Handball Bundesliga team THW Kiel suffered their second defeat in the Champions League on the fourth day of the game. The “Zebras” lost to the top Polish club KS Vive Kielce on Thursday evening by 37:40 (19:19).
So it remains the case that Kielce is a feared opponent in the “premier class” for the THW. In now eleven encounters only two wins. The last one is still dated March 6, 2011. In the current Champions League, coach Filip Jicha’s team has four points in Group B after four match days.
THW keeps calm in a heated atmosphere
Tempo! Tempo! Tempo! That’s how the first half could be described. It went back and forth at an enormous speed due to the consistent implementation of the “fast middle”. The German national goalkeeper and former THW professional Andreas Wolff became a real support for the hosts early on. But not only the 31-year-old made things difficult for the people of Kiel. In addition, there was a tremendous backdrop: The Polish Spitzcenclub was frenetically driven on by its fans.
However, the team of THW trainer Filip Jicha managed once again to keep calm in a heated atmosphere. In the first half, the “Zebras” didn’t let their opponents pull away more than with two goals. And at the break it even looked very good from the point of view of the North Germans: Rune Dahmke had made it 19:19 shortly before the siren.
Kielers fail too often because of Wolff
It was difficult to get past Wolff in the second half as well. Niclas Ekberg, for example, did not succeed in doing so with a score of 23:23 (37th) per penalty. His Swedish compatriot Eric Johansson played a big part in the fact that the “Zebras” led 32:30 with just twelve minutes to go with his overview and his precision in the end.
KS Vive Kielce – THW Kiel 40:37 (19:19)
Goals Kielce: A. Dujshebaev 7, Sicko 7, Moryto 6/2, Karacic 3, Kounkoud 3, Remili 3, Tournat 3, Karalek 2, Nahi 2, Sanchez Migallon Naranjo 2, D. Dujshebaev 1, Thrastarson 1
Goals Kiel: Johansson 9, Bilyk 6, Ekberg 6/2, M. Landin 6/2, Reinkind 3, Dahmke 2, Wiencek 2, Överby 2, Duvnjak 1
penalty minutes: 4 / 8
Viewers: 4,200
But Kielce came back, also thanks to Wolff. And with the score at 38:37, he fended off a seven-metre throw from Magnus Landin just under two minutes before the end of the game. The Poles had everything in their hands, and Alex Duschebayev decided the game in favor of the hosts with the 39:37. The most successful THW player was Johansson with nine goals.
For the people of Kiel it is – in another competition – challenging. On Sunday (2 p.m.) the Bundesliga top game at the previously unbeaten Füchsen Berlin is on the program.
