Another gala performance from Omar Ingi Magnusson was the key for SC Magdeburg’s tenth straight European League victory.

The Icelander scored 12 goals in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Tuesday in a six-goal win at IFK Kristianstad, putting one foot in the door to the final tournament. In the first match between the sides, the hosts, who played their first quarter-final in an international competition, were always playing second fiddle. 

QUARTER-FINAL, FIRST LEG
IFK Kristianstad (SWE) vs SC Magdeburg (GER) 28:34 (13:16) 

• The 30:29 loss on 24 November at Swedish side Alingsas was Magdeburg’s first and so far only European League defeat and on Tuesday they took their tenth straight victory
• 6:5 was IFK’s last lead before Magdeburg turned the match around with three straight goals
• top scorer Omar Ingi Magnusson scored 12 goals to take his season tally to 72  
• IFK were still in the hunt, three goals down midway through the second half before their guests found another gear 
• In the 42nd minute, IFK defensive ace Hampus Hennigsson was sent off after his third two-minute suspension 

O’Sullivan back on old stomping ground

Two-time world finalist and Magdeburg captain Christian O’Sullivan returned to his former club, where he played from 2014 until 2016, during which time both he and the club announced themselves on the European stage with their first appearance in the EHF Champions League.