21.05.2017, 08:50
Three trophies for Göppingen, one for Lindberg

FEATURE: Prost awarded best goalkeeper, Kaufmann MVP, Berlin wing top scorer

Three trophies for Göppingen, one for Lindberg

It is always hard to receive an individual award when you have just lost a big match. When Hans Lindberg left the court of the EWS Arena after the 22:30 defeat of his club Füchse Berlin in the final of the EHF Cup, he held the Select ball in his hands that he just had received as top scorer of the competition.

The eyes of the Dane were empty, as speechless he went to the dressing room. Lindberg had scored an overall of 85 goals since the third qualification stage to be the best striker of the EHF cup.

In 2012/13 he was top scorer of the German league, the German cup and the VELUX EHF Champions League. When he received that golden ball, he smiled much more – as it was right after the final victory with Hamburg against Barcelona at Cologne.

Delight for Kaufmann and Prost

In contrast to Lindberg, Primoz Prost and Lars Kaufmann were on a high after their individual awards at the end of the LIQUI MOLY EHF Cup Finals on Sunday. Before they raised the winners’ trophy with Frisch Auf Göppingen, Kaufmann was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, while Prost was named best goalkeeper.

Kaufmann was impressed with the award and his sensational performance in the final, becoming top scorer by eight goals.

“The whole week I had this special anticipation. I knew that this would be the last chance in my life to win a major title,” he said. “After not being on court in the semi-final, I knew that my day would come. Of course you cannot know how it works, but after failing with my first two shots, I was still trusted by our coach and then I paid back.”

Kaufmann is supposed to retire after this season.

“I cannot say it 100 per cent, but it looks like it,” he said after winning the EHF Cup for the third time after 2012 and 2016 with Göppingen. His major success with the German national team was becoming world champion in 2007.

“I really appreciate today, as all of my family was here in the arena, the fans were great and we showed a brilliant fight,” said Kaufmann. Last year, when Göppingen won the final at Nantes against the hosts, Kaufmann’s teammate Zarko Sesum was named MVP of the tournament.

For Slovenian international Prost it was the first ever major individual award.

“I am happy that I received the award. There were lots of good and experienced goalkeepers in that event. But I have to thank the whole team which set up a very good defence. So it was very much easier for me,” he said.

In general, Prost was delighted about defending the EHF Cup title.

“We managed to play two fantastic games in two days. The support of our fans was just amazing. We were fighting until the end. This title means a lot to us.”

TEXT: Björn Pazen / jh