The Rhein-Neckar Lions started the main round of the European League with a defeat. At the Polish club Gornik Zabrze, coach Sebastian Hinze’s team lost despite a clear lead.
The Rhein-Neckar Lions had imagined it differently. The handball Bundesliga team lost to Gornik Zabrze 26:29 (14:12). Coach Sebastian Hinze’s team had to do without playmaker Juri Knorr, who is out for the time being with knee problems. A balanced encounter developed in front of the eyes of soccer world champion Lukas Podolski. Right winger Tobias Reichmann got into the game well, scoring the 4-3 lead with his second goal in the seventh minute.
In the 14th minute, Niclas Kirkelokke made it three goals ahead for the first time (8:5), after goalkeeper David Späth had previously made three saves within a few minutes. In the final phase of the first half, the Lions lost a bit of the offensive thread. Späth prevented the score from being equalized at 13:13 with a save in the 30th minute. Instead, Kirkelokke scored again shortly before the siren and made the score 14:12 at halftime.
Lions completely out of character
The Lions came out of the halftime break focused and dynamic and quickly moved ahead to 17:12 with a 3-0 run. But of all things, they allowed the hosts to come close again when they were in the majority. Instead of five goals, the lead was suddenly just one goal (18:17 after 37 minutes).
Because the Lions were too often unfocused in attack, Zabrze was able to turn the game around in the 45th minute (22:21). The guests were now completely out of control and ten minutes before the end the Poles extended their lead to five goals.
Even in the final phase, the Hinze team was no longer able to make any decisive progress. Time and again the Lions failed because of Zabrze’s keeper Kacper Ligarzewski. In the end it was 26:29 from the guests’ perspective.
Duel against Bundesliga rivals Hannover-Burgdorf
It was the sixth defeat in a row for the Bundesliga club across all competitions. The next European League game for the Lions is next Tuesday. Then TSV Hannover-Burgdorf will be in Mannheim (February 20, 8:45 p.m.)
Broadcast on Wed, February 14, 2024 6:00 a.m., SWR Aktuell in the morning, SWR Aktuell
