18.11.2021, 10:30
History repeats for Kielce in Palau Blaugrana

GROUP B REVIEW: Nearly six years after their last home Champions League loss, Barcelona lose again to the same opposition

Barça had not lost a home EHF Champions League game since 2015, when Kielce visited the Palau Blaugrana on 5 December and won 33:31. Just under six years later that extraordinary series stopped on Thursday night against the same team from Poland, who deserved their two-goal victory.

Apart from the first quarter of the game, when Barça took the lead, Kielce remained in control, never panicking even when Barça came back within two, and even one, with the final whistle approaching.

GROUP B

Barça (ESP) vs Lomza Vive Kielce (POL) 30:32 (16:19)

• Barça led by three after 12 minutes, but Kielce quickly took back control thanks to saves from Andreas Wolff and fast-breaks by Dylan Nahi
• Kielce led by four goals at one point in the first half (18:14, 28th minute)
• The second half was catch and chase with Barça coming back within one goal with 60 seconds left on the clock with one minute left to play
• Three players scored seven: Arkadiusz Moryto for Kielce and Dika Mem and Timothey N’Guessan for Barça
• The two teams will meet again in Poland next week

Andreas Wolff, just enough saves to save the evening

The first half of the game was definitely not designed for goalkeepers. And the German one from Kielce only stopped 29% of the shots aimed at him. That did not tone his mood down though as he headed into the second half with the same determination.

He stopped a first attempt from Barça to come back within one against Angel Fernandez and another one against Dika Mem before ending his show by stopping Blaz Janc’s last attempt.

You need a great goalkeeper to win those clashes, and Kielce definitely had one on Thursday night.

TEXT: EHF / Kevin Domas