In front of 6,145 spectators at the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, Germany, needed plenty of stamina. The Portuguese, who ended Germany’s World Championship dreams in last year’s quarter-finals in Oslo, proved to be the tough opponent everyone expected, thanks to their rock-solid defense.
Wolff kept Germany in the game during a poor first half with a series of strong saves. After the break, as the match became increasingly heated, not only did the Kiel goalkeeper step up, but Miro Schluroff also took on a lot of responsibility, scoring repeatedly.
The Gummersbach player finished as Germany’s leading goal scorer with seven goals, all of which came in the second half. Even a red card for captain Johannes Golla (53rd minute) didn’t unsettle the German outfit in the closing stages.
Before the match against Portugal, who had handed Olympic champions Denmark their first defeat in Herning in twelve years with a 31-29 win at the end of the preliminary round, Wolff had warned about the "absolutely outstanding" Costa brothers, Francisco and Martim. Line player Justus Fischer described the opponent as "a real challenge. But if you want to win the tournament, you have to beat every team."
Numerous technical errors
The German team needed some time to get going. While the defense had the Costa brothers, who had scored 18 of Portugal’s 31 goals together in their upset win over Denmark, well under control in the first half, playmaker Juri Knorr and his teammates struggled to create much up front, allowing Portugal to dictate the early stages. "Their game only thrives on our technical mistakes. Nothing has happened yet," Gislason reassured his team during a timeout with the score at 4-6 (13th minute): "Keep the ball moving."
Germany improved with every minute. The defense, working in tandem with the outstanding Wolff, hardly allowed anything, and the important goals came from fast breaks. Thanks to ten minutes without conceding and Wolff’s 47 percent save rate, the DHB team turned a 6-8 deficit into a 10:8 lead. However, lapses in concentration cost them the halftime advantage.
Schluroff sparks the offense
"We’re not playing well, we didn’t start well, and we’re making too many technical errors," national team manager Benjamin Chatton said on ARD: "We can be glad it’s 11-11."
The German team also improved offensively after the break. The substitution of Schluroff in particular proved to be a masterstroke, giving the attack a real boost. The Gummersbach backcourt player scored five times by the 45th minute, putting Germany ahead 21-20. "We just have to stick to our game. They’re shouting the whole time, at both ends. Our defense is outstanding," Gislason called out to his players.
The closing stages were dramatic. "We’re going to see this through," Gislason shouted in the 55th minute with the score at 26-25. His team delivered.