Fortunately, a handball game lasts 60 minutes, not 53. After a hard-fought battle, SG Flensburg-Handewitt defeated ThSV Eisenach 33–31. Here are the quotes.
Aleš Pajović, SG Coach: “It was a tough first game because Eisenach played really well. In the first half, I was very satisfied with our offense. Aymeric Minne did a great job directing our offense. You could tell the difference when he and Simon Pytlick had to sit out due to injuries. Having conceded 18 goals by halftime, we wanted to step up our defense, but the 0–3 run made it even harder. When it’s that close, nerves set in. A few missed chances hurt even more. I’m proud that the team fought until the very last second. Now it’s time to keep working!”
Sebastian Hinze, coach of ThSV Eisenach: “That was a tough loss. We played a very good game and showed, for a long time, the mentality needed to win in Flensburg. In the first half, we had trouble with Flensburg’s quick transitions and speed. We ourselves had a very good and disciplined offense for 60 minutes with a high conversion rate. In the second half, our defense improved. Next time, we need to manage the closing stages better.”
Marko Grgić, SG Backcourt Player: “This was more or less a mirror image of last season, when we went into the season opener in Wetzlar with high hopes and then had to settle for a single point. But hats off to the team for fighting until the very end and still coming away with both points. Eisenach defended very well and played good combination offense. A big thank you to our fans for their great support.”
Emil Bergholt, SG captain: “I’m very happy with the two points, but not with the game. Eisenach made it very difficult for us. We’ll be watching video over the next few days to see where we can improve. On the positive side: We showed character in the last ten minutes. The arena was just wow! The atmosphere was really great. It’s good to know we have such a supportive home crowd behind us.”