Summary: Tamse gets first win; Füchse top group B
RESULT: RK Nexe 35:30 Alingsas HK
22:15
Without sounding like a broken record, Jaganjac was the difference tonight. Not merely for the goals he scored (13/15) but also for the psychological effect he was having on the Alingsas defence, you could see their heads dropping when he netted.
And his last goal just shows you the arm he has - a rocket standing shot from nine meters, almost took the keeper's head off!
Another shout-out has to go to Janko Kevic who is at the other end of his career, the 34 year old came up with some really important goals and key points - he was 6/8 in total. Even gave us a side step to two to show the young guns he still has it.
21:59
Jaganjac is a serious talent. Not often do you see such a young player make things look so simple and almost effortless at times.
He almost lulls the defence into a false sense of security before pouncing. He has fooled them too many times now with the same shot: driving into the centre and simply jumping from nine meters.
21:41
A three-goal run (20:15) by Nexe has prompted a time-out by the guests! And Jaganjac & Co are roaring their lungs out, pure passion!
21:39
Ivan Vida just netted the goal of the game to make it 18:15 to Nexe!
He gets the ball from the tightest angle on the wing and with the deftest of shots, floats it passed the Alingsas keeper.
HALF-TIME: RK Nexe 16:14 Alingsas
What a scrap of a match. Both sides making silly errors leading to some messy situations, but it is Nexe in the driving seat. Halil Jaganjac is Nexe's top scorer with five from seven shots while Lang, Franzen have both netted three for the guests.
Join us for the second half HERE.
21:09
We are just passed mid-way of the first half and we have a serious game on our hands! 20 minutes in and we are 9:9. It's not a free-flowing attacking type of game but a real battle.
Nexe defiantly look the sharper of the two sides with Croatian prospect, Jaganjac looking very lively in the backcourt, he has four to his name so far.
20:30
With six matches happening all at once we will focus here on what I deem to possibly the closest game out of all of them: RK Nexe vs Alingsas!
RK Nexe won the first match 27:23 but since then have lost their coach with Branko Tamse, former coach of clubs such as Gorenje Velenje, Celje and PPD Zagreb, taking over.
Will the chemistry match? Did he have enough time to implant his handball culture onto the Croatian domestic runners-up? All those questions will be answered at 20:45 so join us on EHFTV.com
RESULT: IFK Kristianstad 23:36 Füchse Berlin
Berlin were the far superior team this evening. But a huge actor in the win for the German team was keeper Dejan Milosavljev, he had the Swedish team in his pocket (total of 17/39, 43%) and also finished as his side's 5th top scorer, not a bad shift at all!
No doubt he earned his player of the match award!
Berlin now overtake Kristianstad at the top of group B with nine points on their account and two games in hand.
19:56
Füchse have well and truly put their foot down and pull away to an eight-goal lead again - their biggest lead yet. Andersson (8/13) is having his own way in attack as his movement both on and off the ball is giving IFK a lot of headaches. For example...
Once they do get the ball down the other end the Swedish side still has no answer to the Füchse defence, the middle block and the defensive triangle with Milosavljev (16 saves 44%) in goal working like a charm.
If 16 saves aren't enough, he has even netted three goals of his own from distance - player of the match anyone?
19:54
Here is one of Valter Chrintz showing his old club he is still a highlight machine!
19:49
Just as I was about to write the second half is developing just like the first, suddenly IFK have pulled it back to a four-goal game after 12 mins of the second half.
19:23
HALF-TIME: IFK Kristianstad 11:17 Füchse Berlin
19:18
A big issue for IFK is dealing with this insanely tough Füchse middle block. The German side are really well set up for their Swedish challenge. The hosts often look lost - often getting the ball with no movement. Poor Johan Nilsson was really struggling at left back in attack, while he is his side's top scorer with four goals, he also missed some clear chances, and caused some turnovers, resulting in him only being used in defence for the latter part of the first half.
Here is one of the rare occasions where IFK caught Berlin sleeping...
19:05
Jacob Holm comes on to the court and pops up to net his first almost immediately. The Dane, fresh of his gold-medal winning Egypt 2021 seems to be picking up where he left off. His Danish teammate Lasse Andersson is also feeling the gold-medal rub, having netted two so far and is moving very well in the backcourt.
18:55
Berlin are off to the slightly stronger start here. I wouldn't want to be playing the Kristianstad backcourt today! That Füchse middle block of Marsenic and Kopljar is massive! They can really shut down the workings of the IFK backcourt and best evidence of that was the double (!) block they pulled off in the open minutes - both men diving in front of a Johan Nilsson effort.
18:44
We are live on EHFTV for our focus match for the Live Blog: IFK Kristianstad vs Füchse Berlin. And here are both side's rosters...
First the hosts:
And now the foxes from Berlin!
18:32
Some warm-up pictures of the group D tie between GOG and Kadetten Schaffhausen are coming through. Kadetten have the chance to go level in GOG in the group with a win today while a win for GOG will be vital if they plan to stay in the hunt for the top spot of the group currently taken up by German side Rhein-Neckar Löwen.
