France U20 vs Germany U20

After falling 28:31 to Spain on Friday in their tournament opener — Germany's first loss in eight internationals this year — the DHB selection needed a response against a France side that had beaten Switzerland 31:21 on the opening night.

They delivered emphatically.

Germany flew out of the blocks at the Sporthalle Ruebisbach. Tom Koschek (VfL Gummersbach/SC DHfK Leipzig) led the scoring with six goals, converting five from the penalty spot. The left wing was clinical from the flanks, while William Reichardt (Füchse Berlin/VfL Potsdam) added four from the backcourt.

By half-time, Germany had built a six-goal cushion at 14:8, suffocating France's attack with a disciplined defensive shape that limited Les Bleus to single digits in the opening period.

France improved after the break. Victor Gildas (Chambéry Savoie HB) led their scoring with five goals, finding gaps in the German defence, while Vincent Gress Hayet (Saran Loiret HB) and Noé Thullier each added four. Loan Felix-Andrieu (Chambéry Savoie) scored three.

But Germany's lead never looked seriously threatened. Koschek continued to punish from the wing. Caspar Gauer (SC DHfK Leipzig), Julius Hein (TSV Bayer Dormagen) and Rasmus Ankermann (THW Kiel/TSV Altenholz) — who earned a senior national team call-up from head coach Alfred Gislason earlier this year — each scored three. Noah Hensen (SC Magdeburg) added two, as did Johan Rohwer (THW Kiel) and Leonard Zink (TuS Vinnhorst).

The final score: 28:21, a commanding seven-goal margin that restored confidence ahead of Sunday's tournament closer against Switzerland.

Germany's first-half surge, triggered by an aggressive defensive press and sharp transition play, proved decisive. France struggled to break through and managed only eight goals in 30 minutes. When Reichardt stretched the lead to 17:10 early in the second half, the match was effectively settled. France never got closer than six goals after the break.

Tom Koschek (Germany) — 6 goals, 5/5 from 7 metres. The left wing was unstoppable from the line and lethal from the penalty spot. His movement off the ball pulled France's defence apart.

Victor Gildas (France) — 5 goals. The Chambéry backcourt man was France's most reliable attacking outlet, showing sharp finishing even under heavy defensive attention.

Rasmus Ankermann (Germany) — 3 goals. The 18-year-old THW Kiel talent, already invited to train with the senior national team, showed maturity in the backcourt and linked well with Gauer and Hein.

William Reichardt (Germany) — 4 goals. The Füchse Berlin talent delivered physicality and drive from the backcourt, adding a second-phase dimension to Germany's attack.

Germany's 14:8 half-time lead was the decisive stat line. France managed only 13 goals in the second half — a marginal improvement — but never generated the run needed to close the gap. Germany's superior efficiency from open play told the story: six different German players scored multiple goals, while France relied heavily on Gildas (5), Gress Hayet (4) and Thullier (4) for the bulk of their output.

The 21 goals France scored was their lowest output of the tournament so far, reflecting the defensive discipline Germany brought after their second-half collapse against Spain 24 hours earlier.

Germany improved to 1-1 at the Airport Trophy after their opening loss to Spain. France fell to 1-1, having beaten Switzerland on Friday. Both sides face their final group-stage matches on Sunday 28 June: Germany take on hosts Switzerland at 13:30 CET, while France meet Spain at 11:00 CET.

The tournament serves as the final preparation for the U20 European Championship in Romania, which begins on 8 July 2026. Germany's first defeat of 2026 against Spain was a wake-up call; this performance against France has restored momentum.

Germany's first-half dominance was the difference. After a chastening second half against Spain, Heuberger's side refocused defensively and suffocated France before the break. The seven-goal margin reflected the gap on the night — the game was effectively decided by half-time. For France, the attacking cohesion that worked against Switzerland disappeared against a more organised German defence.