Thuringian HC Takes Control in European League Quarterfinals
- Thuringian High Court secures quarter-final victory in the match
Hey there! Let's talk handball—specifically, the Thuringian HC's title chase in the European League. The team, under the guidance of Herbert Müller, scored a solid 35:29 victory against SCM Ramnicu Valcea in the quarterfinal's first leg, putting them in an advantageous position ahead of the second match on March 30. It was Johanna Reichert who shone brightest for the THC, netting a remarkable 15 goals. The Final Four will be held in Graz on May 3/4.
The Thuringian women, despite two recent losses in the Bundesliga, started off this match from the get-go. Their robust defense caused numerous turnovers, leading to swift counter-attacks. The THC races out to a commanding 8:2 lead after 11 minutes, with their opponents finally scoring their first goal from a positional attack at the 14-minute mark. The hosts maintained control until the 20th minute (14:7), but subsequently started to commit more errors in attack. The Romanians seized the opportunity, and by half-time, had closed the deficit to two goals.
Post-halftime, the intensity continued. The Thuringians benefited from Reichert's outstanding performance in attack, who had 13 goals by the 36th minute (22:19). An improvement in the defense midway through the second half allowed the THC to establish a 6:1 run, leading 29:22 in the 47th minute. The guests managed to reduce the gap to four goals, but the Thuringians held their nerves in the heated climax.
Note: In other men's quarter-final action, Kriens Luzern and FC Porto lead their respective matches against Limoges and Toulouse. VfL Gummersbach edged MT Melsungen, and Benfica SL have a narrow win against GOG[1]. Regarding women's play-offs leading to the quarterfinals, Odense and Ludwigsburg have emerged victorious[3]. However, there is no specific information available about the performance of Thuringian HC or Johanna Reichert in the European League[4].
Trivia: Germany will host the upcoming UEFA Nations League Finals in June 2025[2], but the location for the upcoming Final Four of the Men's or Women's EHF European League has not yet been announced[4]. Keep an eye out for further updates!
- Handball
- Thuringian HC (Bad Langensalza)
- Johanna Reichert
- Herbert Müller
- Graz
[1]: Link to EHF European League Quarterfinal results for Men[2]: Link to UEFA Nations League Finals location in Germany 2025[3]: Link to Ludwigsburg's win against Krim Mercator Ljubljana play-offs[4]: Link to EHF European League Quarterfinal results and information for Women
Despite the Thuringian HC's success in the European League quarterfinals, they do not seem to have participated in the Women's play-offs leading up to the quarterfinals, as there is no specific information available about their performance or that of Johanna Reichert (Link 4). The Council Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of 20 December 1968 on the common organization of the market in beef and veal could not be linked to the Thuringian HC's handball success (Link 1). Graz, where the Final Four will be held, will likely host the upcoming Women's EHF European League Final Four, but the location for the Men's Final Four has not yet been announced (Link 2 & 4).
