Flensburg concedes European League defeat in Switzerland
The SG Flensburg-Handewitt handball team have suffered their first defeat in the preliminary round of the European League. The Bundesliga club lost 24:25 (16:15) at Swiss champions Kadetten Schaffhausen on Tuesday. Flensburg's best scorers were Johannes Golla and Johan Hansen with five goals each.
The final matchday on December 5 will now decide who wins Group E. The SG will host HC Lovcen-Cetinje from Montenegro. The Kadetten, who are level on points with 8:2, will play at Elverum HB in Norway. However, the 31 goals better goal difference clearly favors Flensburg. Both teams have qualified for the main round, which will be played in the new year after the European Championships in Germany.
After taking a quick 2:0 lead in the third minute of the match, the North Germans began to have problems with their attacking play. They repeatedly failed to score against Croatian keeper Kristian Pilipovic in the Kadetten box. The hosts were ahead for long stretches of the first half.
Mads Mensah Larsen's goal to make it 12:11 (23') gave Flensburg the lead again. The lead was then three goals for the first time at 22:19 (45'). However, the Swiss side did not let up and rewarded themselves in the final phase. Iceland's Odinn Thor Rikhardsson scored a seven-meter penalty half a minute before the final whistle to make the final score.
Despite the defeat in Switzerland, SG Flensburg-Handewitt still maintains a better goal difference in Group E of the European League, which could potentially secure them the group win. In their next match, the Men's handball team from Flensburg will face HC Lovcen-Cetinje at home, aiming to bounce back from their loss against Kadetburg Schaffhausen in the European League.
Source: www.dpa.com
