DAY REVIEW: Kiel and Szeged with last-second wins

• The red card against Kolstad’s super star Sander Sagosen six minutes before the end was the turning point of the match in Kiel, as THW turned a 21:23 deficit into a 26:25 victory
• Kielce’s comeback in Szeged came too late - the hosts took a lucky, but deserved victory, with the same result as in Kiel (26:25)
• Montpellier moved equal in the table with GOG after a clear win in the direct duel 
• GOG back Emil Madsen is the new number 1 in the top scorer list with 65 goals now 

GROUP A

OTP Bank - Pick Szeged (HUN) vs Industria Kielce (POL) 26:25 (15:12)

In a match of two outstanding goalkeepers – Roland Mikler (Szeged) saved 12 shots, Andreas Wolff (Kielce) 15 – the hosts took two crucial points for a spot in the play-offs. When Szeged went to the front (5:4) after 11 minutes, they did not give the lead from their hands, seemed to be on the winners’ ways, when leading 24:18 eight minutes before the end. But backed by a series of strikes by their unstoppable back court shooters Alex Dujshebajev and Haukar Thrastarson, who netted the last six goals for Kielce, the visitors were reducing the gap goal-by-goal. Just 34 seconds before the end, the score was only 26:25, but Kielce's comeback came too late and after a last time-out, Dujshebaev missed Kielce’s final chance for a draw with the final buzzer. Having 11 points on their account now, Szeged passed PSG and Kolstad in the table and are one point below Kielce. The Hungarian side won the direct encounter after the 27:27 in the reverse fixture, what can be crucial, if both teams finish on the same number of points.

THW Kiel (GER) vs Kolstad Handball (NOR) 26:25 (15:11)

What a thriller in Kiel, what a comeback for THW: The four-times EHF Champions League winners were extremely lucky to beat the debutants and to keep the lead in group A with 15 points now. The whole match was like a rollercoaster ride with constantly changing leads. Thanks to a number of crucial saves of goalkeeper Torbjørn Bergerud, Kolstad gained the momentum in the second half, turning a 12:15 into a 23:21. But this score was the turning point: When former THW player Sander Sagosen received a direct red card after a foul against Domagoj Duvnjak six minutes before the end, Kiel grabbed their chance and scored three goals in that two-minute powerplay. But still nothing was decided, when Kolstad again took the lead at 25:24 with 80 seconds left. Only a double strike of Duvnjak and the buzzer-beater of Rune Dahmke secured the seventh group phase win for lucky THW. Top scorer of the match was Niclas Ekberg with eight goals for Kiel.

GROUP B

Montpellier HB (FRA) vs GOG (DEN) 36:25 (16:13)

A great performance after the break and 18 saves of goalkeeper Charles Bolzinger were Montpellier’s keys to their fifth win in ten matches. Having ten points, both sides will restart in 2024 with on an equal footing. In contrast to the dominant performance in the reverse fixture (32:27), the Danish side did not get the grip on the match, while Montpellier had full control after the break. Swedish MHB star Lucas Pellas added eight goals to his tally and is on 59 goals now – but still does not top the list, as Emil Madsen scored 11 of GOG’s 25 goals and is on 65 goals. The hosts were never below in the whole 60 minutes, and latest when Kylian Villeminot extended the gap to 22:15 in minute 38, the victory was secured.

Photo: Sascha Klahn (Kiel), Eliza Sólya (Szeged), #patriciasports (Montpellier)