In the Handball Champions League, THW Kiel kept its small chance of third place in Group B. The “Zebras” prevailed on Wednesday evening in the last home game of the group phase against RK Celje with 39:27 (17:15).
This was a clear revenge against the Slovenian champions for the bitter defeat at the end of September, when the Schleswig-Holstein team lost 36:38 in Celje. Magnus Landin was the home side’s top scorer with nine goals.
However, the THW is still dependent on support to get a better place in the play-offs. The Kielers not only have to win at the Norwegian representative Elverum next Wednesday, but also hope that Nantes will not collect more than one point against Kielce and in Szeged. The direct comparison speaks for the French runner-up, who is two points better.
Kiel misses many opportunities
It was initially the “really difficult game” against his compatriots predicted by Kiel’s Miha Zarabec. Although Steffen Weinhold managed the first three-goal lead for the home side after just under a quarter of an hour (14./9:6), the Slovenians didn’t let themselves be shaken off. Also because the “Zebras” left far too many free throws.
THW Kiel – RK Celje in shorthand:
Goals Kiel: M. Landin 9/3, Zarabec 5, Duvnjak 5, Sagosen 4, Weinhold 4, Johansson 4, Wiencek 3, Reinkind 2, Pekeler 1, Dahmke 1, Överby 1
Goals Celje: Ivankovic 5, Janc 5, Suholeznik 5, Strmljan 3, Mazej 2, Marguc 2/1, Zabic 2, Vlah 2/1, Cokan 1
time penalties: 4 / 12
Viewers: 7,803
The first four-goal advantage (23./14:10) didn’t last long either, Celje came close again. For the last seconds of the first half, THW coach Filip Jicha still had a move ready during his time-out: It worked, but Yannick Fraatz only put the ball on the post. So it went into the break with a narrow 17:15.
Strong second half of THW
After an initially wild restart – goals came every second on both sides – Kiel finally acted more concentrated and effective in attack. The reward was a seven-goal lead (42./27:20), in which keeper Niklas Landin also played his part with a few saves.
The guests were now weakening. At the latest, when Rune Dahmke scored the 30:21 (48th) after a counter-attack, hardly anyone among the 7,800 spectators in the hall had any doubts about the well-deserved Kiel success.
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NDR 2 Sports | 02/22/2023 | 11:03 p.m
