The Bundesliga club delivered a strong performance in view of the many personnel worries. Driven by the outstanding Jim Gottfridsson and thanks to Hampus Wanne’s nine goals, coach Maik Machulla’s team was not impressed by the 8,300 spectators in the Szeged cauldron. The well-deserved reward: On May 11th and 18th, defending champions FC Barcelona will be at stake for a place in the Final Four of the premier class.
SG with a cool head after a lightning start
Flensburg, who had to do without the injured Magnus Röd, Franz Semper and Aaron Mensing in Hungary, got off to a dream start and were 3-0 up after just under five minutes. The SG benefited from this run for a long time in the further course of the game, in which both teams met on an equal footing. Only after 18 minutes did Szeged equalize (10:10).
Szeged – Flensburg in shorthand:
Goals Szeged: Frimmel 6, Gaber 5, Radivojevic 4/3, Tonnesen 3, Bodo 3, Mackovsek 3, Rosta 3, Sostaric 3, Garciandia Alustiza 3, Bombac 2, Martins Soares 1
Goals Flensburg: Wanne 9/4, Gottfridsson 7, Golla 6, Einarsson 5, Mesah Larsen 3, Johannessen 3, Svan 2
penalty minutes: 2/2
Spectator: 8,300
But the guests kept calm. Gottfridsson in particular shone as a clever ball distributor – and goalscorer: Two quick goals by the Swede put Flensburg back in front (20’/13:11). After that it got wild for a short time with fast counterattacks on both sides, but also many missed goal chances. The SG turned the first deficit (26./15:16) into their own lead shortly before the break.
Szeged starts catching up, …
After the restart, Wanne prevented a 0:3 false start by Flensburg (33rd/19:19), shortly afterwards scored – who else? – Gottfridsson the 22:21 for the North Germans (38th). An important goal as it was now clear that Szeged would need at least a five-goal lead to progress.
The Hungarians advanced quickly (41st/26:24), but the SG successfully braced themselves against further disaster. The Bundesliga team slowed down again and again, pushed their own attacks to the limit and didn’t let the hosts pull away (50’/30′:31).
… but Flensburg stands firm
Nevertheless, it remained a game on the cutting edge, because only the saves by SG keeper Benjamin Buric and Kevin Möller prevented higher deficits. So Szeged was running out of time. At the latest when Teitur Einarsson was able to equalize again (57./33:33), it was clear that Flensburg would reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
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NDR 2 Sports | 07.04.2022 | 11:05 p.m
Source: NDR