RK Vardar will try to defend title in Cologne! For the second year in a row, the Macedonian champions beat German team at EHF Champions League quarter-finals to book tickets for the show at “Lanxess Arena” on May 26/27.
It was really dramatic this year against THW Kiel, who showed TOP class handball in “Jane Sandanski” in Skopje with final result – 28:27 (13:13), to stay only a goal behind the reigning champions (first match 29:28 in Kiel for Vardar). The bigger number of goals in away matches was decisive.
The hero of the match was, who else than Arpad Sterbik. The 38-years old Spanish NT goalkeeper saved 15 shots and had a crucial role in mantaining stability of his team in dramatic moments.
RK Vardar were on 21:17 after 42 minutes, but that wasn’t enough as “Zebras” got back on 26:25 just six minutes before the final whistle.
With 3:0 series concluded with the fifth goal of Niklas Ekberg, team of Alfred Gislason came into the lead 27:28 only 10 seconds before the end. but Ivan Cupic managed to score with buzzer-beater to put “play” on crazy celebration in front of 5.500 fans in Skopje.
Vuko Borozan (6) and Luka Cindric (5) were TOP scorers for the winning team, while Ekberg, Rahmel and Zarabec netted five for THW Kiel.
