German women’s hockey celebrate their gold medal at the European Championships in Hamburg | NDR.de – Sports

By Christina Schroeder and Robert Witt

When Franziska Hook left her cheering team grapes, tears slipped down her cheeks. The Hamburg native finished her career in the national team shirt with a gold medal at the European Hockey Championship. Together with teammates Lisa Altenburg, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 14 goals, and Jan Müller Wieland, she returned to the German women’s hockey for one last dance on the international stage.

“The feelings had to come out,” Hook said. “I got used to it, and I saw my family and my friends. It was a stark moment and it showed me once again the kind of career I actually had.” Müller-Wyland agreed: “We knew today that this was really the last match. To finish it off with a gold medal is amazing.”

Honoring Maertens and Kubalski

After a convincing performance at the European Championships on home soil in the Hamburg gymnasium, “Danas” lived up to their role as favorites and crowned themselves European champions in a thrilling final. Natalie Kopalski was honored as the best goalkeeper and Pia Mertens as the tournament’s best player. “It’s always a nice award, but that’s definitely in the background. The title is the most important thing and we can celebrate it with the team,” said the 23-year-old.

“I think we have given the three of them the greatest gift one can give at the end of such fine careers.”
Pia Mertens

Ironically, with the 4:2 (2:2) success against the Netherlands, DHB’s selection would have made the final card clear in the preliminary round. Similar to the first encounter, the opponent got off to a better start in the final. And after a corner kick from the penalty spot, Lejke van Wijk gave the visitors the lead.

Seven-meter Altenburg Prize

At the beginning of the second quarter, Maertens took advantage of a mistake made by the Dutch women and equalized. Five minutes before half-time the visitors took the lead again in front of 3,550 spectators through Pam Imhoff. Altenburg had a chance to equalize with a seven-meter penalty with 35 seconds left in the first half, but he shot wide on the right.

Maertens with the initial spark

Unfazed by this, “Danas” started the second half. Martens equalized again in a game Germany dominated with great possession of the ball. As a result, the rapid match for both teams was repeatedly interrupted by minor refereeing decisions by the Great Britain team.

Maertens gave the DHB women the first lead with two minutes left in the third quarter. In turn, Donja Zwinkels equalized to make it 3: 3. In a frantic match, Altenburg shook the Hamburg Sports Hall a few minutes later with its goal and again took the lead.

The crime is in the final stage

In the final section, Altenburg made it 5:3 again. While the Hamburg player scored ahead, goalkeeper Natalie Kopalski kept her players alive with great saves, as in previous matches, but was unable to prevent Zwinkels from scoring.

Spurred on by the frantic crowd, the outnumbered German team held off the Dutch women’s final attempt to attack. “We really carried that,” Hook said. With the help of the fans, “we never doubted we could still shoot.”

The first jubilation comes very early

The crowd was so raucous that the “Danas” were happy with the title pretty soon. And the referee’s whistle fell into a cheer a few seconds before the end, so that the German players had already burst onto the field, although the referee again decided on a penalty kick.

“That was very special,” Mueller-Weeland said. “First we thought: This can’t be true, how stupid of us. Then we thought: Nathi Kubalski will hold up.” Müller-Wieland was right. Kopalski saved the Dutch shot and the German women stormed the field again – this time really celebrating.

Women’s results:

Men’s results: