Status: 20/05/2022 08:58
THW Kiel has reached the final of the Champions League in Cologne. The German record champion in handball won the second round of the quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain with a hair’s breadth on Thursday with 33:32 (17:19). Downer: Hendrik Pekeler tore an Achilles tendon.
It was an incredible thriller – but for the team of THW coach Filip Jicha, it looked like a happy ending from a results standpoint. When the foghorn finally sounded, Kiel Arena was upside down. The narrow success in front of 10,285 enthusiastic fans was enough for the “zebras” after the draw in the first match for the eighth time to qualify for the last four in the premier class (June 18 and 19). The dream of the fifth Champions League title after 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2020 lives on more than ever.
“It’s amazing. It was a big dream to be back in Cologne, and then in front of spectators. It’s just amazing,” THW CEO Viktor Szilagyi told NDR.
The people of Kiel go to the cathedral city – in contrast to SG Flensburg-Handewitt, who lost to defending champions FC Barcelona. Other possible opponents of the Jicha team are KS Vive Kielce (Poland) and KC Veszprem (Hungary). Sunday (14.00) there is a derby between SG and THW in Flensburg for Bundesliga points and thus for qualification for the Champions League in the season 2022/2023.
“We will do our best in Cologne to represent German handball in the best possible way there.”
Filip Jicha
Next to Pekeler after 25 minutes
THW top player Pekeler, however, will be missing: The defense specialist shouted after a duel in his own circle with PSG star Nedim Remili, held his ankle with a painful face and stumbled to the substitutes’ bench after 25 minutes. The team doctors’ diagnosis: The circle player got a torn Achilles tendon in his left foot and will be out for several months. “I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery,” Jicha said. After the injury “his team played for Hendrik Pekeler even without Hendrik Pekeler”.
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“Zebras” run after Paris
The Schleswig-Holsteins entered the match knowing that a victory with only one goal would be enough, but how difficult it would be against the star ensemble from the Seine was already clear in the early stages. PSG used two errors in the Kiel attack to throw long shots in the opposite goal, the former THW professional Nikola Karabatic and the strong Remili scored goals. After six minutes, THW was behind 1: 4.
Jicha, however, decided not to take a time-out, instead trusting that his team found its way without further instructions.
SOUND: THW Kiel: Thanks to the White Wall for the Final Four in Cologne (2 min)
In fact, circle player Patrick Wiencek created the tie with 5: 6 (18th). However, it was no more in the beginning. Paris was ahead – also due to some errors from the hosts with a majority of 7: 6.
Kiel showed up after the break
At 2.15 pm, the task for the “Zebras” was made considerably more difficult by Pekeler’s failure. After the change of sides, the tide turned. Also because THW goalkeeper Niklas Landin became a factor. His younger brother Magnus Landin scored 19:19 (34th), Sander Sagosen made it 21:20 (37th) with a counterattack to the match’s first THW lead. A hit with effect: now the northern Germans were there in full.
Goalkeeper Landin presented himself in world-class form, in front of him his teammates threw themselves into the guests’ throws, in their own attack the chances were exploited – especially by Magnus Landin, the most successful Kiel player (seven goals in total), and Harald Reinkind. The latter made it 26:23 (43rd) with his sixth goal.
Landin saves THW from moving on
But Paris did not give up, and then it came to a head. When the score was 32:31, Landin again prevented a goal from being locked in, Steffen Weinhold scored on the other side to 33:31. At 33:32 and the threat of wasted time, the “Zebras” missed the target again.
PSG therefore regained possession of the ball and were released four seconds before the end. A draw would have been enough for the French. But Niklas Landin was there, parried Luc Steins’ forearm throw – and the big THW party could begin.
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