Carsten Lichtlein
Goalkeeper coach jumps in – and secures the victory
04/23/2025 – 00:03 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Actually, he had already finished his career and was only active as a coach. But Carsten Licht’s little forced an injury to a comeback. He promptly became a match winner.
Carsten Lichtlein celebrated a remarkable comeback at the age of 44. The former world and European champion secured the Bundesliga club MT Melsungen in the quarter-final first leg of the European League a short 28:27 (15:13) home win against Bidasoa Irun from Spain-with decisive parades in the final phase.
Lichtlein is actually on the sidelines at the North Hesse as a goalkeeper coach. But after the cruciate ligament rupture by Stammtorhüter Nebojsa Simic, the long-time Bundesliga professional was reactivated-and promptly became a match winner.
Simic had suffered a cruciate ligament and meniscus tear in the left knee in the championship game against VfL Gummersbach. This was the result of an MRI examination on Tuesday. The Montenegrin suffered the injury without an opposing influence when he twisted his knee in an unfortunate movement. The MT expects the 32-year-old to be failed until the end of the year.
Melsungen, which did not seem shocked after the severe injury diagnosis of goalkeeper Simic, went well against Bidasoa Irun. Despite the lack of a complete team, the North Hesse showed a good performance, but still failed too often on the guest keeper. As a result, the home side could not settle in an intensive game.
After the restart, Melsungen got a very weak start. In defense they were not given any access, and in the front they always failed in promising positions at the Polish goalkeeper in the guest goal Jakub Skrzyniarz. So Irun achieved a 6-0 run before national player Timo Kastening scored his first goal after almost nine minutes.
MT goalkeeper Adam Morawski was missing the game in certain phases, so coach Roberto Garrondo put the former national goalkeeper and goalkeeper trainer in the goal in the 42nd minute. The veteran had returned to the bench at short notice after Simic’s failure as a backup. He brought the MT back into play with a few parades and with his emotional way and ultimately to a tight victory.
The SG Flensburg-Handewitt also got a good starting point for the second leg. The team of coach Nicolej Krickau won the Danish representative Gog Handbold with 29:26 (15:15). Flensburg decided in the final phase. Emil Jakobsen was the best thrower of his team with seven goals. The game was a special return for the Danes: he had played for GOG by 2021.
THW Kiel struggled with Limoges handball, but caught up after a three-goal deficit at the break (13:16). In the 52nd minute the record champion was 25:23 at the front, but in the end had to be satisfied with a 26:26 draw.
The second legs of the quarterfinal encounters take place on April 29. The Final4 will increase in Hamburg on May 24th and 25th.