Germany’s U-21 handball players are just one step away from winning the title at the home World Cup. Coach Martin Heuberger’s team also won the semi-finals in Berlin against Serbia with 40:30 (17:15) on Saturday, in the final on Sunday (6 p.m. at Eurosport) it is now against the last strong Hungary. Germany beckons the third World Cup title in the U-21 area and the first in 13 years.
“We’re overjoyed that we were able to win the game very clearly in the end,” said Heuberger. “Now we’ve secured our medal, now it can only get better.” Backcourt player Renars Uscins (9 goals) from TSV Hannover-Burgdorf and left winger Florian Kranzmann (8) from GWD Minden were Germany’s best throwers. There were only 500 standing room tickets left for the finale in the Max-Schmeling-Halle on Saturday evening.
In the U-21 final for the fifth time
The duel started quite tight, but as the game went on, the width of the German squad became noticeable. After the half-time break, Heuberger’s team pulled away more and more, the strongest formation in Hungary got tired, and Germany was able to add more from the bench. The talent of this vintage had already been shown in 2021, when Heuberger also triumphed at the U-19 European Championship.
The selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) continues to live up to its favorite status. She made it through to the knockout stages with a clean slate, followed by impressive performances against Denmark (31:26) and now against Serbia.
Frank Heike, Hannover Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 1 Frank Heike, Köln Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 4 Published/Updated: Recommendations: 7
For the fifth time after 1983, 2007, 2009 and 2011, Germany is in the final of the U21 World Cup. The DHB team has won gold in the last two participations. For Hungary, who clearly won against Iceland (37:30) in the other semi-final, it is only the second final. In 1977, at the tournament’s premiere, they lost the final to the USSR.
