First points for Bregenz

The Champions League group phase brought many surprises already. Group D seems to produce many sensational games. After a 28-28 GOG draw in Portland San Antonio, the Danish side cause a negative surprise as well. Austrian champions, A1 Bregenz, won 32-26 at home in front of 1,500 spectators in Bregenz. The fans could celebrate their first points in the group, while the Danish will have to fear their future in the tournament.

However, the signs were good for GOG. After many injuries, they only have one missing player now – left back Mikkel Hansen – and the Danes knew that Bregenz was no easy place to visit. A1 defeated SC Magdeburg two years ago.

The Danes started with great concentration and were in control for most of the fist half. However, the hosts managed to hang on and they were only one goal behind at half time, 15-14 for GOG.

Total Danish collapse

In the second half, however, the pattern changed considerably, as the Danes fell more or less apart in their defence as well as in their attack. Thus, Bregenz managed to score 18 goals after the break, compared to only 11 from the guests. At a certain point in the second half, the game seemed to be turning into a real humiliation of GOG, as Bregenz were nine goals up before the visitors finally managed to reduce the gap towards the end.

“Actually, our attacking play was acceptable in the first half, but after the break we gave away three opportunities, and we were actually out of the game for three or four minutes,” GOG pivot, Peter Svensson, told the local Danish newspaper, Fyns Stiftstidende, after the match.

“Their goals on counter attacks put us under further pressure and meant that we took too fast and unqualified shots, and that gave Bregenz even more counter chances. We really should be good enough to stop that development, but we were not,” Svensson stated.

“We all had a bad day, and everyone on court played under their normal level. There were times in the second half when we simply did not know what to do. That is very unpleasant. For 45 minutes our attacking play was completely unorganised,” GOG´s veteran keeper Peter Henriksen said.

Bregenz player, Ronald Schlinger, was top scorer in the match with 10 goals, while Lasse Svan Hansen scored 6 for GOG.

The result in Austria means that all four teams of Group D have actually the opportunity to advance to the second group stage.