Passion helps them to a draw

TBV manages a hard-earned draw in Kiel

TBV Lemgo managed to snatch an unbelieveable point against THW Kiel and celebrated a fantastic comeback in the second half.

With an impressive performance and an unbelieveable comeback in the second half, TBV Lemgo carved out a 27:27 (12:13) draw in the Sparkassen Arena in Kiel. TBV, still without a qualified pivot, started with Martin Galia in goal, the wingers were Michael Binder and Mark Schmetz, Michael Kraus and Holger Glandorf in the half positions, Martin Strobel directed play an the pivot man on the circle was again Florian Kehrmann.

Michael Kraus made it 1:0 from the seven metre spot and then TBV showed us anew the offensive defence variant, in which Kehrmann put pressure on THW's left half position where Ilic started the game. THW equalised 1:1 in the fourth minute after Lundstrom initially was unable to beat Galia from the penalty spot, he immediately got his hands on the ball again and was successful with the follow-up throw. In attack THW could not take advantage against a well positioned TBV defence, only after 8 minutes were Kiel able to score a second goal, this time Ilic was successful from the penalty spot. However, Schmetz followed up straight away, TBV were leading 3:2. In the 10th minute Kehrmann made it 5:3 with a quick counter attack, after the goal Omeyer hit the Lemgo player in the face, the referees Methe/Methe inexplicably only showed the yellow card to the THW-keeper.

Admittedly, Kehrmann was also fortunate by return not to be sent off after pushing Anic but it was ultimately Anic who was sent to the sin-bin after an attack on Glandorf. A slight mistake during a counterattack allowed Kiel to close the gap but then Kraus made it 7:5, TBV were playing their part perfectly. Particularly the well organised defence by Ilyés guaranteed the lead. In the 16th minute Kraus took for the first time a three goal lead for TBV at 9:6. A time penalty for Ilyés allowed the hosts back into the game as THW used their advantage consequently and closed the gap to 9:8 before Kraus added a goal to make it 10:8 (21st min.).

Another time penalty for TBV, this time Glandorf had to leave the field for a foul that the referees until then had allowed to go through, THW used the advantage to equalise through Jicha, the Czech then took his team into the lead. In the following period neither team was able to take advantage, the TBV team held a strong defence but in attack were unable to develop.

At the score of 11:12 from Lemgo's viewpoint, THW-coach Alfred Gislason took a time-out, 28:11 minutes had been played. Palmarsson took the next opportunity to go to 11:13, THW, for whom Daniel Narcisse had no reply, dominated slightly. Mudrow put Mocsai in the middle, Kraus shortened the deficit with his seventh goal and just before the break the TBV had an opportunity to take it to 13:13. Five seconds before the half-time siren sounded, Volker Mudrow laid his green card on the table but Herrman was unsuccessful against Omeyer so that they went into the break trailing slightly. Until then the TBV had shown a very convincing performance and with a little more luck and more consistency in the attack could have led at the break.

Kraus managed that 13:13 after the break with a penalty shot, Ilic, in return, scored a seven metre also. In the 35th minute, Klein went to a 14:17 lead and TBV looked like losing the connection. The consistency in the attack was missing, in particular the right side was not keeping up at all. Then Filip Jicha took the score to 14:18 and the THW upped the pace even more. However, TBV fought doggedly to get back into the game but it was Jicha who scored for the THW in the 40th minute. At 16:21 it seemed that it was all over. Mocsai came in for Strobel in the centre but the attacking problems persisted. In the 42nd minute Volker Mudrow put Carsten Lichtlein in for Martin Galia, THW were leading 17:22 and after a counterattack through Klein even 17:23 but then TBV started playing with passion, fighting spirit and intent.

In the 45th minute Mocsai took the TBV to 19:23 but the hosts had control for the moment and as such games in Kiel usually go, THW were lucky with deflected throws. The TBV could not get close enough to shoot, to be able to turn the game around. In a counterattack Mocsai managed the 21:24 but by return the next THW goal through Ahim was on the board. Hermann now came in for Glandorf, Ilyés played left back instead of Kraus and, anew, it was Mocsai that cut the lead back to three goals - the TBV were not going to surrender without a fight and had changed their defence in the meantime to a 6:0.

This variant then visibly started to take effect and 10 minutes before the end Ilyés made it 23:25, with one stroke TBV was back in the game. A slight technical error hindered a goal to take them within a goal of THW, but THW-coach Gislason had already laid his second half green card on the table; 51:10 minutes had been played at that moment. And now the TBV were definitely back in the game, Kehrmann made it 24:25 in the 53rd minute. This turn around took Lichtlein along who managed to save a penalty throw by Ilic. The TBV had the opportunity to draw level, the comeback seemed to be bearing fruit. THW went to a 5:1 defence for a moment before immediately going back to a 6:0 variant, the champion's self-confidence had vanished. Volker Mudrow now took his time-out, 53:45 minutes had been played. Mocsai was frustrated by a brilliantly parrying Gentzl but now the game was totally open. In return, Kiel failed on the goal-post and then Binder was there - 25:25. Anderson countered and Gentzel parried, now THW had a psychological advantage again. A courageous whistle against Kiel, Jicha seemed to have made an offensive foul on the circle, TBV had the ball and Binder scored from the circle. A surprise was in the air.

Andersson took Kiel into the lead again, the tension was tangible. In the meantime, Strobel was back in the centre, Mocsai had moved to the back area. Kraus shot the 27:27 and only 60 seconds remained. Kubes hit Andersson in the face, two justified minutes for the Czech player, 44 seconds left on the clock. The Lemgo player Block then parried excellently and TBV were even looking at a win. However, Mocsai & Co. were not taking any risks and at the death Herrman had the chance to counter once more and shot from 13 metres with a direct free-throw but was unsuccessful. TBV snatched a point in the Sparkassen Arena and with a convincing performance, especially in defence, for much of the time could be satisfied, setting an exclamation mark in the direction of their season's targets.