handball
SC Magdeburg wins against Zagreb in Champions League
Magdeburg goalkeeper Nikola Portner cheers after a parade. photo
© Ronny Hartmann/dpa
The German handball champions SC Magdeburg have won their first home game in the Champions League in 17 years.
The German handball champions SC Magdeburg have won their first home game in the Champions League in 17 years.
Coach Bennet Wiegert’s team won 35:25 (17:12) against HC PPD Zagreb after beating Dinamo Bucharest 30:28 in the opening game a week ago. The outstanding player at the SCM in front of 3800 spectators in the Getec Arena was Tim Hornke with eleven goals.
The champions got off to a good start against the Croatians around ex-Magdeburg player Željko Musa and, thanks to the accuracy of Philipp Weber and Hornke, who alone scored six goals in the first half, they pulled away to 13:9 (22nd). But the SCM allowed themselves too much lack of concentration at the beginning and thus brought the guests back into the game again and again. However, new goalkeeper Nikola Portner shone with a few saves, so that the half-time lead was still clear.
After the change, like Piotr Chrapkowski before him, the Dane Michael Damgaard got playing time after his injury break and used it immediately: With two goals in a row to 21:14 (36th). Magdeburg increased the tempo, came up with their well-known counterattack and made things clear early in the game with the 26:16 (42nd minute). Next Wednesday (8.45 p.m.) in Group A, the SCM will meet Paris Saint Germain with ex-keeper Jannik Green. Other group opponents are the Danish representative GOG Håndbold, FC Porto, Wisla Plock, Veszprém HC. The top two in each group advance directly to the quarter-finals.