A slew of injuries derailed SG Flensburg-Handewitt’s start to the season, both in the EHF Champions League Men and the German Bundesliga, but the German powerhouse look back in business after a 34:27 win on Thursday evening against HC Motor.

GROUP B
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs HC Motor (UKR) 34:27 (13:11)

• three goals from left wing Hampus Wanne inspired a 6:1 run for Flensburg between the 11th and the 18th minutes that turned the game on its head and opened a 10:7 lead for the German side
• it was a tale of great goalkeeping in the first half: Flensburg’s Kevin Møller (45 per cent) stopped nine shots, while Motor’s Gennadiy Komok (42 per cent) had 10 saves
• Wanne, Flensburg’s top scorer this season, added eight goals to his tally, which now stands at 37
• Wanne is now fifth in the top scorer standings, three goals behind Vardar right wing Timur Dibirov
• Flensburg ended a five-game winless run in the EHF Champions League, their second longest run in the competition
• Motor slipped to seventh place in group B after losing for the fourth time in their last five games, while Flensburg are still in eighth place, with three points

Rusty Flensburg are still working out their game

In 17 seasons played in the EHF Champions League Men, Flensburg never had to wait more than two games to earn their first win in the group phase. This season, however, the German powerhouse were hit by a flurry of injuries and did not earn their first win until the sixth round.

Important backs Mads Mensah Larsen and Jim Gottfridsson are still finding their form, but Flensburg were saved by Hampus Wanne and Icelandic right back Teitur Örn Einarsson, who scored seven times against Motor.

This is only the beginning for Flensburg, who will need to capitalise on this win in their next two games against C.S. Dinamo Bucuresti.