Three Scandinavians top scored the match, with Norwegian wing August Pedersen delivering a huge 11 goals from 11 shots for Hannover, while Danes Simon Pytlick and Emil Jakobsen netted eight each for Flensburg.
It was the 37th mutual match overall but first international clash between the two German sides. Flensburg had won both domestic-level games against Hannover this season.
QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG
Top scorers: Simon Pytlick 8/13, Emil Jakobsen 8/9 (SG Flensburg-Handewitt); August Pedersen 11/11 (Recken - TSV Hannover-Burgdorf)
- the result came down to the last minute, with the game still level at 38:38 with just over two minutes to go; Daniel Weber pulled Hannover in front with enough time for Flensburg to answer, and it was back-to-back EHF Excellence Awards Left Wing of the Season Jakobsen who struck to secure the draw for the home team
- it took almost five minutes for Hannover to find the goal for the first time, enabling Flensburg to take an early lead, 3:0, but the visitors soon levelled the game and it was close from then on; the opening half saw a maximum advantage of two for either side from that point on
- although 39 goals were scored, the goalkeepers were strong in the first period — the high score was more reflective of the volume of shots taken than the efforts between the posts; Joel Birlehm (13 saves total) stopped eight for Hannover in the first half and MVP of the Maschinensucher EHF Finals 2025 Kevin Møller (11) saved nine for the home team
- when the second half began, Flensburg created the first three-goal distance since the opening minutes, but Hannover once again pulled the game back to level, 25:25 in the 41st, and had the edge through the last 18 minutes, always scoring first in the tight contest
- Hannover were without centre back Marian Michalczik, who recently broke his foot in training and will be sidelined for the rest of the season; Flensburg, on the other hand, were back at full-strength for the first time in months
Tradition or debutants? An open tie in the semi-final race
Seven international titles versus would-be semi-final debutants: That is the situation in the all-German tie between the back-to-back EHF European League champions and Hannover. While Flensburg raised the European League trophy the last two seasons, and also have a rich tradition in Europe with a further five titles, including one in the Champions League, Hannover are playing only their second international quarter-final.
But this might be the year for Hannover to do something big and reach their first final weekend in a European cup competition. In what has been a great EHF European League season for the side, the chance is certainly there, with the tie quite open and the prospect of the home leg ahead.
Hannover have been in great form in the EHF European League 2025/26, losing just two games so far — one each in the group matches and main round. Flensburg took a perfect record in the group matches, winning all six games, but then lost three of their four main round clashes. They also drew in the second-leg play-off against SAH - Aarhus, making it through that stage thanks to a clear win in the first game. Hannover earnt the right to skip the play-offs as main round group winners.
