Defending champion THW Kiel was looking for another derby win at home against archrival SG Flensburg-Handewitt to make another improbable run at the title, but lost 26-28 (14-12) to the team of Ljubomir Vranjes, keeping its own title hopes open. Flensburg now sits one point behind the Rhein-Neckar Löwen as both sides have three matches to play in the season. Flensburg faces Eisenach, Stuttgart and the Bergischer HC, all teams from the bottom of the standings.
Flensburg’s win also means that the SG will most likely finish at least second, securing a spot in next year’s EHF Champions League, while Kiel, qualified for the Final Four in two weeks, has to ask for a wild card if it doesn’t emerge as a winner in Cologne at the and of the month. In front of more than 10.000 fans in a sold-out Sparkassen-Arena Niclas Ekberg (7/5) led the zebras in goals, while Thomas Mogensen (6) and Kentin Mahé (6/5) were Flensburg’s top scorers.
Statistics:
THW Kiel: Ekberg (7/5), Duvnjak (6), Klein (4), Jaanima (3), Vujin (2), Wiencek (2), Dissinger (2)
SG Flensburg-Handewitt: Mogensen (6), Mahé (6/5), Glandorf (5), Svan (3), Wanne (3), Gottfridsson (2), Kozina (2), Toft Hansen (1)
Spectators: 10.285 (sold out)
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