The smooth victory in the northern duel against Hamburg was balm for Kiel’s soul. However, THW cannot rest. The “Zebras” want to step up their game in the Champions League today at 8:45 p.m. Opponent KS Kielce is the first high-caliber team.
The completely unexpected cup exit against Wetzlar and three Bundesliga defeats in a row had eaten away at Kiel’s self-image. Then a wave of illness hit the traditional club. Players, coaches and the environment were affected. Goalkeeper Tomas Mrkva and defense chief Hendrik Pekeler were missing against Hamburg, while playmaker Nikola Bilyk remained on the bench.
It is not yet clear what the team’s face will look like against the Polish series champions Kielce. The mental state will be better again after the clear victory over HSVH. “Now I would like to maintain the good mood and willingness to work so that we can continue the process,” said THW coach Filip Jicha.
Kielce with a positive record against Kiel
Jicha knows the complexity of the task that now lies ahead. There are very few teams in the handball world that have a positive record against the German record champions. This includes Kielce, which won six of eleven games. In February, however, in the last duel between the two opponents so far, the Kiel team was narrowly ahead with 32:29.
Dutch businessman Bertus Servaas has now resigned as president of the top Polish club after 21 years. Kielce has always faced financial challenges, but once again last year’s finalists have a strong squad. The centerpiece is the almost magical family troika with coach Talant Dujshebaev and his two sons Alex and Daniel.
Ex-THW keeper Wolff is out injured
Andreas Wolff also belongs to the team. The German national goalkeeper, who guarded the THW goal between 2016 and 2019, is suffering from a herniated disc and is in the rehabilitation phase.
Even without him, Kielce seems to be a contender for the top spots. There was a defeat against Aalborg at the start, but recently there was a narrow victory over Paris Saint-Germain. THW has a clean slate. “Our 6-0 points give us self-confidence – and we’ll take that into the game,” announced THW backcourt player Karl Wallinius.
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NDR 2 Sport | Oct 11, 2023 | 11:03 p.m
