Haberler      English      العربية      Pусский      Kurdî      Türkçe
  En.Haberler.Com - Latest News
SEARCH IN NEWS:
  HOME PAGE 29/03/2024 16:45 
News  > 

Qatar's Foreign Legion Primed For Handball Date With Germany

Qatar's Foreign Legion Primed For Handball Date With Germany

27.01.2015 21:47

The 2015 Handball World Championship host Qatar has put together a powerful national team in recent years. Or, rather, an international team. On Wednesday it faces its toughest exam yet: a quarterfinal against Germany. The national handball team of Qatar is a multicultural bunch. Left back Bertrand Roine once played for France at the European Championships, goalkeeper Goran Stojanovic comes from Montenegro, while forward Zarko Markovic and second-choice goalkeeper Danijel Saric both hail from Bosnia. The roots of Borja Vidal are in Spain, Hassan Mabrouk was an Egyptian and Rafael Capote comes from Cuba. The recruitment drive appears to be paying off as the Asian champion now finds itself in nosebleed territory: the quarterfinals of world handball's showpiece event, where it will face 2007 champion Germany on Wednesday (from 16.30 CET). For Germany's national coach Dagur Sigurdsson – himself an Icelander - there is every reason to fear the internationally-assembled host nation. "They ca

The 2015 Handball World Championship host Qatar has put together a powerful national team in recent years. Or, rather, an international team. On Wednesday it faces its toughest exam yet: a quarterfinal against Germany.



The national handball team of Qatar is a multicultural bunch.







Left back Bertrand Roine once played for France at the European Championships, goalkeeper Goran Stojanovic comes from Montenegro, while forward Zarko Markovic and second-choice goalkeeper Danijel Saric both hail from Bosnia.



The roots of Borja Vidal are in Spain, Hassan Mabrouk was an Egyptian and Rafael Capote comes from Cuba.







The recruitment drive appears to be paying off as the Asian champion now finds itself in nosebleed territory: the quarterfinals of world handball's showpiece event, where it will face 2007 champion Germany on Wednesday (from 16.30 CET).







For Germany's national coach Dagur Sigurdsson – himself an Icelander - there is every reason to fear the internationally-assembled host nation.







"They cancompete with any European team. Since we will have to play well to get something," said Sigurdsson on the eve of the game.











Mean defense



Germany breezed through the group phase with four and wins and a draw before overpowering Egypt 23-16 in its last 16 kockout tie on Monday.







For that Sigurdssoncould thank an incredible performance from goalkeeper Carsten Lichtlein (20 saves) behind an outstanding defense, but Germany may need to sharpen up in attack if it is to progress yet further. Qatar has conceded only 122 goals all tournament – the third-lowest after Sweden and Denmark.



"I think they come into the quarter-finals, semi-finals perhaps," predicted Spain's world champion Joan Canellas, who plays for Bundesliga club THW Kiel. Canellas, though, was referring to Qatar, not his own adopted home country, in comments made after Spain edged their group match 28-25 a week ago.







"They are agood team with good players, even though that may not be so well known," said Canellas, for whom the number of naturalizations among the host team is not an issue. "If they can do it, why not," he said.



World Cup-winning coach



But the playerson their owndo not guarantee success. To complete the jigsaw, a proven international coach was needed. Step forward Valero Rivera, the Spaniard who led his countrymen to the 2013 world title.











"He's one of the best coaches in the world and has built a great team, introduced tactical discipline and improves the individual strengths of the players," said France's Olympic champion coach Claude Onesta.







The Qatar teamhas also benefitted beenpracticing together since August - an advantage which is not available for favorites from Europe.







Already thequarter-finals was a surprise coup for Qatar, and an achievement not lost on its foreign legion.







"This is a huge result for handball in Qatar. I'm really proud of it. We have made history in Qatar Handball," said Markovic, a former Hamburg Bundesliga player.







There may be more history waiting to be written after the match against Germany.







asz/pwh (dpa, sid)







 
Latest News





 
 
Top News