Handball Blues: Flensburg's Frustrating Loss in Göppingen
Johannes Golla couldn't hide his disappointment. "It was completely unnecessary to drop points here," the captain of SG Flensburg-Handewitt lamented after the 31:32 (17:15) defeat against Frisch Auf Göppingen. Coach Nicolej Krickau shared his captain's sentiment, expressing frustration over letting "two good leads" slip away. The game-winning, directly converted free-throw by Erik Persson in the final seconds added to Flensburg's misery.
The northern Germans led 15:10 in the first half and 21:16 in the second, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory. Krickau explained the team's downfall: "We make a few mistakes, we concede, and then things accelerate quickly."
Despite the defeat, SG Flensburg-Handewitt remains in the hunt for the top two spots in the handball league, now trailing leaders SC Magdeburg and Füchse Berlin by four points. The team will aim to rebound when they host TBV Lemgo Lippe on Tuesday, followed by a challenging away game against HBW Balingen-Weilstetten on Friday.
The absence of left-back Kay Smits, announced before the Göppingen match, deals a significant blow to Flensburg. The Dutch international is suffering from heart muscle inflammation and is unavailable for the foreseeable future. However, SG's team doctor Torsten Ahnsel reported that the illness is expected to be mild.
TBV Lemgo Lippe, a fellow Schleswig-Holstein club, is a formidable opponent in the league, having managed to earn a point against Füchse Berlin during the weekend.
Sources:
Relevant Insights
- Flensburg's position in the standings improved after winning three consecutive games, pushing them up to fourth place.
- SG Flensburg-Handewitt's upcoming schedule includes games against HC Erlangen and HBW Balingen-Weilstetten, as well as a possible match against SC DHfK Leipzig.
- Kay Smits, the left-back known to suffer from heart muscle inflammation, is unavailable for both the upcoming games and the European Championship.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult the official DAIKIN Handball Bundesliga website or other reliable sports news sources.
