Germany
This is Germany’s second victory over Belgium following last week’s home triumph in Hamburg.
After a very close start (4:4), Germany broke away in the score (13:10) and with Maren Brinker setting the pace, the 2011 European silver medalists could bring it home at 21-14. Germany got off to a flying start in the second set (6:1, 10:3) enjoying a margin of eight points by the technical time-out. Belgium was caught by surprise and could not respond, so Germany could comfortably go for the provisional 2:0 (21-15).
A neck-to-neck race unfolded in the early phases of the third set (6:6) before Germany scored four points in a row. Still Belgium found the strength and character to claw back to 10 all and even went to the front at 14:13. That was nevertheless not enough to call for a fourth set as Germany leveled at 19 and then scored the next couple of points to finish it off in three sets.
“I am very happy with the result and with our qualification for the final four” said Germany’s head coach Giovanni Guidetti. “We can play the next matches much more relaxed and start focusing on our preparations for the finals”.
“Germany played a good match today while we made too many easy mistakes” commented Belgian mentor Gert Vande Broek. “Sometimes you have to learn from your mistakes and simply get ready for the next game. We have already booked our spot for the final four and this is great”.
To read more news from this competition click on European League 2013 W.
