Füchse Berlin Take Revenge on Magdeburg to Reach EHF Final4 Final
“Foxes” from Berlin avenged their defeats in the championship race against Magdeburg by beating their biggest rivals in the EHF Final4 semi-final 40:35 (19:17), reaching the title match for the second year in a row. In a repeat of last year’s final, the decisive role belonged to Serbian international Dejan Milosavljev, whose series of saves in the closing stages made the difference between two great teams. In the final, the German side will face the winner of the second semi-final between Aalborg and Barcelona.
A total of only five goalkeeper saves and weak defensive displays marked the first half. While Gísli Kristjánsson started the match by doing what he does best for Magdeburg, Mathias Gidsel initially left the scoring role to his fellow Dane Lasse Andersson. Magdeburg led 3:2 in the seventh minute, but that would prove to be their last lead of the first half. Claar and Kristjánsson were successful in breaking through and setting up Saugstrup, but Berlin played at a higher pace. Goals from Teigum, Gidsel and Langhoff in transition took their team to 13:10 in the 19th minute.
Hernández and Milosavljev both had poor starts to the match. Bennet Wiegert was the first to make a change, bringing on Mandić, but at the other end Lasse Ludwig’s introduction brought Berlin a couple of extra saves and helped them hold on to a 19:17 lead at the break.
An incredible tempo, goals from the fast centre and brilliant individual moves from masters on both sides marked the second half. For every move from Gísli and Claar, Gidsel and Lichtlein had an answer. It was only in the 45th minute that Magdeburg managed to catch their rivals at 30:30, and two minutes later, through Matthias Musche, they took the lead at 32:31, prompting Nicolej Krickau to call a time-out.
Dejan Milosavljev returned to the goal, produced three saves in a row and pushed his team ahead 35:33 in the 53rd minute. In the next two attacks, Lagergren committed a foul and then hit Milosavljev in the head, giving the “Foxes” the chance to move four goals clear in the 56th minute and practically settle the issue of the winner at 37:33. Wiegert’s time-out at 38:33 with 57:10 on the clock came too late.
The most efficient player in the winning team was Gidsel with 10 goals, Freihöfer scored eight, while Andersson added seven. On the other side, Magnússon found the net nine times.
SC Magdeburg: Sergey Hernández 4 saves, Matej Mandić 1 save; Ómar Ingi Magnússon 9, Gísli Kristjánsson 5, Tim Hornke 5, Albin Lagergren 5, Felix Claar 4, Magnus Saugstrup 4, Matthias Musche 2.
Füchse Berlin: Dejan Milosavljev 6 saves, Lasse Ludwig 3 saves; Mathias Gidsel 10, Tim Freihöfer 8, Lasse Bredekjær Andersson 7, Nils Lichtlein 5, Hákun av Teigum 5, Mijajlo Marsenić 2, Max Darj 1, Matthes Langhoff 1.
