GOG lose Danish Cup

Danish champions, GOG Svendborg TGI, Denmark´s only remaining representative in the Men´s Champions League, missed their first chance to take a title this season. GOG lost the Danish Cup final 28-23 against KIF Kolding.

In front of 4,500 spectators in the NRGI Arena of Aarhus, the two teams were leading one after the other in the first half. GOG went into break with a 12-11 lead.

From the start of the second half, however, GOG practically collapsed, and Kolding – handicapped by injuries –could score the first 4 goals after the break. They took the lead at 15-12. Not even a red card for one of Kolding’s most important defenders, René Toft Hansen (third two-minute suspension after 5 minutes and 32 seconds in the second half), could help GOG get back into the game. Actually, the Danish champions scored their first goal 6 minutes and 11 seconds after the break…

Danish Euro 2008 player shining

As the second half progressed, Kolding increased their lead to 7 goals at 25-18. Two of the most important explanations of this surprising change in the game were Kolding keeper Fredrik Ohlander (26 saves) and Danish international Kasper Søndergaard. The latter will be Denmark´s only left-handed backcourt player at the forthcoming European Championship.

Søndergaard made sure with 10 goals that national coach Ulrik Wilbek will not have sleepless nights for having only a limited number of left-handed back players. Søndergaard was outstanding – but modest after the triumph:

“I was successful thanks to my team-mates and our fantastic goalkeeper in particular,” Kasper Søndergaard told Eurohandball.com.

Left back Mikkel Hansen and Swedish left winger Fredrik Petersen scored 5 goals each on the losing GOG side.