Like a one: Thuringian HC thanks to a strong goalkeeper in the European league
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Updated: 11/22/2020, 8:22 PM-
Blomberg.
The defense was like a rock in it goalkeeper Marie Davidsen. Thanks to a splendid team effort, the THC handball players triumphed at Blomberg and made it into the Europa League group stage
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Goalkeeper Marie Skurtveit Davidsen
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Photo: Sascha Fromm
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The hugs of the players went into another round, coach Herbert Müller hopped on crutches to Emma Ekenman-Fernis, who was being treated on the ankle. And Marketa Jerabkova plucked the tape from the little swollen finger. “Not a big deal in handball,” said the Czech recently. She has been struggling with it for two weeks – and with her THC like hardly any other Bundesliga team through the English weeks. On Saturday the hardships, setbacks – and all pain were forgotten.
The almost dead mission European League is alive. And how. With an energy performance, the THC women still booked the ticket for the group stage. Similar to the league duel at the beginning of October (36:28), the team around top thrower Nina Neidhart (eight goals) left Blomberg-Lippe clearly behind with a 30:20 (15:12) and pulverized the four-goal deficit the 27:31 in the first leg.
Much praise from coach Müller
“I’m very happy and proud of how the team performed,” said coach Herbert Müller. He emphasized constancy, great will and team spirit. In addition to Jerabkova, Lydia Jakubisova, Beate Scheffknecht and Kerstin Kündig also got through with wounds.
Before the internationals set off on Sunday to prepare for the European Championship and to attend courses, the THC women mobilized all their strength after two English weeks to pay off the mortgage from the first meeting. Thanks to the excellent defensive behavior, they did not allow the surprise team to play at speed this time and created the basis to win the first half (15:12) with three goals plus.
After 45 minutes, well above all expectations
“Four goals are borderline,” said Herbert Müller. After the first leg he spoke of a very difficult but manageable task. From a purely mathematical point of view, his calculation was to make up one goal every quarter hour in order to achieve at least a tie. After 15 minutes his team was on target, after 30 a hit above target and after 45 well above all expectations.
Shortly after the restart, captain Jakubisova made a tie in the addition of the results before Kündig brought her team into forehand (17: 12/32.). Blomberg now had to risk more. In the THC goal, Marie Davidsen proved to be a huge support, mastering five throws in a row. For a good eleven minutes, the Norwegian did not allow a goal. And that with two time penalties against your team in that phase. “Marie is a world class goalkeeper,” affirmed Helfried Müller. He praised the support in all defense situations, which helped the 27-year-old goalkeeper and gave her further self-confidence after being nominated for the EM squad.
Ten-goal lead after 42 minutes
And in the attack, happiness returned, which the THC had recently lacked. In the follow-up, for example, Neidhart met ten-goal plus (22: 12/40.). Asli Iskit increased to eleven goals after three quarters of the season (24:13), before the Austrian, who played strong back and forth, set the THC final point with goal number 8 (30: 19/59) – and a great team performance rewarded with jumping into the Europa League main round.
The group stage is scheduled to start on January 9th. In the premier season after the reform, the second highest European club competition is distorted. After not traveling to Russia from Metzingen, Krasnodar continues without a fight; also Astrakhan and Lublin. A win over Most (42:41) was enough for Hungary’s Váci NKSE to be among the last 16 teams. Because the Hungarian first division team Fehervar KC decided not to travel to Norway due to the strict Corona regulations, Storhamar also got on without any action.
Herbert Müller is eagerly awaiting the group stage draw on Tuesday and the DHB Cup quarter-finals drawing on Wednesday. In my mind, however, the next great task is already, on December 27th it will be against front runner Dortmund. “There is a lot to be said for us”, Herbert Müller knows. In the hope that the defense will then be like a one.
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