THW Kiel Secures Spot in European League Final Four

Handball-Bundesliga team THW Kiel has advanced to the Final Four of the European League. Following a 26:26 tie in the first leg of the quarterfinals, the German record champion won the return match against French team Limoges Handball at home with a score of 35:30 (16:15).

The top scorer for Kiel in front of 6,294 spectators was Eric Johansson, who netted seven goals. For the visitors, Faruk Yusuf also scored seven times.

Strong Start from Limoges

The French side appeared confident during their first appearance in the Kiel Arena, overcoming an early 3:6 deficit in the 10th minute to take a 13:11 lead by the 24th minute.

Turning Point After Jicha’s Timeout

It wasn’t until after a timeout called by coach Filip Jicha, followed by a switch to a more aggressive defense and more consistent scoring, that THW Kiel was able to regain control of the match. Emil Madsen’s goal, which made it 21:18 (37th minute), marked the first three-goal lead for the hosts.

Kiel’s captain, Domagoj Duvnjak, played a key role, extending the lead to 25:21 (43rd minute) with a spectacular behind-the-back shot. As the game progressed, Limoges began to lose steam. THW right winger Bence Imre paved the way for victory with a goal making it 29:23 (47th minute), securing Kiel’s participation in the final round, which will take place on May 24 and 25 in Hamburg.