Sports away win
Kiel’s perfect start to the new season
As of: 5:53 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Patrick Wiencek and his team from Kiel convinced in the first game of the season
Source: dpa/Sascha Klahn
Many experts do not consider THW Kiel to be a big favorite for the handball championship. At least the defending champion put an exclamation mark on the first day of the game. Kiel starts away with a runaway victory.
The German handball champion THW Kiel started the title defense mission with a resounding victory. Four days after winning the Supercup against cup winner Rhein-Neckar Löwen, Kiel came to a clear 36:25 (18:15) at the start of the Bundesliga against newly promoted HBW Balingen-Weilstetten.
However, the clear success was not enough for the championship lead, because the big rival SC Magdeburg had won its first game on Friday at HSG Wetzlar by 16 goals. The best scorers for the record champion, who is aiming for his 24th championship title this season, were Eric Johansson with nine goals and new signing Elias Ellefsen á Skipagotu (7). “Obviously I’m happy with the game. We played well in defense and attack, especially in the second half,” said Johansson.
Declaration of war by veteran Wiencek
THW got off to a flying start and was quickly ahead 5:1. After 20 minutes the lead at 15:10 was five goals for the first time. After that, the favorites eased off a bit and weakened themselves with a red card against left winger Magnus Landin. Shortly after the break, the home side were within a goal. But Kiel picked up again and with a 5:0 run to 23:17 away. This broke the Balingen resistance.
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Although Kiel started as the defending champion, many experts do not regard Kiel as a big favorite for the title after losing some top performers. Patrick Wiencek, however, doesn’t really care. “Most of the time, I’m relatively uninterested in the opinions of others. We’re the reigning champions and we’re going into the season with the aim of defending our title. We will give everything for that,” said the 34-year-old pivot to BILD.
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In any case, it will be close, says Wiencek: “Last season, the fight for the championship was exciting. It can get even tighter this season. Flensburg, Magdeburg and Berlin have grown enormously.”
The 1st match day at a glance
Erlangen – Hanover-Burgdorf 25:27 (13:16) Flensburg-Handewitt – Hamburg 37:32 (16:14) Wetzlar – Magdeburg 15:31 (8:13) Eisenach – Bergischer HC 31:30 (13:13) Balingen – Weilstetten – Kiel 25:36 (15:18) Melsungen – Frisch Auf Göppingen 4.30 p.m. VfL Gummersbach – TBV Lemgo Lippe 4.30 p.m. SC DHfK Leipzig – Füchse Berlin Monday, 7 p.m. Rhein-Neckar Löwen – Stuttgart 1.10.
