MATCH REVIEW – Füchse Berlin had to work harder than the final score indicates, as the Bundesliga team visited European debutants Riko Ribnica Thursday evening.
Hard-fought opening win for Füchse in Slovenia
Füchse Berlin had to work harder than the final score indicates, as the Bundesliga team visited European debutants Riko Ribnica on Thursday evening.
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Riko Ribnica celebrated their first match in a European group phase in history with a heroic effort
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Danish right wing Hans Lindberg was the top scorer in the match with eight goals.
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Centre back Patrik Leban and left back Jan Grebenc scored five each for Ribnica
Men´s EHF Cup Group A
RD Riko Ribnica (SLO) vs Füchse Berlin (GER) 20:25 (11:10)
Füchse Berlin had to work for their two opening points, as they visited the European debutants from Ribnica. It was not until the last 20 minutes that German favourites manage to create the decisive lead.
With enthusiastic support from a packed Sportni center, the home team got the better start and were leading 2:0. Füchse came back and were leading by one or two goals for most of the rest of the first half, but the hosts were able to take a one goal lead with them to half time.
At the beginning of the second half, Ribnica even got two goals up at 12:10 and 13:11, before Füchse increased the pace and finally got a grip on the match.
The visitors got back into the lead at 15:14, and from that point on, they did not give it away again. Theyincreased their to six goals shortly before the final buzzer.
“I had expected a match like this, as Ribnica are a strong side. They had enough time to prepare and for them it was the match of the year. My players still lacked power or had been frustrated from the world championship. The only good point - we only conceded 20 goals and we won two points,” said Berlin coach Velimir Petkovic.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / ap