EHF Champions League
Mahe’s last-second strike secures lucky draw for Flensburg
Mahe’s last-second strike secures lucky draw for Flensburg
The 2015 and 2016 VELUX EHF Champions League finalists Veszprem were up by six, but a win was taken from their hands by Flensburg thanks to a double strike in the last 60 seconds by the hosts in the Match of the Week (MOTW).
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Flensburg have to wait two more rounds for their 100th win in international EHF European Cup home matches, remaining on 99 after 119 games on home ground
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Like in the previous year – at Plock – Veszprem started their VELUX EHF Champions League season with a draw
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5:4 in the 12th minute was Flensburg’s last lead in the game
- Netting seven times, two-times VELUX EHF Champions League top scorer Momir Ilic was Veszprem[s best scorer in the match only topped by the nine goals of Flensburg’s Kentin Mahe
GROUP A
SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) vs Telekom Veszprem (HUN) 24:24 (10:13) - Match of the Week (MOTW)
The draw was lucky for Flensburg but a result of a great fighting spirit, while like the 2016 VELUX EHF Champions League final the Hungarian record champions let a clear lead slip from their hands after being ahead for 48 minutes.
In the final stages of the first half, Veszprem forged ahead from 9:8 to 13:10 and added more goals to have their first five-goal lead in the 34th minute (16:11).
But Ilic's sixth goal to make it 18:12 proved to be a wake-up call for the hosts. The crowd was back again, when Flensburg scored four unanswered goals to be back on track at just 18:16 down. In this period, Veszprem had enormous problems in attack but they managed to keep ahead as right back Laszlo Nagy improved, netting twice to take his side up 21:17.
But still nothing was decided in this top encounter at the highest level, living up to being the first ehfTV.com Match of the Week of this season. Boosted by their fans and the crucial goals of their top scorer Kentin Mahe, Flensburg underlined their current strength, which sees them top of the German Bundesliga.
Veszprem were shaken again with two minutes to go and Mahe netting in to put his side down by just one, at 23:22. Aron Palmarsson then seemed to secure the Hungarian side both points, netting in to make it 24:22, but Flensburg did not give up and took the opportunity of a one-man advantage in the final 90 seconds to score twice, though Veszprem coach Javier Sabate tried everything including to stop the momentum, including calling a late team timeout.
Finally, Mahe's ninth strike, into Veszprem’s empty goal, drew the sides’ level at 24:24 and confirmed the draw for the brilliantly fighting hosts six seconds before the final buzzer while Veszprem’s last chance, a direct free throw, missed the goal.
Kentin Mahe, SG Flensburg-Handewitt player, said after the match:
“We always want to win and we will fight until the very end. With our incredible fans behind us, we fought back today. Definitely today, we won one point. We always want to improve our game and there are some issues but I am very proud of our team today, we did a great job.”
Jacob Heinl, SG Flensburg-Handewitt player, said after the match:
“I was allowed to play 60 minutes today and that was amazing for me personally. Veszprem are one of the best teams in the world and I am happy and confident that we came back.
“Now our next opponent is Bjerringbro-Silkeborg - we always focus on the next game.”
Anders Zachariassen, SG Flensburg-Handewitt player, said after the match:
“Wow, super game. I am very happy about our point today.”
Holger Glandorf, SG Flensburg-Handewitt player, said after the match:
“We fought until the very end. In attack we made many mistakes but in defence and our goalkeeping, those performances were the key to success tonight.”
