Cologne cannot use a five-minute majority
Masi Pfandt – the HTHC’s most accurate shooter this season in terms of body – almost made it 2-0 before half-time when he got the ball completely free in front of Cologne’s two-time world goalkeeper, Belgian Vincent Vansch. But he couldn’t control the ball and didn’t endanger Cologne’s goal.
The third quarter started well for Cologne, because the northern lights received a five-minute time penalty straight away. However, it had no consequences. It only got exciting for a short time when the Cologne team hoped for their first penalty corner and thus a great chance to equalize after a high ball in the shooting circle via video evidence. But the referees gave the HTHC a free kick.
Post protects red-white from a higher deficit
The next big chance of the game had again the underdog. After a strong solo from Bili Ntuli on the wing and his pass in front of goal, Maxi Schlueter was able to finish freely at the far post, but only pushed the difficult-to-control ball against the post.
Cologne were lucky for the second time in front of their own goal and in the last action of the third quarter they had the chance to equalize with their first penalty corner. But HTHCkeepers Anton Brinckman saved Mink van der Weerden’s shot.
Cologne turn the game with a double strike
Even this missed chance didn’t make the favorite nervous – on the contrary. That was in the final quarter team coach André Henning got off to a brilliant start and turned the game around in less than four minutes with two goals. First Kai Aichinger came free after a diagonal pass in the shooting circle and tunneled Brinckman to 1:1. Shortly thereafter, Elian Mazkour lobbed the ball into the net to make it 2-1 after it had been released in front of the goal.
Almost nine minutes before the end, the preliminary decision was made with the 3:1 by Christopher Ruhr. Brinckman was able to defuse the previous penalty corner again, but his rebound ultimately landed on Rühr, who first let an opponent step out and then hit the far corner from a tight angle. In the final stages, Hamburg took their goalkeeper off for another field player, but were not rewarded with goals for the risk.
Düsseldorf women meet Club an der Alster in the semifinals
Also in women NRW with the Düsseldorfer HC an iron in the fire. Of the DHC was the second best main round behind Mannheimer HCteam and is aiming for the third title in a row. After winning the championship title in field hockey for the first time in 2021 and the subsequent triumph in the hall last January, the triple should come.
In the semi-finals on Saturday at 6.30 p.m., the women from Düsseldorf will meet the club on the Alster. In contrast to the men’s competition, there is only one final for the women on Sunday, no game for third place. That’s because the men have a third German starting place for the Euro Hockey league (EHL) play out, while the women’s Bundesliga has only two European starting places.