The THW Kiel has climbed the German Cup throne for the 13th time.
With a broad grin, Andreas Wolff posed for the winning photo in the confetti rain in front of the trophy. The National Center from the THW Kiel was the celebrated man after his mad parade show at the final Four in Cologne, for the 13th time Wolff led the record winner to the German Cup throne and was then awarded the “player of the tournament”.
“I’m happy and very happy. I would like to sit in the cabin and let it sink a little more,” said Wolff in the “ARD”. For the 34-year-old, a small final in the Cologne arena ended after he failed in the Champions League 2022 with ex-club Kielce against FC Barcelona in seven-meter throwing (35:37) and 2023 against Magdeburg after extension (29:30). “All the better that it worked today,” said Wolff.
Timo Kastening also attested a “world-class performance”, with the right wing of the MT, the disappointment prevailed: “We did not make it again, it hurts.”
Eric Johansson was the best shooter for the THW on the Sunday before 19,750 spectators in the sold -out Lanxess Arena with seven goals, but the outstanding man was Wolff with a total of 16 parades. On the side of the defensive THW, veteran Patrick Wiencek made a triumphant saying goodbye to his fifth cup victory.
For the MT, on the other hand, the hope of the first title in the club’s history was once again shattered. Already in the previous year and 2020 the North Hesse failed in the cup final.
Kiel can look forward to a prize money of 200,000 euros, Melsungen consoles himself with 150,000 euros. Third place went to the second division club HBW Balingen-Weilstetten in the early afternoon, who defeated the Rhein-Neckar Löwen 32:31 in the small final.
THW Kiel starts
In the fifth duel between Kiel and Melsungen, each two Bundesliga top teams met in League and European League in the current season, the defensive series dominated. The MT found poorly into the encounter because Wolff was on the spot several times on the side of the THW.
After all: Melsungen’s goalkeeper Nebojsa Simic prevented with four parades in the initial phase that Kiel initially not passed away through Wiencek than in the 4: 1 (10th). The 36-year-old Wiencek experienced the last cup game of his career, the circular runner ended his successful career at the end of the season.
Melsungen caught briefly after the sleepy start, at 4: 4 (14th) the game was balanced again. A little later, the THW, in which Elias Ellefsen a Skipagötu from Faroe Islands set some accents, had developed a four: 6 (24th) a four-point cushion before Melsungen again put on an intermediate sprint.
Melsungen dreams for a long time
Wolff and Simic remained enormously important factors between the posts, the two statistically best Bundesliga goalkeepers came to eight parades in the first section. Wolff, who contested the comeback season after his return to Kiel, scratched a world-class value in the meantime on a 50 percent quota.
Despite the shrinked advantage, Kiel’s left wing Rune Dahmke went into the half -time “with a good feeling”. And national coach Alfred Gislason has also seen Kiel on the “ARD” microphone “as the better team”. This picture was confirmed after the restart.
The Kielers, who had beaten the Rhein-Neckar Löwen the day after a catch-up in the extension (32:31), remained more active. Melsungen found defensively against a Kiel seven-against-six and offensive against Wolff too few solutions, at 19:15 (44th) the lead grew back to four goals.
It was thanks to the also shiny Simic that Melsungen was able to hope for a turn for a long time. The 23:18 (52nd) – the first Kiel five -goal lead – was not yet a decision, but Wolff gave the right answer with the next spectacular parades.