The handball players from Bregenz won the men’s Supercup for the second time on Saturday. The cup winner won the eleventh edition of this title decision at Champion Krems in a penalty shoot-out. After regulation time it was 24:24 (9:11), then the decision went from the point. Bregenz keeper Jan Kroiss became a hero with three saved balls. Final score: 25:27. The women’s title went to Hypo NÖ with 33:18 (14:10) against WAT Atzgersdorf.
Both teams started with a little weakened substitutes, with the crowd behind them, the Kremser set the tone in the first half. While things didn’t work out that way on both sides on offense, the defenses with goalkeepers Thomas Eichberger and Kroiss were convincing. Five minutes before the end of the 60 minutes, Krems seemed like the winner at 23:20, but the Vorarlbergers reared up and even took a 24:23 lead in the final minute. Three seconds before the end, the locals managed to equalize with a seven-metre throw. Kroiss, who came into the team instead of national team goalkeeper Ralf Patrick Häusle, who had had surgery on his spine and will probably be convalescent until next year, saved three of four of the Krems attempts in the decision. “It’s crazy to take home the second title this year,” said the 20-year-old. Neo coach Michael Roth praised the youngster: “He did everything right. We were easily the better team. We stayed calm with a three-goal deficit, we formed up again in defense and then struck really cold.” The analysis of Krems coach Ibish Thaqi in the ORF interview was quite contrary: “We actually already had the game in our hands , Bregenz fought back and we were a bit nervous.” But Thaqi wasn’t completely dissatisfied: “We’re further along than we thought. We just have to think of a few ideas for attacking.” His goalie Eichberger was very disappointed: “It hurts a lot. We failed because of ourselves.” In the second match of the day, early in the season, Hypo NÖ showed that they will probably be the measure of all things again this season. A 3:1 lead by the Atzgersdorf women quickly fizzled out. The Lower Austrians have won all three previous editions of the women’s Supercup.
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