Goal in the last second: HSG saves itself in the third final game against BVB

As of: May 24, 2026 • 9:22 p.m

With a goal in the last second, HSG Blomberg-Lippe saved itself into a third decisive final game against Borussia Dortmund.

Steffen Birkner’s team dramatically won the second game of the “best of three” series on Sunday in front of 1,300 spectators with 28:27 (13:14) and thus equalized the overall score at 1:1. This means that next Sunday (May 31, 2026) at 4:30 p.m. the third decisive final game will take place again in the sports hall on Ulmenallee.

The situation was clear before the game: After Borussia narrowly won the first playoff game a week earlier with 28:27 (14:17) in their own stadium, the Lippe women were under pressure in the second game.

Blomberg with the better start

Accordingly, both teams went into the game motivated from the start. Blomberg came into the game a little better. Dortmund had a hard time cracking HSG’s compact defense. The hosts, however, consistently took advantage of their chances and were ahead 7-4 after ten minutes.

BVB defense improves after 15 minutes

The game in the early stages was a little reminiscent of the first playoff match, when HSG initially seemed to be running away. But this time the Westphalians didn’t want to chase down a three-goal deficit again at halftime.

As the game went on, they defended more actively and better, so that the Lippe women could no longer play their way through so easily, and they also found gaps in the Blomberg defense more and more often. After a quarter of an hour, BVB had come within one goal (10:9).

Borussia’s goalkeeper Melinda Szikora also saved all of the shots that came into her goal during this phase. Melanie Veith on the other side also prevented Dortmund from scoring with some brilliant deeds, so that after the goal-filled first 15 minutes there were no goals for a long time.

Nine minutes without a goal

At times it was too hectic on both sides, so that there were more mistakes and attacks were completed hastily. Deborah Lassource’s equalizer in the 26th minute made it 11:11 ending a nine-minute goalless phase.

The away team had to put up with the accusation that HSG had missed four time penalties in the first half. Nevertheless, Borussia went into the break with a lead.

Grijseels and Bleckmann turn the game around

After Blomberg’s Farrelle Alicia Njinkeu netted to take the lead again to 12:11, Alina Grijseels and twice Dana Bleckmann scored three goals in a row for the black and yellow.

Ona Vegue Pena scored the final goal of the first half at 13:14. Borussia came closer and closer to the championship title.

Unnecessary HSG ball losses – Borussia pulls away

After the restart, Dortmund initially managed to extend their lead to two. But as at the beginning of the first half, the Blomberg women were again more successful in opening up gaps in BVB’s defense. After 35 minutes, Andrea Jacobsen scored her second goal in a row to make it 16:16.

But the HSG, who had not lost a game in their own stadium this season, repeatedly got themselves into trouble with unnecessary ball losses. After 41 minutes, the visiting team had pulled away to 17:21 – the championship was now within reach for Dortmund.

HSG comes back after a time out

Blomberg’s coach took a timeout just under a quarter of an hour before the end. And apparently he found the right words to motivate his team and went to 7:6.

Supported by the frenetically cheering audience, Alexia Hauf, Nieke Kühne, Diana Magnusdottir and Farrelle Njinkeu scored a 4-0 series – the deficit was made up ten minutes before the end (22:22). Borussia did not take advantage of their chances in this phase.

HSG back in front for the first time

For the first time in the second half, HSG went back in front after a seven-meter penalty converted by Ona Vegue Pena after 54 minutes (25:24). Now it went back and forth.

But after Lisa Antl’s equalizer, BVB took advantage of the fact that the hosts had one more field player instead of a goalkeeper. A missed HSG shot ended up in the Blomberger goal thanks to a long throw from Bleckmann to give BVB the lead again (26:27).

Grijseels rejects, Hauf saves HSG in game 3

Three minutes before the end, Dortmund’s Lara Egeling received a two-minute penalty, and Borussia had to play the final phase outnumbered at 27:27. But Blomberg was unable to capitalize on this.

It remained very exciting. Dortmund had possession of the ball in the last minute. Seconds before the end, Alina Grijseels rejected strong and borderline pressure, so that the HSG could launch one last counter move.

And that was decisive: one second before the end, Alexia Hauf scored to make it 28:27. Instead of extra time or an early Dortmund championship celebration, Hauf saved her team into the third game.

Our sources:

Broadcast: WDR.de“HSG Blomberg-Lippe forces a playoff”, May 24, 20269:06 p.m