30.04.2007, 11:21
Flensburg Lost Two Key Players and the Final

Kiel controlled the match and won in a dramatic endgame despite their many injuries. The CL trophy returns to Germany after five years.

Flensburg Lost Two Key Players and the Final

Befoe the game SG Flensburg-Handewitt were confident to make history. The players greeted the fans when they entered the court of the Ostseehalle. The supporters arrived with a convoy of ten buses in red outfit from the Danish border. However, the match did not have a happy ending for them.

THW Kiel defeated the Northern rivals by 29:27 (15:10) und conquered the Champions-League trophy for a German club since the victory of SC Magdeburg in 2002.

Stryger injured, Boldsen sent off

The Flensburg fans and players have to cope with a great loss: the captain Sören Stryger had to limp to the bench only after two minutes of play with cramps.

“I wanted to change to an attacking formation with Sören Stryger after 15 minutes,” said SG coach Kent-Harry Andersson later. “We have been practicing it for two weeks.”

After 19 minutes Flensburg suffered another blow: Joachim Boldsen made a foul against Christian Zeitz at a counter attack and it was red card fort he Polish referees. “I wanted to stop him of course, but it was not more than a two minute suspension,” said the shocked Danish player.

SG were confused after losing two of the leading figures of the team. A longer blackout arrived and Kiel took a 12:7 lead in the 27th minute. However, SG did not give it up without fight and Kent-Harry Andersson arranged a more offensive formation for his team. The next step was to get Michael Knudsen mark Nikola Karabatic and Ljubomir Vranjes was also marking Kim Andersson in the last ten minutes of the game. The mood of the away supporters was swinging between resignation and hope. Everytime it looked as if Flensburg could get back into the game they made another mistake. “We made several mistakes,” admitted SG pivot Johnny Jensen. “The chances were given.”

Dramatic endgame

On the other side it was Henrik Lundström who made it 28:25 only 76 seconds before the end. It was Check Mate for the guests. Only 12 seconds later Anders Eggert earned a 7-metre throw. THW lost ball following this and Christian Zeitz fouled Johnny Jensen with his leg. It was also a red card. Ljubomir Vranjes made it 27:28. The last seconds were a cat and mouse game and Kim Andersson scored the match ball only four seconds from the end when he was completely left alone.

TEXT: Jan Kirschner