Aalborg face Magdeburg in Super Globe final bid
All three participating teams from Europe have made it through to the semi-final of the 14th edition of the IHF Super Globe in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, Aalborg Håndbold take on SC Magdeburg in the all-European first semi-final of the unofficial Club World Championship. Record winners Barça face EC Pinheiros of Brazil in the second match.
Barça have won the Super Globe every year it has been held since 2017, and five times in total. No other team has triumphed more than twice.
European teams have won 12 of the previous 13 editions, and they seem set for another triumph.
In Wednesday’s quarter-final, Aalborg eased past Al-Wehda FC from Saudi Arabia. Backed by a nine-goal half-time lead (19:10) the Danish side cruised to a 38:27 win despite missing their star arrival Aron Palmarsson.
Last season’s EHF Champions League finalists are the first team from Denmark to reach this stage of the Super Globe.
Both other European teams experienced some more troubles.
Magdeburg scored only three times in the opening 15 minutes of their quarter-final against Al Duhail SC from Qatar and soon found themselves behind by up to three goals.
However, the Qatari team could not keep up their level and Magdeburg had already well recovered at the break (16:9) on their way to a 35:23 win.
The Bundesliga side had earned a straight-forward 32:20 (17:12) win over Sydney University in the tournament’s opening match Tuesday.
Title holders Barça also had to overcome an early scare in the concluding quarter-final against Zamalek SC. The Egyptian side were 5:0 up after eight minutes before the Spanish champions gradually found their rhythm.
Barça only enjoyed a minor lead at half-time (18:17) but finished the game four goals ahead: 36:32. Luis Frade with seven and Dika Mem with six were their best scorers.
Barça’s next opponents, Pinheiros, came through the most thrilling quarter-final of the four, as the Brazilian side edged the home fans’ favourites Al-Noor 34:33 (19:16).
All matches of the Super Globe are streamed live on the IHF-Competitions YouTube channel. More information is available on the Super Globe website.
IHF Super Globe 2021 (all times CEST):
Thursday 7 October, semi-final:
17:15 SC Magdeburg vs Aalborg Håndbold
19:30 EC Pinheiros vs Barça
Saturday 9 October, medal matches:
17:15 third-place match
19:30 final
Photos courtesy of IHF
