Magdeburg earn clear win in early top match

The second round of Men’s EHF Cup saw home side SC Magdeburg show no love to opponents Bjerringbro-Silkeborg on St. Valentines Day as they easily dispatched the visitors by seven goals, to win 33:26.

The result means the German side go top of Group A in the Men’s EHF Cup Group Phase after picking up their second win in the competition in four days.

• Magdeburg made it two wins out of two in the Group Phase, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg lost their first points
• With seven goals, Matthias Musche top-scored for Magdeburg for the second EHF Cup match in succession
• Danish international goalkeeper Jannick Green scored and had a successful second half in goal against his former team

Group A

SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (DEN) 33:26 (15:12)

In their first-ever meeting in European competition, German side SC Magdeburg took on Danish team Bjerringbro-Silkeborg at the GETEC-Arena in eastern Germany, and it was the home side who again beat the Danes – this time on the court.

Back in December, the EHF selected Magdeburg as organisers of the Men’s EHF Cup Finals on 19-20 May 2018, ahead of BSV, who were also bidding for the prestigious competition and in their second round clash in the Group Phase, Magdeburg again emerged victorious.

Magdeburg were three-time winners in the old competition format (1999, 2001 and 2007) of the Men’s EHF Cup and also former Men’s Champions League winners (2002) and with their strong start, they are well-placed already on the road to what they will hope be a return home – as hosts, if they win their group or finish among the three best second-ranked teams, they will advance directly to the finals and be in place to try and better third third-place finish last season.

In this northern European clash tonight the start was equal, with Silkeborg in the lead a few times as the visitors had success by pushing left wing Stefan Hundstrup or left back Nikolaj Markussen forward in a 5-1 defence, while right back Nikolaj Oris Nielsen was particularly successful in the Danish attack. Multiple Men’s Champions League winner Jesper Noddesbo scored twice.

As the first half proceeded, however, Silkeborg got into increasing trouble following their opponents.

Magdeburg managed to change an 8:8 deadlock into a 13:9 lead at the break and continued that way into the second half as their pace became too high for the Silkeborg players who also had trouble getting the ball past their former teammate Jannick Green, who took over from Dario Quenstedt in the Magdeburg goal from the start of the second half.

Magdeburg even went nine goals ahead, but Silkeborg reduced the gap and for the second EHF Cup match in succession, Matthias Musche was top scorer for the German side, shooting home seven tonight, down the other end, eight goals from Nikolaj Oris Nielsen saw him take that title for Silkeborg.

Photo: SC Magdeburg