Erlangen beats Bietigheim 24:26

The stage was set for the first away win for HC Erlangen in its still short history in the top German league. 600 fans had accompanied their team to Swabia – and transformed the MHP Arena in Ludwigsburg into a home venue! HC Erlangen got off to a good start and plunged its followers into ecstasy. Midway through the first half, the home side was able to tie the score for the first time. In the past, such spells had resulted in Robert Andersson’s team growing nervous, finishing attacks too soon and being too far away from the opposing players in defense. But that was not the case in this encounter. Martin Stranovsky directed his team calmly and kept on putting the players alongside him into good shooting positions. However, the home side, whose fate as the first team to be relegated this season from the DKB German Handball League had been sealed some time ago, did not hold back in any way, with the result that the HC trailed 14:13 at the break. The opening minutes of the second half were very similar to the preceding thirty, until the SG took a two-goal lead for the first time and then often had the opportunity to pull further away. However, the team from Swabia failed to capitalize on that and its opponents from Franconia came into their own. Nikolai Link and Ole Rahmel finished attacks perfectly, while at the back it was once again Nikolas Katsigiannis with his saves who ensured that Erlangen’s fans raised the roof of the MHP Arena. HC Erlangen eventually ran out winners by 24:26 at SG BBM Bietigheim and so still have the change to remain in the top flight and celebrate such feasts of handball again next season!

Hartmut Mayerhoffer (Head Coach of SG BBM Bietigheim): “We failed to score the vital goals midway through the second half. HC Erlangen did that and so also won deservedly.”

Robert Andersson (Head Coach of HC Erlangen): “My team has grown in maturity in the past weeks and today it kept its cool. But I really have to praise our fans. The support they gave us was simply indescribable. I’ve never experienced anything like it in my long career.”