In the women’s handball Bundesliga, SG BBM Bietigheim clearly won the top game against HSG Bensheim/Auerbach Flames.
Coach Jakob Vestergaard’s team won clearly on Wednesday (March 27, 2024) against the HSG Bensheim/Auerbach Flames with 40:31 (21:17). In the duel between first and second in the table, the Bietigheimers remained unbeaten in the 18th game of the season.
SG BBM Bietigheim is taking steps towards the championship
In addition, they also took another step towards the championship title: With 34:2 points, they now have a significant lead over their pursuers from Borussia Dortmund and Bensheim/Auerbach (both 30:8). In addition, SG BBM played one fewer league game.
The best thrower in the game against the Flames was SG backcourt player Xenia Smits with seven goals. Lisa Friedberger also scored seven times for the guests and Kim Naidzinavicius five times. The 31-year-old only returned to her home in southern Hesse last summer after seven years, four championships and three cup victories in Bietigheim.
Flames start strong thanks to Naidzinavicius
The opening phase of the game already showed how close both teams are in terms of their sporting qualities. When Bietigheim’s Kaba Gassama hit the goal in the tenth minute of the game, it was already 5:5 – an exciting start to the game with successful offensive actions on both sides.
Afterwards, the South Hesse team had their best phase when they were able to pull away with a 4-0 run to 10:6 (15th) and later even to 12:7 (16th). Best Flames player at this moment: Kim Naidzinavicius, already a multiple goalscorer at this point.
SG BBM Bietigheim improves after falling behind
But her ex-colleagues from Bietigheim didn’t give up the first round. On the contrary. First the hosts reduced the deficit, then equalized to 14:14 (23rd) – and shortly afterwards took the lead and also control of the game. By the time the half-time siren sounded, SG BBM had gained a comfortable four-goal lead, and Inger Smits’ goal to make it 21:17 also marked the half-time score.
The positive from the point of view of the league leaders: The basic character of the game should not change after the break in the sports hall at the viaduct. Bietigheim continued to hold all the strings and in the final minutes pulled within nine goals (36:27/54.) and then within ten goals (39:29/59.). With Karolina Kudlacz-Gloc, Veronika Malá, Dorottya Faluvégi and Antje Döll, several SG professionals were included in the list of goalscorers.
“Big points stay in Bietigheim”
“We started the game a little difficult. We picked ourselves up in the middle of the first half and then played our game consistently until the end,” said Vestergaard afterwards. “That’s why the victory is okay and the big points stay in Bietigheim.”
Broadcast on Thursday, March 28, 2024, 6:00 a.m., SWR Aktuell in the morning, SWR Aktuell
