HC Erlangen loses to Berlin Foxes

HC Erlangen lost its game on the road in the capital against Berlin Foxes 25:31 despite a courageous performance. The team of Tobias Wannenmacher showed that it is a match for the league’s top teams, especially in the first 30 minutes. HC Erlangen wanted to put on a bolder and more confident display in the encounter against Berlin, which has not dropped a point this season, and did so very convincingly.

The defense marshaled by Andreas Schröder played pluckily and caused big problems for the league leaders. Nico Büdel directed matters skilfully in attack and set up his teammates in textbook fashion. Nikolai Link, Christoph Steinert and Nicolai Theilinger kept on finding gaps in Berlin’s covering and so were able to help their side stay ahead for the entire first half. The only shortcoming in the first half was the visitors’ failure to capitalize on its seven-meter penalties. The first-division club from Franconia was thwarted by four times by Silvio Heinevetter, the German national team’s goalkeeper, with the result that the Foxes were able to celebrate their first lead of the encounter on the half-time buzzer.

The home side’s Head Coach Velimir Petkovic must have found the right words in the dressing room of the Max Schmeling Arena. After the break, his players upped the pace perceptibly and showed the more than 6,000 spectators why they have yet to drop a point so far in the DKB German Handball League. Petar Nenadic once again demonstrated why Veszprem wanted him next season and Steffen Fäth put his team on the path to victory once and for all. HC Erlangen never gave up at any stage, fought its way back into the game in defense and tried to avert defeat until the death.

HC Erlangen was able to leave the “Fox’s Den” with heads held high and, with the performance it showed, can go into the game against Minden this Sunday full of confidence.

Tobias Wannenmacher, the new Head Coach of HC Erlangen, commented: “The players did the things we had resolved to do going into the game. I only wish we could have kept on posing problems for the Foxes a little longer.”