World Women's Handball Championship: Bölk and Stolle look forward to the 'group final' against Hungary

After the Hungarian and German national teams won both of their matches at the World Championship, they will start the semifinals with at least two points, and Monday's clash against each other will also affect their quarterfinal positions. Hungarian fans can see the two German national team players week after week, as Emily Bölk and Alicia Stolle have been strengthening FTC since last summer.

„I'm proud of my team. We defended well in both games and could rely on our goalkeepers as well, which gave us a lot of confidence in the attacks, and we led quick counterattacks with the balls we stole.Also, our strength this year is that we have substitutes for every position and our rhythm cannot be broken by it,"– Bölk, who is also the captain of the German national team, told Nemzeti Sport. Then, Stolle added that they are not yet among the top teams, but they are doing their best to get closer.

„In recent years, we haven't achieved better results due to regularly playing only one bad match or missing just one goal. We used to be in the top four, that's our dream now, but we have to work hard for it," – Stolle said.

They're both preparing for a special game against Hungary, and who will benefit more from knowing each other will only depend on the court.

„Both teams will be thoroughly prepared from each other. I hope we will be able to defend the same way we did in the first two games, and this will make things very difficult for the Hungarian team. Before the World Championship, we were already joking about the match at FTC, but for these 60 minutes, we put friendship aside," – Bölk said.

Stolle noted that it won't be easy for them against Blanka Bíró because she knows her shots well, so they have to be smart.

„Like us, Hungarians have a young team, too; they are incorporating a new generation into the national team," – the right winger continued. – „At the Olympics, we could see that they can also give big teams a hard time, but simultaneously, the possibility of defeat is always there in their matches. We have to play as a team, that's the key."

Bölk described the Hungarian team as a tactically well-prepared squad. „Although there are several youngsters in the Hungarian squad, it cannot be said that there is a lack of experience. Most of the players are coached in the international cup week after week. The Hungarians are strong in goalkeeping, 1-versus-1 and long shots, and we are trying to find an antidote to them."

The 23-year-old left back is over a stressful fall season at Fradi having had to hold on to two positions due to the relegation of the pivot players. However, as she says, she had the opportunity to somewhat recharge before the World Championship. „Unfortunately, we didn't have enough strength in the last games. It came in handy that I didn't have to play national team matches in the beginning, so I had time to recharge the batteries. We could prepare for the World Championship for almost two weeks, and I feel I'm in good shape.”

Stolle's situation is different in that she really has the opportunity to show what she can do this season. She is grateful to the Hungarian club for being patient with her. „The first season at FTC was difficult. I expected more from myself, but it wasn't easy to fit into a new team after a long injury. I trained with the girls for the first time in January, and one match came after another, so there was not really time to practice. I'm happy the club didn't rush me, didn't put pressure on me. I want to repay the confidence they've granted me. I'm happy with my second year so far, I can help the team more and not just in defense. I can use my strengths better for the sake of the team."

As it is known, the top three teams will advance to the semifinals starting next Wednesday and will take their results played against the other two semifinalists. The Hungarian team will meet South Korea, Denmark as well as Congo or Tunisia in the semifinals in Granollers where they start with two points already.

25th WORLD WOMEN'S HANDBALL CHAMPIONSHIP (SPAIN, DECEMBER 1-19)
GROUP STAGE 3, ROUND 3, MONDAY SCHEDULE
GROUP E (Llíria)
6PM:Czech Republic–Slovakia (TV:M4 Sport)
8.30PM:Germany–Hungary (TV:M4 Sport)

THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL TEAM SQUAD – DETAILED PERSONAL INFORMATION AND SHORT DESCRIPTIONS HERE!
Goalkeepers:Blanka Bíró (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria), Zsófi Szemerey (Motherson-Mosonmagyaróvár), Melinda Szikora (SG BBM Bietigheim – Germany)
Right wing:Anett Kovács (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria), Viktória Lukács (Győri Audi ETO)
Right back:Anna Albek (TuS Metzingen – Germany), Katrin Klujber (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria), Szimonetta Planéta (DVSC Schaeffler)
Center back:Eszter Tóth (Motherson-Mosonmagyaróvári KC SE), Petra Vámos (DVSC Schaeffler) Pivot:Réka Bordás (DVSC Schaeffler), Laura Szabó (MTK Budapest), Petra Tóvizi (DVSC Schaeffler)
Left back:Noémi Háfra (Győri Audi ETO), Gréta Kácsor (Váci NKSE), Szandra Szöllősi-Zácsik (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria)
Left wing:Gréta Márton (FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria), Csenge Fodor (Győri Audi ETO)
Isolated:Nadine Schatzl (Győri Audi ETO) – positive coronavirus test
Head coach:Vladimir Golovin
16 players can enter each world championship match.

GROUP DRAWS
GROUP A (Granollers):   France, Montenegro, Angola, Slovenia
GROUP B (Llíria):   Russian team, Serbia, Cameroon, Poland
GROUP C (Castelló):    Norway, Romania, Kazakhstan, Iran
GROUP D (Torrevieja):   Netherlands, Sweden, Puerto Rico, Uzbekistan
GROUP E (Llíria):    Germany, HUNGARY, Czech Republic, Slovakia
GROUP F (Granollers):    Denmark, South Korea, Tunisia, Congo
GROUP G (Castelló):   Croatia, Japan, Brazil, Paraguay
GROUP H (Torrevieja):   Spain, Austria, Argentina, China
The groups' first three places will advance to the semifinals (AB, CD, EF, GH rounds)

Nemzeti Sport's correspondents are: Tamás Nedelykov and Bálint Papp