Handball World Cup 2023: When the DHB was last in the quarterfinals
Almost eight years ago to the day, the German national team last contested a quarter-final at a handball world championship. It was a memorable 60 minutes.
Focus on referees: Austria’s players and Silvio Heinevetter are looking to talk to the referees.
imago pictures (3)
If you filter for the German national team and a World Cup quarter-final, you have to go back quite a bit on the timeline. The last finals in January 2021 in Egypt ended the DHB selection with a sobering 23:23 (11:12) against Poland – twelfth place meant the worst placement in the history of the association.
At the 2019 World Cup, which Germany hosted together with Denmark, the semi-finals continue after the main round. The DHB team reached the semi-finals, but lost there clearly to Norway (25:31) and finally missed out on France (25:26) and just about won bronze at the World Cup.
As reigning European champions, Germany traveled to France in January 2017, where Qatar (20:21) was the last stop in the round of 16. For Dagur Sigurdsson it was the fourth and last tournament with the DHB selection – his farewell to Japan had already been decided at the end of November 2016.
You also have to go back eight years almost to the day to find a World Cup quarter-final with German participation. It was January 28, 2015 when the DHB selection failed in the round of eight against host Qatar (24:26). Germany didn’t have their best day and revealed too many weaknesses in front and behind.
Referee Spotlight – Rivera on ‘Home Advantage’
However, the underdog’s 26 goals were also scored by seven naturalized professionals from Egypt, Bosnia, France, Cuba, Montenegro, Spain and Tunisia. Not a single came from any of the four Qatari-born players in the squad. The goal was nailed by Danijel Saric, a native of Bosnia.
The main point of criticism afterwards, however, was the non-compliant naturalization of highly paid foreign stars. Some had zeroed in on the referees from North Macedonia. In front of around 15,000 spectators in Lusail, these had not made a really happy figure.
Goalkeeper Silvio Heinevetter, who was not called up to the German squad for the 2023 World Cup, rumbled: “We couldn’t win this game. Anyone who knows a little bit about this sport knows what I mean.” I was referring to Gjorgji Nacevski and Slave Nikolov. “As long as I’m in this country, I have to be careful what I say,” Heinevetter said afterwards and disappeared into the catacombs.
If this game had been played in Germany, the Germans would have won it.
Qatar coach Valero Rivera
It was also clear to ex-national player Stefan Kretzschmar “that the Germans have to be five goals better to win with one”. Nevertheless, Heinevetter should “not stand up and make such statements”. Coach Valero Rivera, who was supposed to lead Qatar to the final, had his own interpretation: “Home advantage is extremely important in handball, that’s well known. If this game had been played in Germany, the Germans would have won it.”
Austria and Szilagyi are also simmering
A German neighbor shared Heinevetter’s anger: In the round of 16, just one round earlier, Austria lost 27:29 to Qatar. The ÖHB pros also felt “cheated”. Keeper Thomas Bauer, for example, was so angry at the final whistle that he stormed towards the Croatian referees – and had to be caught by the teammates.
Austria’s captain Viktor Szilagyi, now managing director of the German record champions THW Kiel, didn’t mince his words after the final whistle: “We were called as many offensive fouls in the second half as in the whole tournament before. Qatar apparently covered well. Maybe they have to you expect that. It’s hard for me to accept.”
When Germany meets record world champions France or Spain on Wednesday evening, the focus will definitely be on sport again. National coach Alfred Gislason would also like a different outcome than in 2015.