Brilliant Marguč, but no points

They played less dominant than in the previous season, but more successful than in the previous match: After surprisingly losing the first match at RK Pivovarna Laško Celje four days ago, defending champions THW Kiel have returned to the winner’s way in the VELUX EHF Champions League on Wednesday.

But again the Germans had big problems with the brave fighting young Slovenians, who were close to another sensation especially thanks to brilliant Gašper Marguč, who scored 11 goals. Finally Kiel won the direct encounter closely by the 30:26 win after the three goal defeat in Celje.

After six matches, Kiel have eight points on their account and remain runners-up below Atlético Madrid, while Celje have four points like Madrid and Sävehof.

Group B:

THW Kiel (GER) vs. RK Pivovarna Laško Celje (SLO) 30:26 (13:12)

They wanted to show their real face after the 28:31 defeat at Slovenia on Saturday – and THW Kiel played much more aggressive and focused  - but only in the starting period. At the early score of 6:2 it looked as if the “mission revenge” could be accomplished easily.

But like in Celje everything changed – this time after a time-out of RK coach Vladan Matić – and the curtain was lifted for the match Gašper Marguč vs. THW Kiel. The young and highly talented right wing played without any respect and scored and scored and scored. His fifth goal meant the 7:8 and Celje were back on track causing a lot of trouble in the THW team.

The Germans lacked concentration in defence, missed too many chances in attack – including three penalty shots before the break – and they were not able to break through the highly movable Celje defence.

In contrast to the opening stage they lacked their usual confidence though they were pushed by 10.000 spectators. Finally, Marguč had scored eight times before the break, and Celje were close at 13:12.

“Kiel are nervous, we manage to play the same way we did when winning our home match. I hope that this team can be a major contender in the VELUX EHF Champions League in some years,” Celje manager and former THW player Roman Pungartnik was impressed by the performance of his team in the break in an interview with TV station Eurosport.

Everybody in the Sparkassen-Arena expected a change of the match, but in contrast – Celje took the lead for the first time at 15:14, another strike of Marguč.

Suddenly Kiel found their rhythm again, took their chances in one man advantage situations and increased the gap to 20:16 and 22:17, when Matić took his second time-out in minute 45. And then the Germans had tasted blood intermediately and returned to their usual easiness, led by strong playmaker Aron Pálmarsson, who scored for the 25:19.

But again Kiel lost their stability, took the match too easy and made coach Alfred Gislasson shout out loud in his time-out when Celje had reduced the gap to only 22:25. As the “Marguč express” had stopped, now the Slovenian back court players came into the spotlight.

His players had understood – and even as the distance were mostly three or four goals until the end, the THW victory was not endangered in the final stage.

“We wanted to fight back after we were hit hard in Celje. Nobody could expect a brilliant match, but we fought for 100 percent until the end. Nobody gives any gifts to us,” wing player Dominik Klein said on Eurosport after the match, and team captain Markus Ahlm added: “Our defence stood strong, but we missed too many chances in attack. It was a real hard and physical match. We have to focus on our games and cannot hope on a Veszprém defeat in the fight for the group victory."