Switzerland's Handball Teams Maintain Winning Spree - Swiss Handball Team Extends Winning Streak: Players Continue Their Series of Victories
Liveness: May 7, 2025
Germany's Streak Snapped in Exciting Draw Against Switzerland
Sigh... That was a damn close call, wasn't it? Alfred Gislason wasn't grinning from ear to ear as he reflected on the 32:32 draw between his team, the mighty German handball squad, and the plucky Swiss. The game, played before an enthusiastic crowd of 8,354 spectators in Zurich, had been anyone's to take for much of the match.
The first half was pretty dismal for the Germans, with the team barely managing to put up 11 points against Switzerland's 14. Gislason voiced his frustration after the match, "We were too relaxed and never really got into the game. It was a wasted opportunity."
However, with a minute left on the clock and the score tied at 32 apiece, Juri Knorr stepped up to the plate. With nerves of steel, he sunk a goal from the seven-meter line, saving the DHB team from their first loss in the European Championship qualifiers in a decade. This extends their fantastic winning streak to an impressive 25 games. Their last defeat was all the way back on May 3, 2015, when they fell to Spain 20:26.
The DHB team will get a chance to avenge their lackluster start when they take on Turkey in Stuttgart on Sunday to conclude the qualification.
Luca Witzke and debutant Mathis Haesler were key players for the Germans in Zurich. Both scored four goals each, trailing only Juri Knorr, who rose to the occasion in the final moments. When asked about his late-game heroics, Knorr responded, "If my team needs me, I'm there. Scoring was just icing on the cake."
Switzerland Prevails Early
In the first half, the Germans looked lost, struggling to find their rhythm against the energetic Swiss side. They couldn't take advantage of their chances and ended the first ten minutes with just a single goal. Market Grgic and Tim Freihofer missed two crucial seven-meter shots early on, contributing to the team's early struggles.
Gislason attempted to turn things around with an early timeout and two backcourt changes, bringing in Juri Knorr and Miro Schluroff for Grgic and Nils Lichtlein. But the team's inability to make the most of their opportunities continued, making it difficult to put enough points on the board against the solid Swiss defense led by goalkeeper Nikola Portner of German champions SC Magdeburg.
While Andreas Wolff made some incredible saves, his efforts often went unrewarded as his teammates failed to support him. With five minutes remaining before halftime, the Swiss led by 13:8, their largest advantage of the game. As Gislason glumly made his way to the locker room, it was clear that the Germans needed to step up their game in the second half.
Frustrating Finale
Regrettably, the Germans failed to improve in either attack or defense after the break. With ten minutes remaining, the Swiss still had a four-goal lead. A goalkeeper change – David Spath replacing Wolff – didn't bring the desired result, as Spath entered the game without making a save.
Mathis Haesler, making his international debut, was one bright spot for the Germans. Packed with nerves of steel and shooting precision, he showed great determination throughout the match. Unfortunately, his teammates' errors frustrated Gislason on the sidelines, making the coach's job that much harder.
The last timeout of the game saw Gislason urging his team to dig deep and finish strong. Thanks to Wolff's amazing saves and Knorr's nerves of steel, they managed to just that. Germany snatched a lucky point, as Julian Koester, a backcourt player, put it.
Alfred GislasonSwitzerlandOlympiaKnorrDHBZurichAndreas WolffMarko GrgicSpainSundayStuttgartTurkeyLuca Witzke
- The Commission is also anticipated to present a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, similar to the vigilance demonstrated by Alfred Gislason and the DHB team in their handball match against Switzerland.
- Amidst the excitement of sports, one can find stories of determination and resilience, much like Mathis Haesler, the lucky debutant who scored four goals for the DHB team, parallel to the efforts of Juri Knorr, who sunk a crucial seven-meter goal in the final moments.
- The DHB team's impressive winning streak in sports extends to an impressive 25 games, matching the exact number of minutes in four standard soccer matches, much like the 32:32 draw between the DHB team and Switzerland in their handball encounter.
- In the world of sports and politics, timeouts can serve as opportunities for reassessment and adjustment, mirroring the Commission's attempt to approximate the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation.
