Korean women's handball team secures narrow 23-22 victory over Germany

Olympic Sports

Published: 26 Jul. 2024, 00:36 Updated: 26 Jul. 2024, 00:39

Korean women's handball team secures narrow 23-22 victory over Germany

Korean handball player Kang Kyung-min shoots during a Paris Olympics women's handball tournament match against Germany at South Paris Arena 6 in Paris on Thursday. [YONHAP]

The Korean women’s handball team started a quest to win the only available medal in team sports for the country at the Paris Olympics with a narrow 23-22 win over Germany in Group A on Thursday.

The first group stage match for both sides took place at South Paris Arena 6 in Paris, a day before the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

The match was neck-and-neck throughout the entire 60 minutes, but Korea overcame a strong performance by Germany through the end.

The first half saw a fiery performance from both sides, with each team scoring goal after goal alternately.

Korea scored multiple goals by penetrating the center of Germany’s defense, but failed make many chances on the edges where the defense stayed sturdy and displayed aggressive skills.

By comparison, Korea’s defense on the flanks was vulnerable, allowing quick attacks that led to goals.

But Korea’s attack led by Kang Kyung-min coupled with remarkable saves by goalkeeper Park Sae-young allowed the team to maintain a lead through the end of the half, ending it 11-10.

Vulnerabilities on the edges continued to cause problems for Korea, with the squad losing their lead in the early minutes of the second half. The score became 16-14 in the 42nd minute.

Losing the lead put extra pressure on Korea. The team failed to handle Germany’s attack that stretched the gap to four goals at one point, but they quickly bounced back with a fiery response that turned things around to make it 21-20 by the 54th minute.

Korea then kept that hard-earned lead through the final whistle and sealed a 23-22 victory.

The women’s team have four more group stage matches left to play against Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia through which they can secure a place in the quarterfinals.

Finishing in fourth in Group A is a minimum requirement for joining the final eight. In the Olympics’ handball tournament, 12 teams are divided in two groups of six, with top four sides from each group reaching the knockout stage.

The Korean women’s handball squad in this year’s Olympics are more special than the team in previous Games as that they are the sole Korean representatives in teams sports in Paris. All other Korean teams failed to qualify for the tournament.

Winning a medal will not only bring Korea the only teams sports medal the country can claim, but it will also end medal-drought in the Olympics that the women’s team has seen since they won a bronze medal in 2008.

A fourth-place finish at the 2012 London Olympics remains the women’s team’s best result in the Olympics since 2008.

Korea will next face Slovenia in the group stage on Sunday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]