Friday 4th June 2021
“I’m just thrilled”
TBV Lemgo wins the trophy again after 19 years
In the exuberant jubilation of the Lemgoers about winning the DHB Cup, one more particularly stands out: coach Florian Kehrmann. He won the trophy in 2002 as a player and is now triumphing as a trainer. The defense is particularly outstanding on the field.
The players fell into each other’s arms cheering, veteran Christoph Theuerkauf tore his hair in disbelief and looked beaming into the seats in the Hamburg arena, which had finally been filled again. A little later, the father of success kissed the gold medal: 19 years after his coup as captain, Florian Kehrmann can also call himself cup winner as the coach of TBV Lemgo Lippe.
One day after the sensational victory against record winner THW Kiel, the 2007 world champion and Lemgo won the DHB Cup for the first time since 2002. In the final of the Final Four, which was held around a year late in front of 2000 spectators in Hamburg, the TBV beat MT Melsungen 28:24 (15:12). This means that the eleventh team in the Bundesliga will have a starting place for the European League in the coming season.
“The sport of handball is incredible. I’m just thrilled. After what we delivered yesterday in the second half, I wasn’t afraid,” said Kehrmann in an interview with ARD. “I just let the team do it. The guys were very focused and yet relaxed at the same time. It’s unbelievable. Everyone did their job. I slept badly last night, but that didn’t matter.”
The trophy goes to Lemgo for the fourth time. Lukas Zerbe and the Swede Jonathan Carlsbogard were the best TBV shooters with five hits each, Domagoj Pavlovic even scored six times for Melsungen. In the second half, the Lemgo defense of goalkeeper Finn Zecher was particularly convincing. On Thursday, Lemgo had completely surprisingly knocked the clear favorites from Kiel 29:28 out of the competition in the semifinals despite a seven-goal deficit at the break.
Lemgoer’s last title was a decade ago
Kehrmann, who scored two goals in the 2002 final, crowned a strong season early with his team in which the TBV was one of the league’s surprise teams. For the first time since winning the EHF Cup in 2010, Lemgo secured a title – and will also be represented internationally again in the coming season.
Before the game, Kehrmann had expressed confidence. “We beat THW Kiel. And if we believe in beating Melsungen, then we will beat them,” he said on Sky.
After his own semi-final victory against TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (27:24), the Melsung national player Kai Häfner had warned against Lemgo. “A great team awaits us. Anyone who beats THW is right in the final,” he said on Sky.
Lemgo achieved the first two-goal lead after ten minutes in the balanced first half (5: 3). With a 4-0 run, however, Melsungen ensured a quick change in leadership (16th). Neither line of defense succeeded in this phase. Pavlovic brought the MT in the meantime with three hits in the front (22nd). Thanks to eight different goalscorers, Lemgo went into the break with the same gap.
Melsungen desperate because of the Lemgo defense
After changing sides, Melsungen failed again and again because of the strong drinker and only scored the first goal after more than seven minutes. The Lemgo defense was secure and repeatedly made the opposing throwers desperate.
After three postponements, the cup winners of the 2019/20 season were determined in the Barclaycard Arena. Up to 2000 spectators were allowed in the hall on both match days.
“The event is under a special star. Not only the sport is in the foreground, it is also the starting shot back in time with spectators,” said Frank Bohmann, Managing Director of the Handball Bundesliga (HBL): “We will probably not have shoe soles hear more squeaking, but you definitely can’t compare the atmosphere to that of previous years. ” In fact, as in the semi-finals, the audience ensured the long-awaited atmosphere throughout the entire season.
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