GROUP B REVIEW : The Icelandic left-winger netted fifteen times tonight to lead his team to a draw against Nantes
Prior to this game, the only team to have beaten Nantes in the European League this season: TBV Lemgo. Though the German side did not manage to repeat this performance tonight in front of a home crowd, Lemgo still managed to take a point against last season’s Champions League semi-finalists.
The visitors looked on the verge of a win, though, when they were leading by three with less than ten minutes remaining. But Bjarki Mar Elisson decided otherwise, scoring his team’s last six goals to earn them a deserved draw in the end.
GROUP B
TBV Lemgo Lippe (GER) vs HBC Nantes (FRA) 37:37 (17:20)
- propelled by an insane 83% attack efficiency, Nantes netted 20 times in the first half alone to go back to the dressing room leading by three
- thanks to Aymeric Minne, who netted five times in the second half alone, Nantes took a four-goal advantage with less than ten minutes left to play
- but Lemgo’s Bjarki Mar Elisson decided that his team deserved better. Scoring Lemgo’s last six goals, the Icelandic left-winger dragged his team back into the game
- Elisson finished as top scorer of the game with 15 goals, while Nantes’ Valero Rivera netted 12 times
- Nantes remain third of the group, now on 11 points, while Lemgo are fourth, with two points fewer
What would Lemgo do without Bjarki Mar Elisson ?
Last week Elisson made official the fact that he would be joining Veszprem soon, but tonight, he did not seem to be too bothered by the news. Scoring 15, the Iceland left-winger was clearly the player of the match for the German side. While, in the first half, Nantes’ Valero Rivera kept pace with him, in the last ten minutes, Elisson was clearly the best player on the court. And it was almost on his own that he conjured up Lemgo the point for the draw.
TEXT:
EHF / Kevin Domas