FRESH UP! Takes Third Place at EHF European League Final Four

Montpellier HB – FRESH UP! 29:33 (17:16)

FRESH ON! entered the match for third place in the European League with a mortgage. On Saturday they not only lost the semifinals, but also the three players Kevin Gulliksen, Sebastian Heymann and Tim Kneule due to injuries. Thus, Julian Buchele and Nils Röller moved up in the squad for the game against Montpellier HB.
FRESH ON! came under pressure from the start of the 3rd place match as Montpellier HB took a 2-0 lead. After all, Marcel Schiller safely converted a seven-meter throw to make it 2-1. Jaka Malus scored another goal at 3:2, but MHB responded with a quick middle to make it 4:2. When the score was 5:3, FRISCH AUF! not an initial majority situation, but Daniel Rebmann kept the green-whites in the game with a save, so that Josip Sarac was able to reduce the deficit to 5:4 in a counterattack. But MHB keeper Remi Desbonnet immediately showed himself from his best side and parried multiple shots from the outside. His team took advantage of this for the first three-goal lead (7:4, 10th). And the French remained the more active team, so that FRESH OPEN! coach Markus Baur had to take his first time-out after conceding a counter-goal to make it 9:5. After all, Josip Sarac reduced the lead to 9:6 with a Kempatrick. But even then the FRESH OPEN! game remained shaky in attack and defense up to 12:8. Blaz Blagotinsek then asserted himself powerfully to make it 12:9 and Daniel Rebmann saved a shot from the French, so that Marcel Schiller was able to get his team back into the game with his goal to make it 12:10. Montpellier also made a few mistakes. Jaka Malus scored in the extended counterattack to make it 12:11 and Josip Sarac made it 13:12. After that, Montpellier was able to extend its lead to +2 several times and FRESH ON! shortened by Blaz Blagotinsek, Josip Sarac and Jon Lindenchrone. At 17:16 it finally went into the half-time break after FRESH OPEN! missed two chances to equalize.

This initial equalization came in the 32nd minute, however, when Blaz Blagotinsek powerfully asserted himself on the circle and scored the 18:18. Marin Sego saved a penalty, but the ball stayed with the French, who made it 19:18. Jaka Malus and Marcel Schiller scored more equalizers until 20:20. Good defensive work resulted in more ball wins and with a majority, David Schmidt managed to take the first lead to 20:21 (37th). Montpellier got back into the game better and took the lead again from 22:21. Outnumbered, Axel Goller managed to equalize again to make it 24:24. Marin Sego was now in the game and immediately contributed two saves. Kresimir Kozina followed up with the 24:25 and Montpellier took his second time out. It had an effect, because the French took the lead by 27:26 and the FRESH UP! attackers failed because of MHB keeper Charles Bolzinger. Now FRISCH AUF! trainer Markus Baur asked for a tactical discussion. Cleverly acting Kresimir Kozina was then successful with a quick free throw to 27:27 and Gilberto Duarte followed up with the 27:28. Marcel Schiller increased the lead to 27:29 seven minutes before the end. Kresimir Kozina marked the 28:30, but in the counterattack Josip Sarac had to accept his third time penalty. Marin Sego saved the subsequent seven-meter throw and also made an important save in the next attack. Jaka Malus thanked him with a shot to 28:31. Montpellier was now touched and quickly lost the balls. Axel Goller converted a counterattack to 28:32. The game was decided. FRESH ON! also had the right answer to MHB’s open-field man marking and Gilberto Duarte marked the final score of 29:33. FRESH ON! is third for the first time in the Final Four of the EHF European League. The 300 FRESH UP! fans who traveled with them celebrated their team for today’s performance and the deserved victory.

FRESH UP! Coach Markus Baur: “It wasn’t easy for either team to play today. If you take that into account, it was a good game with a lot of pace, great goals and excitement. In the final minutes we managed to Going four goals ahead decided the game. I’m happy for my team about the good performance. We did a good job on defense and put so much pressure on Montpellier. And we made more goalkeeper saves than yesterday. The win is therefore deserved.”

MHB: Desbonnet (1st-30th), Bolzinger (31st-60th); Villeminot 6, Berthier, Pellas, Tskhovrebadze, Bos 7/2, Fernandez 1, Panic, A.Lenne 3, Skube 4, Konan 2, Jensen, Porte 1, Y.Lenne 4, Nacinovic 1.
FRESH UP!: Rebmann (1st-42nd), Sego (42nd-60th), Buchele (ne.); Neudeck (ne.), Duarte 2, Lindenchrone 2, Sarac 5, Blagotinsek 3, Schiller 6/5, Röller (ne.), Goller 4, Hermann, Kozina 3, Malus 5, Schmidt 3.
Feature film: 2:0 (3rd), 5:4 (8th), 9:5 (12th), 12:11 (21st), 14:12 (24th), 17:16 (Hz.) – 18:18 (32nd), 20:21 (37th), 24:22 (42nd), 24:25 (46th), 27:26 (49th), 27:29 (53rd), 28: 32 (58th), 29:33 (end).
Penalties: 4/4 and Rot Sarac (56’/3 times 2′).
Spectators: 4300.
Referees: Denis Bolic and Christoph Hurich (AUT).

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