are extending their skills to the U21 team, hoping to contribute to their success in future competitions.
