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Erlangen/Nuremberg

HC Erlangen shares the points with Melsungen

Erlangen/Nuremberg, 11-25-2017

HC Erlangen’s performance curve is pointing upward again. The first-division club from Franconia drew 23:23 with the top team Melsungen. Very agile, offensive defending made life noticeably difficult for the star ensemble from North Hesse. The team of captain Michael Haaß managed to inspire the crowd in the ARENA from the throw-off. The players and fans came together as one to put up a defiant fight against an opponent who defeated the German champions from Mannheim last week. The home side also played with confidence and resolve in attack and never let the MT get outside striking distance. Melsungen had to chance to pull away by four goals for the first time shortly before the break, but it was then that Nikolas Katsigiannis came into his own. The goalkeeper frustrated European champion and Champions League winner Tobias Reichmann among others and so HC Erlangen went in at half-time trailing by just two.

After the break, the home side equalized within a very short space of time and it was by then at the latest that the visitors were not only up against the seven men dressed in black, but also 4,500 Franconia fans firing on their team frenetically. With the score were tied at 16:16, HC Erlangen did not subsequently let the game slip out of its grasp. Martin Stranovsky, the top scorer on the evening with eight goals, and his teammates always found the right answer. Nikolas Katsigiannis sent the spectators into raptures with his saves and with little time left on the clock it looked as HC Erlangen would run out winners. With 40 seconds to go and the HC one goal in front, the two referees very quickly raised their arms and ruled against the home side after four passes, punishing a clear block by left back Nikolai Link with a red card and a seven-meter penalty for MT Melsungen. Michael Allendorf converted it to make the final score 23:23.