It was already clear before the 10th group match day that Frisch Auf Göppingen would reach the round of 16 of the European League. The home game against Montpellier was still about winning the group.
The starting position before the final group game was clear: Frisch Auf Göppingen, second in the table, had to beat Montpellier HB by at least nine goals in order to overtake the French leaders in Group A and win the group to reach the round of 16. The first leg, which Göppingen lost 27:35 away, showed that this would not be an easy task.
Göppingen’s goalkeeper Marin Sego in top form
In front of an atmospheric home crowd, Frisch Auf Göppingen came into play well and gained a two-goal advantage. Montpellier kept in touch in the first 20 minutes, but also failed several times by the outstanding Göppingen goalkeeper Marin Sego. The Swabians pulled away by three goals and went into the half-time break with a 14:11 lead.
After the break, both teams presented themselves in an attacking mood. Just eight minutes had been played in the second half when Marcel Schiller (best thrower with a total of seven goals) converted a seven-meter penalty to make it 19:16. The hosts maintained their lead until the final minutes, but Montpellier consistently managed to keep the Göppingen lead by two to three goals.
Moment of shock five minutes before the end
In the 25th minute it suddenly became quiet in the arena. Göppingen’s Josip Sarac and Montpellier’s Valentin Porte hit their heads and had to be treated by medical staff lying on the field. Fortunately, both players were able to walk off the field after a few minutes.
In the end, after a strong performance, Frisch Auf Göppingen won 27:25 against Montpellier and increased his points account to 16 points. Since Montpellier (also 16 points) was able to win the direct comparison from both duels with Göppingen, Frisch Auf goes into the second round as group runners-up and meets Valur Reykjavik, third in group B.
