AUDIO: Kiels Duvnjak: “Such games are good for self-confidence” (2 min)
As of: November 18, 2025 8:10 p.m
THW Kiel got their fourth win in the Eureopean League in their fourth game. The “Zebras” won against BSV Bern with 37:27 (19:14) on Tuesday evening. The entry into the main round is therefore already secured.
Three days after the league defeat at Füchse Berlin (29:32), coach Filip Jicha’s team quickly made it clear against the Swiss that they are by far the best team in their European League group. In contrast to the previous week in Bern, when the THW struggled for a long time at 35:27, the Kiel team managed much better in their own hall to keep their concentration high for long stretches of the game. The best thrower was Bence Imre with a perfect rate: he scored ten times in ten attempts.
“Games like this are good for self-confidence.”
THW player Domagoj Duvnjak
After the game, veteran Domagoj Duvnjak was happy that “we were there straight away today”. Especially after the defeat at the Foxes, a game like this was “good for your self-confidence,” said the Croatian. So in the end there was a well-deserved success against the BSV after-work handball players – and a further step towards the targeted group victory. The move into the main round is already certain thanks to Montpellier’s victory over Ostrovia in the parallel game. The Schleswig-Holstein team continues in the league on Saturday with the home game against Frisch Auf Göppingen (8 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter).
Jicha gives youngsters early playing time
Gonzalo Perez de Vargas started in goal for THW – and had absolutely nothing to do for four minutes because the men in front of him in defense cleared away everything the Swiss tried. And up front, Eric Johansson made it 3-0 (4th) with a wonderful spin from the half-left position. After the befitting start, the “Zebras” initially slowed down – and allowed the Bernese team to go on a 4-0 run (3:4, 7th).
After all: the weak phase was only short-lived. The Kiel team quickly improved again and Perez de Vargas was finally able to distinguish himself. Right winger Bence Imre showed his skills with some spectacular throws – and made it 12:8 (18th) from a tight angle. A little later, Veron Nacinovic took the hosts’ first five-goal lead (13:8, 19th).
Given the class difference, Jicha began early on to give the younger players playing time: Rasmus Ankermann rewarded himself for a nice individual effort with his first and 15th Kiel goal of the evening (15:10, 21st). And while the 18-year-old was already there, he also scored the next two THW goals. We went into the locker room at 19:14.
Bern is reducing – Kiel pulls away early
The Schleswig-Holstein team doubled this lead in the first eight minutes of the second period: Harald Reinkind scored to make it 26:16. The game was decided early on and the Kiel team were able to defend themselves against BSV, who at times threw themselves almost absurdly far next to or over the THW goal, which was now guarded by national goalkeeper Andreas Wolff.
And the Jicha team’s fast-paced game always works well this season: Lukas Laube scored Kiel’s 30th goal (30:18, 46th). Leon Nowottny was now also allowed to appear in goal and Ankermann and especially Imre continued to whirl in the front – and the “Zebras” could be happy about their early entry into the main round.
