MT Melsungen: Strong victory ensures advantage in the EHF Cup

MT Melsungen: Strong victory ensures advantage in the EHF Cup

Kassel. An exciting evening in the Rothenbach-Halle! The MT Melsungen prevailed in the first leg for the EHF European League against the Norwegian team Elverum Håndball and triumphed with 28:23. This result gives the handball Bundesliga club a promising starting point for the second leg in Norway, which will take place next Saturday.

The players of the MT Melsungen showed an impressive performance that captivated the audience. The goalkeeper, led by Nebojsa Simic, who held 15 parades, played a key role. Again and again he was an insurmountable obstacle for the attackers of the guests. Erik Balenciaga, who appeared as a playmaker, also contributed significantly to success with his six goals.

The course of the game

The game initially started behavior, and Daini's Kristopans scored the first goal for the Melsungers after two minutes. But the Norwegian club held against Péter Lukács with an early balance. After a short phase of the tour of Elverum, Melsungen took command. Aaron Mensing hit the lower corner and brought the team to 4: 2.

The defensive series of both teams demonstrated high discipline, which caused hits to be worked hard. Elverum came to gates mainly through seven meters, which finally prompted coach Børge Lund to experiment with an additional field player. But at the same time Melsungen ran too top form: Ian Barrufet scored a spectacular goal that received the support of the fans in the hall.

The comeback by Elvar Örn Jonsson, who returned in the 20th minute, was particularly emotional. Despite the visual superiority of the Melsungers, the half -time break went into the half -time break after Rogerio Moraes scored an important goal before half -time.

The decisive second half

The second half, as the first ended, started with a balanced performance on both sides. However, Melsungen looked mature and thought strategically about the next action. Balenciaga was an engine for the team and set accents while Elverum tried to keep the connection with Mathias Larson on the circle.

With increasing playing time, Melsungen showed his physique and expanded the lead in the 50th minute to the highest point with 23:17. The Norwegians were able to fight back at short notice, but Melsungen set off with tactical skills. The spectators experienced numerous beautifully played goals, including from Mensing and Ignatow, which caused a sensation.

When the game approached, Barrufet made the 28:23 final score with a seven meter in the last second and thus stood the most successful goal scorer of the game. On the other hand, the Elverum players were visibly disappointed, since despite the defeat, they had stuck against it.

Børge Lund, coach of Elverum, was satisfied with the performance of his team and is optimistic about the second leg. "We kept well and can build on the result," he said. Roberto Garcia Parrondo, coach of the Melsunger, praised his team for the strong defensive and offensive performance, but emphasized that one still had to go a step into Norway.

This encounter was not only a sporting highlight, but also a sign of handball in the region, which underlines that the MT Melsungen is still on the right track. In 2016 enthusiastic fans and a solid performance, the second leg in Norway is firmly on the agenda and the hope of moving into the next round of the EHF European League remains alive.

The statistics show that the Melsungers also kept the upper hand in terms of penalty throws and rewarded the spectators for an exciting handball game.