HC Erlangen lost 34:24 (19:7) to record champions THW Kiel on Sunday afternoon. In the away game on matchday 22, the Franconians did not get off to a good start and fell 12 goals behind in the first half. After a change of sides, however, the HCE managed to stabilize and found its way back into the game. The Erlangen defended themselves to the end and tried everything to turn things around again, but even if the Franconians were able to win the second half, the burden of the first round against the world-class team from the north was too big. After 60 intensive minutes of play, the HCE had to admit defeat with 34:24. The Erlangen team’s best pitchers were Simon Jeppsson and Hampus Olsson, both of whom scored five goals.
The Franconians started the match of the 22nd matchday without their co-captain Johannes Sellin, who was not available due to illness. The people from Erlangen started with Bissel, Jeppsson, Fäth, Steinert, Olsson and Firnhaber. Klemen Ferlin started in goal. The hosts got into the game well and took a 1-0 lead with a penalty. After losing the ball in the first Erlangen attack, handball star Sander Sagosen made it 2-0. The HCE initially found it difficult to counter the offensive 5:1 defence. The Erlangen team could not get past the world handball player Niklas Landin with three free shots, so Raúl Alonso was forced to take an early time-out in the 6th minute when the score was 4:0. The speech initially had no effect, because it took 15 minutes until the HCE scored the first goal of the game via Olsson (8:1). After Büdel got the time penalty, Olsson was able to score again from the right side, but THW Kiel used every opportunity to score. Olsson, Jeppsson and Steinert got rid of the bad luck from the first minute and made it 14:4 after 20 minutes. Even if the HCE tried everything on the defensive to prevent a goal, the zebras could hardly be stopped. After Steinert’s seven-metre goal, the national player injured his knee in a defensive action against Zarabec in the 25th minute, meaning that the dangerous left-hander had to be treated immediately and was no longer able to take part in the game. Even if the deficit didn’t want to shrink significantly before the break, the guests tried everything to somehow slow down the goal machine of the record champions. Firnhaber, Olsson and Metzner put themselves on the top scorers list again before the change of sides, but the Zebras kept scoring, so they went into the dressing room 19:7 behind.
After the restart, Kiel, who were strong at home, scored directly to make it 20:8, but during the break HCE decided to fight back into the game and scored 20:9 via Metzner. Erlangen continued to try the seven-a-side, but the reigning German champions managed to hit the empty Franconian goal twice in a row via the fast middle, so that the score was 24:11 in the 35th minute. In the second period, Erlangen stabilized and scored the 16th and 17th goals via Büdel. After Patrick Wiencek conceded, Sebastian Firnhaber from the circle contributed the goal to 29:18 (47th). The HCE showed mental strength and resisted defeat until the end. Firnhaber & Co. tried everything to turn things around again, but even if the Franconians won the second half, the burden of the first half was simply too great. After Raúl Alonso’s last speech, Petter Overby scored twice in a row to make it 32:21 (57th). Shortly before the final whistle, Bissel, Olsson and Jeppsson also managed to score again, so that the 2497 spectators in the Wunderino Arena saw the final score of 34:24 on the scoreboard.
“Of course you know about the strengths of this hall and the team of THW Kiel. We weren’t able to convert the few chances we created in the early stages and that created uncertainty. In the end we gave up the game in the first few minutes. What we will definitely take with us is the attitude of the team in the second half. In next week’s home game we will have to make up for today’s performance in the first few minutes,” said Raúl Alonso after the game.
For HC Erlangen it will continue in exactly one week. On Sunday, March 6th, the Franconians welcome TuS N‑Lübbecke to the ARENA NÜRNBERGER Versicherung. The game, for which tickets are still available in the online shop, kicks off at 4 p.m.
STATISTIK
- THW KIEL
Goal: Landin Jacobsen, Quenstedt
Ehrig, Duvnjak (6), Sagosen (4), Reinkind (3), Landin Jacobsen (2), Weinhold (2), Wiencek (3), Ekberg (7/4), Ciudad Benitez, Zarabec (3), Horak 2), Bilyk, Pekeler (2) - HC ERLANGEN
Tor: Ziemer, Ferlin
by Gruchalla, Jaeger, Overby (3), Fäth, Firnhaber (4), Büdel (3), Bissel (1), Metzner (2), Link, Jeppsson (5/1), Steinert (1/1), Leban, Olsson (5), Zechel
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