Thüringer HC Looks to Stop Downward Trend in Difficult Away Game Against TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen

12.02.2024

Bernd Hohnstein

In the catch-up game on the 14th matchday of the HBF, Thüringer HC will face the hosts TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Wednesday, February 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the Ostermann Arena. After the bitter home game defeat against HSG Bensheim/Auerbach and the disastrous appearance in the EHF European League in the second leg in Buzau, Romania against HC Dunarea Braila, the THC wants to stop the downward trend and make amends in the difficult away game.

Rückblick:
The English weeks, these ox tours with long away trips, difficult games against attractive, strong opponents within a few days, illnesses and injuries with little time for regeneration cause your strength to dwindle. The THC lost two very important games last week due to their own mistakes, occasional lapses in game conception and concentration. The defeat against Bensheim was particularly bitter; it was more obvious than the 26:27 result suggests. How you give up an 8-4 lead in the middle of the first half and allow your opponent to score three times as many goals as you and then be behind 11-13 at halftime remains a mystery. The team then fails to get back on track, misses the turnaround in the game at 20:20, is pushed offside at 20:23 and has too little time and energy in crunch time to win the game. Even a draw is a long way off at 23:27. With this mortgage, especially in your head, you then travel to Romania and literally go under against the overwhelming team. Of course, the Romanian league fourth team, which is filled with internationally experienced national players from many countries, was the favorite in Group B from the start. In the home game, the THC showed that they can dominate the opponent without the two top performers Annika Lott and Sonja Frey. Our game in Buzau, on the other hand, was characterized by a mix of missed throws, technical errors and simple ball losses. This negligent behavior spread throughout the entire team, and the team’s top performers even surpassed themselves. Enough of the criticism that has to happen sometimes. The girls probably had in their heads that they were already in the quarter-finals. There is no question that they made things more difficult for themselves with this away defeat. Now it’s time to push this great team, which has recently given us so much joy with 13 wins in a row, to strengthen our backs and look forward. The season is still long.

The Thuringian HC has to find its form again. (Photo: Heike Gerhard Leissring)

To the game:
It was the 20th game of the season (13 HBF games; two DHB Cup games; five EHF group games), and according to the game plan there will be another 20 if we move into the FINAL4 of the European League. It’s kind of halfway through the season. The second half begins with a difficult away game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen women. They have turned things around in the last few weeks, have moved well out of the bottom third of the table and are in a safe haven. With the away win against the relegation-threatened Sport-Union Neckarsulm, they even caught up with Buxtehuder SV and TuS Metzingen. Three of the last four games were won, stopping a series of defeats against Buxtehude, the Vipers and HSG Blomberg-Lippe, among others. Only Bensheim/Auerbach was a bit too big for Leverkusen recently. The “factory elves” want to continue this path of success against THC. The downward pressure is gone, all victories upwards are now bonus points, so you can play handball without any pressure. The Thuringians have to show that the two defeats were just slip-ups and start a winning streak again. As difficult as it gets, you have to start in Leverkusen. Michael Biegler recently made his women responsible and demanded more commitment. With Lieke van der Linden, the goalkeeper has recently distinguished herself again and again, the former THC player Mariana Ferreira-Lopes is an intelligent game driver, playmaker Mareike Thomaier is rightly in the DHB selection, as is the super talent Viola Leuchter, who is probably still injured fails. Annika Ingenpaß in the circle and Miranda Nass in goal are national class. Mareike Thomaier in third place with 95 and Mariana Ferreira-Lopes in 10th place with 72 goals are among the top throwers in the league.
THC has not lost as often against any other Bundesliga team as against Leverkusen, 13 defeats. The Thuringians won the last six games. That doesn’t mean that THC is heading to Leverkusen as the favorite. Mentally we’re in the basement, so it’s time to get up. The motivator Herbert Müller is in demand. It will be exciting to see how THC approaches the game and takes up the fight. If BVB loses, they will move past the table, which is why it’s not just a Bundesliga game on Wednesday, it’s a key game and one expects an answer to the question: Will the THC manage the way out of the slump?

About the squad:
In the end, everyone was pretty much on deck again except for Sarah Rønningen. The loss of strength after injuries and illness could not be overlooked. There is no time for regeneration. The next English week is coming up, so every player has to be fully involved: One for all – all for one! This is the only way things can move forward again.

Next game

Sunday, February 18, 2024
EHF European League, 2:00 p.m
Thüringer HC – HC Lokomotiva Zagreb
Salza Hall, Hannoversche Str. 1, 99947 Bad Langensalza

2024-02-12 18:53:56
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