The first 60 minutes of the EHF European League quarterfinal have been played. SG Flensburg-Handewitt drew 39-39 (20-19) with TSV Hannover-Burgdorf on Wednesday evening. The second leg will be played next Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. in Hannover. The SG’s top scorers in the first leg were Simon Pytlick (8) and Emil Jakobsen (8/3).
The arena clock malfunctioned a bit, but the two teams certainly didn’t. Several saves by Kevin Møller, as well as goals by Johannes Golla and Niclas Kirkeløkke—who scored twice—sparked the first cheers in the nearly half-full “Hölle Nord.” The SG took a 3-0 lead in a flash, but then found themselves down a man early on. The visitors capitalized on this and tied the game again. The match featured a rapid succession of goals. At 10–11—just fifteen minutes into the game—Hannover took the lead for the first time. “Ole, ole—the SGW!” The crowd’s support was palpable. With a burst of speed, the home team regained control but couldn’t pull away. At 14:14 after 20 minutes, the SG called its first team timeout. Immediately afterward, the flow of the game stalled briefly, then the scoreboard shot up again. Johannes Golla scored from the circle to give the home team a 20:19 halftime lead.
Heart-stopping finale with no winner
The teams headed into the locker room with a slim lead. What would the second half bring? It certainly started well. Niclas Kirkeløkke successfully finished the first attack. The next ones also ended in celebration. On a fast break, Emil Jakobsen increased the lead to 24–21. The Hannover bench hit the buzzer. “Once Flensburg, always Flensburg,” chanted the fans. The break did the “Recken” good. After seven minutes, Aleš Pajović saw the right moment for a brief huddle. The score was 27:28. After that, Benjamin Burić took his place between the posts for a few minutes. In attack, the SG showed a lot of determination, but in defense, the success was lacking. Hannover was the first team to reach the 30-point mark and led 36-34 with seven minutes remaining. Simon Pytlick and Emil Jakobsen quickly tied the game, creating a lively atmosphere in the arena. The red card against Niclas Kirkeløkke, however, was a setback. With 50 seconds left, Emil Jakobsen scored from the left wing to make it 39:39. It was the last goal of the day, as the defense didn’t give the opponent another chance this time.
