After captain Johannes Golla's winning goal at the last second, the German handball players jumped wildly across the floor and then enjoyed the applause of the enthusiastic fans.

With the 30:29 (17:13) against Hungary, the DHB selection celebrated a successful restart after the chaotic Corona European Championship on Sunday in front of 3011 spectators in Kassel and a successful dress rehearsal for the World Cup playoffs against Faroe Islands in mid-April.

But after a seemingly safe lead, the protégés of national coach Alfred Gislason made it exciting again before Golla secured victory with the final siren.

The day before there had been a 31:31 in Gummersbach.

“Like yesterday, we had fluctuations.

We had everything under control and the second half went very differently than the first.

But Johannes saved us with a laser beam,” said backcourt ace Julius Kühn, who, like right winger Timo Kastening, scored five goals.

It almost looked as if the Germans would have to settle for a draw against the Magyars again.

Fabian Wiede lost the ball in attack 30 seconds before the end and Hungary equalized.

But Golla made his team and the fans cheer with a direct throw from the throw circle into the empty goal.

Gislason was satisfied after the training week and the two duels.

"We were able to warm up a bit," said the Icelander.

Compared to the day before, he saw a much better defense, "and Andi Wolff put in a very strong performance in the first half.

But in the first ten minutes in the second half everything went against us and in the end we unfortunately gambled away the big lead," said the national coach at Sport1.

The German team, which had to do without the EM drivers Sebastian Heymann, Djibril M'Bengue, Philipp Weber and Kai Häfner, only needed a short warm-up time on Sunday.

Then she was there.

After almost a quarter of an hour, she was already leading by five goals.

This was mainly due to a strong defense with a splendid Andreas Wolff behind.

The 31-year-old from the Polish top club Vive Kielce parried a number of throws – including a seven-metre throw.

The hosts did well on offense too.

The Hungarians, who disappointed badly as co-hosts with place 15 at the European Championships in January, could hardly catch their breath.

Gislason benevolently followed the spirited performance of his protégés, who only made a few unfocused shots towards the end of the first half.

Sluggish after the break

After the change, the German team, which had now been reorganized in several positions - including Till Klimpke between the posts for Wolff - got off to a bad start.

Only one goal was scored in the first seven minutes.

At 19:18 it was Hungary's turn again.

But suddenly a jolt went through the team, which pulled away with an intermediate sprint to 24:20.

But this cushion melted away because mistakes crept in.

But Golla secured success with a flash of inspiration.

The day before, the DHB selection had discarded too many balls and left too many gaps in defense.

“We wanted to give the fans a win.

We have only ourselves to blame for the fact that it didn't work out," grumbled Gislason.

Best pitchers for the DHB team were Fabian Wiede with nine goals and Kühn (5).

Returnee Juri Knorr also impressed after being brought in in the second half with good passes and four goals.