Despite the clear 36:28 success over HC Zagreb in the preliminary round of the Champions League, coach Filip Jicha found more than just words of praise for the handball players at THW Kiel.
"I'm very happy with the two points, but I have to talk to my boys again about the first half," said the 39-year-old Czech after the game on Wednesday evening.
Kiel - In the first 30 minutes, the German record champions still had some problems with the record champions from Croatia.
"Zagreb was very present and we weren't able to stop it," was Jicha's analysis.
After the break, however, his team managed to invest more energy in the game.
The Kiel backcourt star Sander Sagosen summed up: "I am not happy with our first half, but I am very satisfied with the second half and our victory."
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Kiel's handball players start in the Champions League in Brest
The handball players of the THW Kiel will start the new Champions League season on Wednesday (6.45 p.m. / DAZN and ServusTV) with an away game against the Belarusian champions HC Brest.
For the four-time winner of the European premier class, reaching the final tournament in Cologne in June next year is the big goal.
In the preliminary round, the German record champions want to take first or second place in Group A in order to make it to the quarter-finals.
Kiel's handball players start in the Champions League in Brest
Eisbären Berlin: Veilleux is set to debut in Bremerhaven
Eisbären Berlin can hope for further reinforcement in the away game at Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven.
Attacker Yannick Veilleux is about to make his debut in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL).
On the first two days of the match, the 28-year-old Canadian, who moved to the capital in the summer, had to take a break due to muscular problems.
Eisbären Berlin: Veilleux is set to debut in Bremerhaven
THW Kiel again leads the table after winning the northern derby
Record champions THW Kiel took the lead in the handball Bundesliga with a convincing 33:23 (18:14) victory in the 105th North Derby against title rivals SG Flensburg-Handewitt and set an early exclamation point in the championship race.
In front of 9,000 fans, the top favorite put on a strong performance on Sunday and, thanks to the better goal difference, pushed past a trio with the same number of points with 6: 0 points.
THW Kiel again leads the table after winning the northern derby
On Sunday (4.00 p.m. / Sky) the defending champion will have a league duel at cup winner TBV Lemgo Lippe on the program.
The “Zebras” managed to get their revenge for the final defeat in June with a 30:29 victory in the Supercup at the beginning of the season.
Already in focus are the top games in the Champions League on October 20th against the Hungarian champions Pick Szeged and in the league on October 24th against the current leaders SC Magdeburg.
dpa