Kiel adjourns Magdeburg championship crowning with derby victory

Created: 05/22/2022, 16:22

Kiel's Sander Sagosen is attacked by Johannes Golla (l) while throwing.

© Sascha Klahn/dpa

With a 28:27 (13:12) victory in the 106th northern derby at SG Flensburg-Handewitt on Sunday, THW Kiel postponed SC Magdeburg's early crowning of the championship.

Thanks to the success in a dramatic game in front of 6300 spectators, the Kielers claimed second place in the Handball Bundesliga with 50:10 points, which entitles them to participate in the premier class next season.

Flensburg - The Foxes Berlin (50:12) follow after a 31:25 at HC Erlangen and Flensburg (46:14).

"It feels very good," said Kiel's coach Filip Jicha on the Sky microphone about the victory over arch-rivals.

"The boys will definitely get a beer on the way home and a day off on Monday." The sovereign front runner from Magdeburg can now only win the second title after 2001 on June 2nd at the earliest.

After moving into the final tournament of the Champions League last Thursday, Kiel, who had to lament the month-long absence of their defensive chief Hendrik Pekeler (torn Achilles tendon), had their sights immediately set on the derby in Flensburg.

"No one celebrated," reported Jicha before kick-off.

From the start, both teams delivered a passionate exchange of blows, in which the guests took the lead for the first time after just under fifteen minutes.

However, the record champions, in which Sander Sagosen towered over with ten goals, were never able to pull away by more than two goals.

In the middle of the second half, Flensburg made a 4:0 run from 18:20 to 22:20 - the Flens Arena was now a madhouse.

The handball thriller was by no means decided.

Kiel defended himself and kept his nerve in the dramatic final phase.

dpa