GWD Minden is clearly defeated by Flensburg – coach Ziercke disappointed!

GWD Minden is clearly defeated by Flensburg – coach Ziercke disappointed!

After a bitter defeat on Monday evening, GWD Minden has to cope with a serious setback in the Handball Bundesliga (HBL). Coach Aaron Ziercke's team clearly lost 27:40 against SG Flensburg-Handewitt. The game initially started evenly, but after six minutes it was already 3:7 for the guests from Flensburg, who were already leading by six goals at halftime. Coach Ziercke had to use two of his goalkeepers because Tibor Ivanisevic was replaced early on by Malte Semisch, who immediately missed a throw against the empty goal. Ultimately, Flensburg clearly decided the match because of their favorites and a strong team performance.

What is particularly noteworthy is that Flensburg once again showed their offense, while Minden did not find the right solutions in defense. Aaron Ziercke said after the game: “Of course we imagined it differently.” He emphasized that his team, which has played three games in the last eight days, is currently struggling with major injury concerns. Five top performers are missing: Morten Hempel after elbow surgery, Daniel Astrup with a biceps tendon injury, Alexander Weck after a broken foot and Jakub Sterba and Michael Schulze, who were affected by infections. Flensburg also had to adapt due to injury, as Lukas Jörgensen, an important team member, recently moved to Veszprem after tearing a muscle bundle.

Strong performance from Flensburg and young talents

The game itself also brought captivating moments. Above all, Marko Grgic was Flensburg's top scorer with eight goals. GWD Minden was able to score seven goals through Karolis Antanavicius, but that wasn't enough considering Flensburg's superiority. After just five minutes of the second half, Flensburg led by ten goals (17:27). Goalkeeper Kevin Möller was a decisive factor for Flensburg, saving several times against Minden's shots and finishing the game with eleven saves.

However, the young talents from GWD Minden were still able to have some enjoyable moments. The fan favorite Lasse Franz scored two goals in the final phase, which encouraged the supporters to frenetically celebrate. It is hoped that the experience of young players, who have now scored their first Bundesliga goals, will help build on the team's strengths despite the lack of top performers.

Looking into the future

The next game for GWD Minden is scheduled for September 13th against Bergischer HC. An exciting test for the team, which is burning for redemption. Ziercke hopes that a player will return in mid-October, but a return in November does not seem realistic at the moment. The team must therefore continue to improvise and can rely on the unbroken team spirit - an important factor in being able to survive in a league as challenging as the HBL.