30.03.2014, 07:20
A walk in the park for THW

MATCH REVIEW: Kiel beat Zaporozhye at a canter to reach their 15th quarter-final in club history

A walk in the park for THW

After FC Barcelona, THW Kiel are the second group winner of the first phase to win both Last 16 matches. For the 15^th time in club's history, the three-time EHF Champions League winner (2007, 2010, 2012) made it among the best eight teams of this competition.

Last 16, second leg:

THW Kiel (GER) vs. Motor Zaporozhye (UKR)  40:28 (20:13)

First leg: 31:28 – in aggregate 71:56

The second win over the Ukrainian champions, debutants in the VELUX EHF Champions League, had never been in danger. After the three-goal margin from the first leg, THW decided the second encounter already at the break, when the score was 20:13 – and the aggregate lead was already at ten goals.

Thanks to a brilliant defence and deadly counter attacks, Kiel were away by 12:4 after only 16 minutes, already then the resistance of Motor was broken – but the team of coach Sergij Bebeshko avoided a double-figured deficit until minute 44 at 30:20.

Kiel then decelerated and rotated a huge number of players, so Zaporozhye managed to reduce the gap somewhat goals. But the win was always clear and the only question was by how much they could do it by and THW continued their brilliant series to remain unbeaten in home matches in the competition since October 2012.

Thanks to the THW victory, three of four teams from pot 1 for the draw on Tuesday are confirmed, as they join FC Barcelona and MKB Veszprem.

TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor