The SG Flensburg-Handewitt has returned from its almost two-week break with a win. It beat GWD Minden 35:31 (22:16) on Friday evening and moved back into second place in the DAIKIN HBL, at least for one night. The SG's top scorers were Johannes Golla (9), Marko Grgić (7) and Emil Jakobsen (7/2).
"Stand up if you're Flensburg," chanted the fans as both teams met at the center circle. The SG had the throw-off. The first lead of the day went to the visitors from Minden. However, the "Hell North" cheered the SG's first lead after just five minutes, when Marko Grgić once again scored from the second row. Kent Robin Tønnesen increased the lead to 5:3 with the Norwegian in the starting line-up. Niclas Kirkeløkke was absent due to illness and Simon Pytlick was also not on the bench. Benjamin Burić quickly found his operating temperature. The cushion grew. Emil Jakobsen scored a hat-trick to make it 12:6 and the pace was right. However, mistakes crept in, allowing Minden to cut the deficit time and again. The SG even had to survive being short-handed twice, which it did relatively well. Nevertheless, the visitors closed the gap to 15:18. However, the final phase of the first half belonged to the home side again. They went into the dressing room to applause.
Game with JoJo character
The second half began with the score at 22:16 and the game continued at a brisk pace. Minden buckled down and the SG added to its tally. Johannes Golla scored with a sensational backhand shot to make it 27:20. That really was completely weightless! Lasse Møller scored the next goal and fired some emotion into the North Stand. However, the defense lacked absolute stability. The bench took a team timeout at 29:24. Apparently the right words were found. Marko Grgić, Johannes Golla and Patrick Volz conjured up a 3:0 run. The visitors now triggered the buzzer. The game certainly had a JoJo character. The SG led by as many as nine goals, but then its exploitation of chances slumped again and Minden caught up again. Curiously, only Thilo Knutzen scored two goals in the final quarter of an hour. Nevertheless, the SG's victory was never in danger. Youngster Klaas Simon even celebrated his professional debut in the final seconds.
