Hamburg (dpa) – The handball players of SG Flensburg-Handewitt slipped up in pursuit of Bundesliga leader SC Magdeburg. For the North Germans there was only a 29:29 (15:15) at HSG Wetzlar.
THW Kiel, on the other hand, won 42:29 (22:11) at TVB Stuttgart, Füchse Berlin prevailed 23:20 (11:10) against Rhein-Neckar Löwen.
There was bad news for the Kielers even before the game started. Both coach Filip Jicha and defense chief Hendrik Pekeler were not there after positive corona quick tests. Goalkeeper Niklas Landin was also absent. Assistant coach Christian Sprenger and THW managing director Viktor Szilagyi filled the Jicha role together. However, the record champions went into the game with full concentration and were leading 6-1 after a little over six minutes. At 17:7 (22nd) the game was already decided.
Flensburg found it much more difficult in Wetzlar. After a balanced first half, the North Germans pulled away to 23:17 (42nd) and 29:24 (53rd). But then coach Maik Machulla’s team failed to score. Wetzlar secured the deserved draw with a 5-0 run.
A dry spell lasting several minutes also cost the Rhein-Neckar Löwen a possible success in Berlin. After 20:21 (51st) nothing worked anymore. In the second competitive game under their new coach Ljubomir Vranjes, Mannheim remained without a win. Cup winner TBV Lemgo Lippe had no problems with his 27:22 (14:9) home win over newly promoted TuS N-Lübbecke.