Weak performance in the European Cup
TBV loses the first leg in the round of last sixteen
TBV Lemgo disappoints in its first game in the round of last sixteen of the European Cup and suffers a 27:30 (13:13) defeat in front of a home crowd.
TBV trainer, Volker Mudrow began the game against the team currently placed fourth in the Portuguese league with the following line-up: Lichtlein, Bechtloff, Ilyés, Strobel, Glandorf, Schmetz and Svavarsson. Daniel Kubes came on for Vignir Svavarsson in defence. Glandorf was successful against the offensive by Benfica's defence in the 1st minute, netting the first goal of the game, but this was countered by Zaikin with a nice standing throw. TBV already experienced difficulties at an early stage and did not play with the same gusto as in the league game against the Berlin Foxes earlier in the week. The 3:2 lead taken in the 5th minute was the third goal by Holger Glandorf who initially put on something of a one-man show in attack. The 3:4 by Zaikin then made it blatantly clear that the game against the visiting team, which features five members of the Portuguese national team, would not be a walkover.
It was only in the 12th minute that TBV scored again – Glandorf, for the fourth time; the team simply didn't seem to get into the swing of things. The wake-up call probably came in the 13th minute with the goal from Kehrmann (5:6) who was successful after a nice lead from Ilyés. After 17:04 minutes, Volker Mudrow had seen enough and called his team together for a 60-second timeout. The problems remained the same however, and Carneiro scored from the seven metre line against Lichtlein (who came on for Galia) to make the score 7:10 (19th min.).
TBV seemed as if paralysed and the 8:11 (22nd min.) by Zaikin who again threw unchallenged showed that the defence also wasn't keeping pace with the game. A double strike from Kehrmann then raised the scored to 10:11 (24th min.), and the save by Galia, which was a sight in itself, then also revived the 4,132 spectators in the Lipperlandhalle. Benfica's coach subsequently took his first-half timeout after 23:54 minutes. Although TBV as before did not demonstrate any sporting brilliance, Glandorf earned his team another goal to raise the score to 11:12 (27th min.), and Kehrmann then netted the almost redeeming 12:12 (28th min.). Benfica then had difficulties of its own with the far more attentive TBV defence. Glandorf scored two seconds before the half-time siren to make the score a lucky draw; Candeias had to leave the court shortly before this, as he didn’t lay the ball on the ground quick enough and was joined by Zaikin after the siren at the end of half-time after the latter tackled Glandorf mid-air.
The second half began with a two-player advantage for TBV. The 14:13 by Sebastian Preiß actually had more to do with chance but that wasn't of interest anyway, as the problems and danger of a bad start position for the second leg were all too apparent. Volker Mudrow tried Daniel Kubes in the left-back position, but in the 35th minute, the visiting team again took the lead (14:15) and, to the dismay of the TBV fans, Carneiro then followed up with a counterattack to make the score 14:16. Glandorf had to keep his team in play with a nice throw from the unfamiliar left-back position; Bechtloff then evened out the score (16:16).
In the end, the defeat wasn't down to a lack of support in the hall; throughout the game, the fans backed TBV but the team simply didn't seem to shake off its lethargy. The simplest of errors kept the visiting team in play and during this phase, TBV only comprised Holger Glandorf whose 18:18 equaliser in the 39th minute was already his ninth goal. Tamas Mocsai gave Glandorf a breather from the 41st minute, however time slowly began to run out for TBV. Ilyés came back on for Kubes in the 44th minute in the left-back position and a sobering 19:21 stood on the scoreboard, a goal difference that Kraus at least managed to narrowed somewhat from the seven metre line. And the wonderful 21:21 finally played by Kehrmann really must have been the initial boost. Or at least one would have thought – Benfica then countered with a goal over the circle. It was downright frustrating.
In the 49th minute, TBV was again two goals behind and the game entered the closing phase when they were outnumbered. A deflected throw from Jens Bechtloff in the back position brought TBV up to 22:23, but TBV promptly then received its next time penalty and a seven-metre penalty that Carneiro casually threw over Lichtlein's head (who had come on for the penalty throw). After the next technical error and counterattack goal, Mudrow took his timeout amidst whistles from the disappointed spectators. 52:51 minutes had been played at this point, TBV was down 22:26 and the defeat ran its course. TBV at least battled desperately for its chances.
The 25:29 (57th min.) then sealed the defeat once and for all. This was a rude awakening for the TBV by the Portuguese team, which is, on paper, supposedly of an inferior class. Volker Mudrow's team must turn their game completely around in the second leg if they are to avoid an early exit from international play.