THW Kiel is close to winning its 23rd championship title in the Handball Bundesliga. After a win at Bergisches HC, the table leader goes into the final week of the season with a two-point cushion.
THW Kiel can chill the sparkling wine for the master party. The record champion won 29:26 (13:14) at Bergisches HC and goes into the last two games of the season in the Handball Bundesliga with a lead of two points and a goal difference that is 26 goals better than the pursuer and defending champion SC Magdeburg.
“I no longer have any doubts about Kiel’s title win. They won’t let that go by,” prophesied Stefan Kretzschmar, sports director of Füchse Berlin, third in the table, as an expert at pay-TV broadcaster Sky. The capital club then lost not only the last theoretical chance for the title with a 19:25 (10:14) at Frisch Auf Göppingen, but also the possibility of reaching the Champions League. A week after the triumph in the European League, the foxes delivered a disappointing performance.
On the way to the 23rd championship title, Kiel will play at home against HSG Wetzlar on Wednesday and finally next Sunday in Göppingen. Magdeburg welcomes TVB Stuttgart on Thursday and has to play in Wetzlar on the last day of the game. Despite the excellent starting position, THW circle runner Hendrik Pekeler warned: “We still need three points.”
Kiel wants the championship – race for Europe
In front of 6721 spectators in Düsseldorf, THW, in which captain Domagoj Duvnjak was the best thrower with five goals, struggled for 30 minutes and was surprisingly behind at the break. “We have to shake ourselves now and get rid of our nervousness,” demanded Kiel’s coach Filip Jicha, visibly annoyed, during a time-out just before half-time.
His protégés took the clear announcement to heart after the change. At 21:18 (43rd minute) the favorites had worked their way up a three-goal cushion for the first time and gradually extended the lead to six goals. “We made a lot of technical mistakes in the first half and spoke a little louder in the dressing room during the break. After that we did better,” said backfield star Sander Sagosen.
In the fight for the last international starting place, TSV Hannover-Burgdorf caught their attention with a 35:30 (20:15) victory over fourth-placed SG Flensburg-Handewitt. The team of ex-national coach Christian Prokop closed with 34:30 points to HSV Hamburg in sixth place, which brings the ticket for the European League. MT Melsungen, who won the Hesse derby at HSG Wetzlar with 27:25 (14:10), as bottom of the table with 32:32 points and TBV Lemgo Lippe in ninth place (31:33) are still in the running.
Source: Stern
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