Thanks to Andreas Wolff, the THW Kiel wins dramatically against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen and reaches for the DHB Cup. Juri Knorr fails in crucial moments.
In a highly exciting semi-finals in Cologne, the THW Kiel conquered the Rhein-Neckar Löwen with 32:31 (28:28, 14:17) after extra time and developed the chance to celebrate its 13th cup victory. One of the match winners was national goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, the national goalkeeper saved his team into the extension and parried a seven -meter from Juri Knorr, among other things.
Other factors were top thrower Emil Madsen with eleven goals and veteran Domagoj Duvnjak, who was awarded the best player. Kiel’s opponent for the final on Sunday (3:35 p.m., live in the first) is determined today at 7 p.m. between MT Melsungen and second division HBW Balingen Weilstetten.
Knorr: “Now it just hurts extremely”
“It was a great game, exactly what you expect from a cup semi-final”, Wolff said in the sports show. He praised the lions for their performance, especially his goalkeeper colleague David Späth. “But we showed a great morality in cover, were able to increase over 60 minutes and end up with our nerves.”
Löwen playmaker Juri Knorr spoke of a long, tough game. “We didn’t manage to keep the intensity at the top. We didn’t have enough breath and energy, especially in the attack.” Knorr became a tragic figure in crucial phases with two rejected seven meters – despite nine goals achieved and many good scenes. “There are more important things in life, but now it hurts extremely”, Knorr said in the first. He will leave the Bundesliga in the summer towards Denmark, where he will play at the top club Aalborg Handbold.
Ivan Martinovic injured again
The furious game was overshadowed by the concerns about lion player Ivan Martinovic. Just recovered, he contracted a new knee injury shortly before the break. The 27-year-old had to leave the field limp and with tears. “He stimulated the game extremely when he came in” said Wolff and sent a recovery wishes to the Croatians.
Knorr also considered Martinovic in an interview. “The most important thing is that he is fine. I just hope that it is somehow good.” The injury broke the rhythm. “It is our friend, not just our teammate. And when he is lying on the ground and we know that he was already hurt and how he sacrificed himself for us – that hurts at the moment.”
Already in his latest injury, Martinovic pointed out the great burden for the professionals with the words: “At some point it’s just too much.” With Croatia, he had won silver at the home World Cup in January and, according to his own statement, needed pain relievers. Afterwards it continued without a long break in the Bundesliga, and at the end of February a patella tendon injury stopped him.
Juri Knorr gets Löwen going
As expected, the game had started balanced and fast -paced. The THW, placed in the Bundesliga as fourth places in front of the lions, mostly led in the initial phase, but never more than two goals.
A key scene then delivered Knorr: the lion playmaker caught a pass from Hendrik Pekeler and hammered the ball to 9: 7 under the crossbar – in the 18th minute the lions led for the first time with two goals.
Martinovic turns the knee
Then Knorr’s teammate Martinovic took the game in hand. The back room player scored five times within ten minutes, the lions increased their lead to five goals in the meantime.
Two minutes before the break, Martinovic apparently twisted his left knee after his goal for 17:12. It was not the same knee as his latest injury, but there is a renewed downtime – the second half chased Martinovic on his knee with an ice cream bag.
Ivan Martinovic from the Rhein-Neckar Löwen keeps his knee.
Duvnjak is looking for his lens
After the break, the Kielers, led by Duvnjak, came into play better. Curious: Duvnjak apparently lost a contact lens in his goal to 16:17, she did not find again on the field. He had to get a replacement from the cabin.
In the 36th minute the goal line technology was in demand. This will only be introduced in the Bundesliga in the coming season, but it is already in use at the Final Four. A seven meter of Kiels Lukas Zerbe banged from the latte to the goal line – or behind it? This was hardly recognizable at real speed. According to the pictures, the referees decided: no goal.
WIENCEK sets accents
A real cup fight developed, the lions held fully against it, defended their leadership. The Kielers continued to have difficulties on the offensive without Harald Reinkind and Nikola Bylik and also a strong goalkeeper in David Späth.
Nevertheless, Kiel managed to equalize a quarter of an hour before the end and took the lead 24:23 shortly afterwards – both goals scored Patrick Wiencek, who will end his great career after the season and wants to say goodbye with a cup title.
Red for Forsell Schefvert
In the completely balanced final phase, the lions lost one of their best: Olle Forsell Schefvert saw red (57th) after hit Duvnjak by hand on his face.
Nevertheless, the lions had the victory in their hands, but national goalkeeper Andreas Wolff kept the Kiel alive: First he showed a double parade against Knorr and Jannik Kohlbacher, then he also held the subsequent seven meter of Knorr. Because on the other hand, Späth also parried against Duvnjak, it went into extra time.
Wolff was also the focus there when he parried a seven -meter from Knorr again. The lion awarded the chance to compensate for a bad pass from Gustav Davidsson.