Baijens helps Hamm after a difficult initial phase
Above all, the promotion contender found it very difficult offensively. Großwallstadt goalkeeper Jan-Steffen Minerva, who was able to parry four balls in the first ten minutes, played a large part in this. After this time, the guests were 5:4 in the lead, and in the following minutes the lead even increased to three goals (8:5/13th).
Led by Baijens, Hamm got into the game better and better. With his goals (four in the first half), assists and enormous pace, he got his team back on track, after 20 minutes it was 10:10. Also strong Von Boenigk (also four goals before the break), who provided the highlight of the first half with his Kempa assist to Baijens at 15:15. In the 30th minute, captain Fabian Huesmann, who was the top scorer in the first half with five goals, put the hosts ahead for the first time (17:16).
Clear conditions after the break
With this tailwind, the ASV also came out of the dressing room and quickly increased to 19:16. Only Savvas Savvas kept Großwallstadt in the game. After 40 minutes he reduced the lead to 20:23 from his team’s point of view. But the good news for ASV: the 24-year-old will play for Hamm next season – and he showed that it was a good decision to sign him.
However, Savvas has to replace the best hammer with Baijens. The Dutchman will play at HSV Hamburg next season, but has made sure that it is now clear that he will meet his old companions there. With his sixth goal to make it 25:20 (43 rd ) Baijens ensured a five-goal lead for the first time and opened the door to the Bundesliga wide. He showed all his genius with his next goal, Baijens scored 27:22 with his weaker left arm (47th).
Goalkeeper Bozic brings Großwallstadt to despair
Another guarantor for the Hammers’ performance increase in the second half was goalkeeper Vladimir Bozic, who made several saves to ensure that Großwallstadt couldn’t get any closer. And so the 2,650 spectators in Hamm were already singing after 50 minutes at a score of 31:24 “never again second division”.
With this lead, the ASV took it easy in the final phase, slowed down significantly and downplayed the time. However, that didn’t change anything about the lead and the safe victory. In the end it was 34:27 for Hamm, who, like VfL Gummersbach, will compete in the Handball Bundesliga next season.