It’s a long way to the Final Four
Magdeburg still has to tremble, THW Kiel is suffering against PSG
05/10/2023 10:46 p.m
For a long time it looked as if SC Magdeburg would work out a brilliant starting position in the Champions League quarter-finals, but in the end it will only be a good one. THW Kiel, on the other hand, clearly loses against the defending champion.
The German handball champion SC Magdeburg carelessly gave up a win in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League and thus a better starting position for reaching the Final Four. Coach Bennet Wiegert’s team led the Polish club Wisla Plock for a long time, but had to be satisfied with a 22:22 (12:9). In order to progress, the SCM needs a win in the second duel in their own hall next Wednesday (6:45 p.m.).
At times, the SCM was even up five goals, but Plock fought back, cheered on by his frenetic fans, and remained dangerous to the end. With five goals, Michael Damgaard was the top scorer for Magdeburg, who were leveled by Abel Serdio Guntin five minutes before the end. “They scored some good goals but we have to take care of ourselves,” said Damgaard. “22 goals is not enough for us. We have a lot of respect for them but I’m confident we can do better in the second leg.”
Kiel faces a mammoth task
THW Kiel, on the other hand, faces a mammoth task: The North Germans lost the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain in their own hall by 27:31 (12:13). The second leg will take place in Paris on May 17th. In front of the 9821 spectators, Sander Sagosen was the best thrower from Kiel with nine goals. Dainis Kristopans, Ferran Sole and Elohim Prandi were each successful for the guests six times.
The hosts had to do without the injured backcourt players Steffen Weinhold (shoulder injury) and Eric Johansson (broken hand). THW trainer Filip Jicha put his faith in the seventh field player early on, so that his team could create better shot chances against the compact defense of the guests. Nevertheless, Kiel had only scored eight goals after 25 minutes.
After the break, it took a little over six minutes before THW scored its first goal in the second half of the game. Previously, among others, Niclas Ekberg had failed with a seven-meter penalty to the former Kiel keeper Andreas Palicka. The French lead increased to three goals several times. In the 44th minute the hosts equalized at 19:19. But Paris stayed on the trigger. PSG goalkeeper Jannick Green restored the lead to 26:23 (51st) with a shot into the hosts’ empty goal. In the closing stages, Hendrik Pekeler from Kiel saw a red card (59′).
The final round takes place on the weekend of 17./18. June in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. Most recently, in 2014, two German teams competed in the Final Four. At that time, SG Flensburg-Handewitt won the title against rival Kiel in the final.