Match Report
Women's handball team lose to Valcea
The scenario: The Borussians had gained three points from their previous four games in the EHF European League. Valcea had banked seven points prior to the start of the game, and were at the top of the table ahead of Ikast (4), BVB (3) and Sola (2). BVB's first game against Valcea ended in a 31-31 draw, with the Romanians equalising at the final whistle.
Personnel matters: In addition to Lena Hausherr, who has a long-term injury (torn cruciate ligament), coach Henk Groener also had to go without goalkeeper Tess Lieder and back player Carmen Campos Costa. Second goalkeeper Norah Kothen was also out of action, and was replaced by 19 year old Liv-Stine Eckardt from second league team HSV Solingen-Gräftrath, who was given a dual right to play. Newcomer Lois Abbingh was also on the BVB squad for the second time.
The match: The temperature reading in Valcea, Romania was minus nine degrees, but outside it felt much lower. But that made no difference in the "Traian Sport Hall". 3000 fans transformed the venue into a cauldron. BVB seemed undeterred by this, defended well, and gained two early goals thanks to Alicia Langer and Dana Bleckmann. They had the right body language and the right concentration - but not for long. After six minutes without any BVB goals, Valcea was leading 5-2 after a seven-metre throw by Hagman, before Kelly Vollebregt narrowed the gap to make it 3-5 (10).
More and more mistakes started creeping in, and BVB were also repeatedly thwarted by goalkeeper Julie Foggea, who was decisive in the Valcea defence with 43% goals saved. After 20 minutes, Valcea were leading BVB 12-8. Fifteen minutes in, Lois Abbingh celebrated her European Cup debut for BVB. Shortly afterwards, key player Haruno Sasaki received a red card for a head hit after accidentally hitting Valcea goalkeeper Ioana Kelemen in the face while taking her second seven-metre throw.
After this, the Dortmund women came under increasing pressure, gave away chances and defended sloppily, meaning that after 25 minutes they were already nine goals down. The Romanians had leapt ahead from 11-8 (19) to 17-8 (25).
Quick goals after changing halves
After the break, Lois Abbingh and Maraike Kusian quickly scored two seven-metre throws to narrow the gap, and Dana Bleckmann and Guro Husebø proceeded to reduce the goal difference to six goals (34). BVB seemed focussed, and with Deborah Lassource were defending more offensively. But Valcea recovered quickly, playing at a consistently high level, and in the 40th minute were ten goals up again after a goal by Elghaoui which brought the scoreline to 26-16.
The last ten minutes began with two seven-metre goals by Deborah Lassource, and a goal difference of six goals (24-30). Maraike Kusian made it 25-30 after a 5-1 run. Valcea's coach Poulsen brought his starting seven back onto the pitch with Mia Zschocke, Julia Maidhof and Nathalie Hagman. But BVB's pursuit didn't end there. Goalkeeper Sarah Wachter scored an open goal and narrowed the gap to 27-31 after 57 minutes. In the end, the Romanians were able to maintain their lead, winning 32-27.
In the Group B table, BVB are still in third place behind Valcea (9 points) and Ikast (6 points), who convincingly beat Sola HK 32-26, meaning they no longer have a chance at reaching the quarter-finals.
Reactions:
Henk Groener (Coach): "After a good start, we struggled to score goals in the first half, or we were stopped by the excellent Romanian goalkeeper. Then Valcea pulled away from us, they were carried by the atmosphere in the hall. Because of our mistakes, our opponents were able to score goals that were too easy. We really wanted to avoid going into the break eight goals down. After the break, we did put up a fight and narrowed the gap to four goals, but we also made some unfortunate mistakes, which we paid the price for."
Rupert Thiele (Head of department): "In the first half, we didn't capitalise on enough chances, and then the gap was too wide to close. Being ten goals down at one point is just too much."
Outlook: The Bundesliga continues on Wednesday, 19 February with the clash between the top two teams in the league. BVB, currently second in the league, will be playing away to HB Ludwigsburg, who are currently top of the table. The game will be starting at 19:00 CET in the MHP arena in Ludwigsburg. In the European League, the last group stage game will be taking place just three days later on Saturday, 22 February against Sola HK. From 15:00 CET, a record number of spectators is expected in the Westfalenhalle, with the slogan "Everyone to the hall!" (buy tickets here).
Players: Wachter (1) Eckhardt; Abbingh (3/1), Kusian (2), Antl, Degenhardt, van Maurik (2), Langer (3), Lassource (3/2), Sasaki (1/1), Husebø (1), Olsson (4), Vollebregt (1), Egeling, Bleckmann (6)