TBV defeated at HSG Wetzlar
Too many mistakes - TBV have to accept defeat
At HSG Wetzlar, TBV fought back from a clear deficit and even had the chance to win at the end but ultimately managed to beat themselves.
After a 6:0 point start to the season, TBV came back to earth with a bang. At HSG Wetzlar, Volker Mudrow's team were defeated 30:31 (15:16), allowing themselves to be defeated in a game they could have easily won. Lemgo started with Tamas Mocsai in the central position. The line-up was enhanced by Glandorf and Ilyés at the back, Binder and Kehrmann on the wings and Preiss on the circle.
After the 1:0 by Holger Glandorf and a balanced initial phase, the hosts were able to take the lead off TBV with a strong defensive wall. After a 5:4 by Michael Binder it was only HSG that were able to put the ball in the net. In the 14th minute the score stood at 5:10 for the hosts. 13:58 minutes had been played when Volker Mudrow took his time-out. But it did not help initially and Wetzlar booked the next two hits. At 5:11 (16th), one had to be terribly worried for the TBV. After the time-out Kraus came for Mocsai in the centre but the attack continued to stumbled much too often. In the 20th minute Kraus managed to cut the lead back to 12:9 from the penalty spot and TBV were back in the game again. A better defence, in particular, clearly put more pressure on HSG.
With one more field player, TBV had the chance to take it to 10:12 but Kraus hit the post twice and Ilyés missed by millimetres. Salzer, on the other hand, scored on the passive-play warning-sign to make it 9:13 (23rd) but Kehrmann enabled TBV to stay in the game.. As a consequence of the 10:14 (24th), Holger Glandorf was sent to the sin-bin for two minutes. But then Kraus used a penalty throw to make it 11:14 and a beautiful interaction between Kehrmann and Kraus brought the score up to 12:14 (26th). It seemed that TBV were back in the game due to the time-penalty. Subsequently, Kehrmann closed the gap to 13:14 and in the 27th minute TBV were definitely back. Not a minute later it was Ilyés that laconically fired the ball into the lower left corner to equalise. A goal down at the break, TBV headed for the changing rooms.
Right after the break a lively backwards and forwards ensued on both sides, but with an increasing advantage for HSG who in the 37th minute went back to a three-goal lead at 19:22. In the 37th minute Volker Mudrow put Waldemar Strzelec in goal replacing the unfortunate Carsten Lichtlein. In the meantime, Martin Strobel had taken over the general's role, Michael Kraus changed to the left back, Rolf Hermann continued on the right wing. Ultimately it was Kraus that kept TBV in the game but their attack continued to limp along. Being one man up, TBV brought the score back to 23:24 but with the passive-play warning signal showing, Salzer again cut through the defence like a warm knife through butter. Lichtlein came back into goal and Kraus scored again to make it 24:24 (43rd). However, when it looked as if TBV had HSG on the backfoot and under control, the hosts still managed to score.
Even if nothing else worked, Kraus, at least, managed his tenth goal already in this phase in the 46th minute. After Lichtlein saved a seven metre shot against Christopherson, the chance arose to draw level at 26:26 but a slight error and a lot of fortune for HSG allowed them to increase the lead to 25:27. Misthrows on either side characterised the picture before Kraus scored in the 50th minute to make it 26:27. Lichtlein parried strongly and again the chance to equalise was there; Strobel took it but in return Wetzlar went ahead again. The tension was now palpable. TBV defended well and in the 54th minute again had a chance to take the lead but Glandorf hit the crossbar. As before, the defence was up to it, forcing HSG into an unprepared throw - a technical mistake, however, allowed HSG to take the advantage again.
On 54:46 minutes, Michael Roth took his time-out. Werum subsequently scored from the circle to make it 28:29. The arena clock showed 56:10 as Volker Mudrow in turn laid his green card on the table. A further mistake by the Lemgo team, a misthrow by HSG and another by TBV followed and 150 seconds before the end of the game, Christopherson scored to a seemingly all-deciding 28:30. But then after a quick counterattack and a strong save by Lichtlein, it was Glandorf who scored the equaliser to 30:30.
26 seconds left to go until the end siren would sound, Lichtlein saved another Wetzlar throw, now it was the TBV that had all the trumps in the hand. But then it happened – under pressure Michael Kraus tried to get rid of the ball in the right back area. Timo Salzer intercepted the pass and, seconds before the siren, scored the celebrated and ultimately deserved winning goal for HSG. All that was left for TBV with its way too many mistakes was the bitter realisation and disappointment to have lost against an opponent that was fighting hard but did not give a particularly strong performance.