The Bergische HC secured relegation in the handball Bundesliga with a win in Erlangen. Outstanding players were goalkeeper Christopher Rudeck and left winger Noah Beyer.
With a confident 32:26 (15:12) at HC Erlangen on Friday, what had already been indicated in the previous weeks became official: Bergische HC will also play in the next season Handball-Bundesliga.
With a record of 20:46 with one game more, the BHC is unassailable ahead of GWD Minden in the first relegation place. HC Erlangen is one place behind and suffered its sixth defeat in a row – but the chances of staying in the league are also good. With a four point lead over Minden, Erlangen would be assured of relegation if Minden does not win its game against Kiel.
BHC with a dream start
The Bergische HC started the game strongly: on the one hand because the defense and goalkeeper Christopher Rudeck acted wide awake – on the other hand because he sank his throw attempts at the front. After just under nine minutes the guests were ahead 5-1.
Two minutes later, Erlangen’s coach Johannes Sellin took a timeout at 2:7 and confronted his team: “This is our home game. But we’re walking around here like we’re just sleeping!” The wake-up call took effect immediately – first Tin Herceg parried, then Antonio Metzner and captain Sebastian Firnhaber converted two throws and the HCE was back in the game.
Rudeck makes HCE despair
The BHC now started thinking and weakened itself a bit, because circle runner Aron Seesing received his second time penalty after just a quarter of an hour. With a third he would have to go down early with red. But then Rudeck was there again – the goalkeeper drove the hosts to despair and at one point had an outstanding save rate of 60 percent.
But the HC now also defended well – Rudeck alone and Noah Beyer, who had already scored six goals shortly before the break, and it was thanks to the strong opening phase that the “Bergische Löwen” were able to defend their lead. The BHC went into the break with a 15:12 lead.
HC only caught up briefly
After the break, the BHC got off to a better start again. So a three-goal lead suddenly became six again – Beyer remained the BHC’s outstanding shooter, scoring his tenth goal at 21:14. In the end he scored an excellent thirteen goals.
But Erlangen didn’t give up and fought their way back – with a four-goal deficit a quarter of an hour before the end, a comeback wasn’t impossible. But the hosts’ flash in the pan only lasted a short time: Bergische HC quickly got back to their game and seven minutes before the end the game was virtually decided at 24:30. The game then spun towards the end – and the BHC was able to celebrate in the final minute.
Our sources:
- HBL game between Erlangen and Bergisches HC at Dyn
Broadcast: WDR.de“Handball – Bergischer HC secures relegation in Erlangen”, May 29, 2026 9:35 p.m
