TBV team shoots frustration of their chests
Superior entry in the European Cup quarter final
One week after the frustrating home defeat in the round of last sixteen of the EHF European Cup the TBV wins 31-18 (14-10) against Benfica Lissabon.
TBV Lemgo started the match in the defense and right from the beginning Benfica had problems to score against the defensive center formed by Ilyés, Kubes and Preiß. Martin Galia, who kept the goal from the outset, did a good job, too and he had already blocked two strong attempts of the Portoguese, when Thomas Mocsai scored 1-0 for the TBV after 3 minutes. However, like in the first leg the TBV struggled with the aggressive defense of the Portuguese, but overall the TBV seemed to be more confident than one week ago. After five minutes of the match Daniel Kubes had to leave the court, because of a 2 minutes suspension. Although playing short, already in the first minutes the team of coach Volker Mudrow left their mark on the match.
Martin Strobel directed the game in the attack from the center backcourt position, on his left was Ferenc Ilyés and on this right Tamas Mocsai. Jens Bechtloff and Florian Kehrmann covered the wings and TBV captain Sebastian Preiß, circle runner, provided goal 2 and 3 for the TBV account: after 8 minutes the TBV was in the lead with 3-1. However, Benfica still stayed on the ball. Rui Silva shortened to 2-3 from the circle for the hosts. Thereupon in minute 10 TBV director Martin Strobel increased the score to 4-2 with a great shot from the backcourt.
In the 13th (13:09) minute Benfica coach Jose Silva called his time-out at a score of 7-3 for the TBV. The hosts didn't know how to cope with the team of the TBV, which was playing much more concentrated than the week before. The attempts of the hosts seemed too uninspired. The address of the coach evidently had been fruitful. Benfica was fighting its way back to 7-6. In this period of the match the TBV-pros missed too many chances as it had happened in the first leg. Yet, Galia in the goal kept the lead, which Mocsai then extended to 8-6 in the 20th minute. Anyhow, for the Portoguese Rui Silva stuck to his guns and shortened once again to 8-7 - again Benfica was sniffing a chance to realize the big surprise.
The TBV reacted immediately, they played faster and finally could distance themselves from 11-9 (26th) to 13-9 (29th). After a cheapshot against Glandorf Strobel took the shot only a few seconds before the break and scored. 14-10 was the well-earned halftime result. The lead could already have been higher up to this point, but at some periods of the match it was evident that the TBV hadn't stomached the first leg defeat, yet.
In the second half the TBV could dominate right from the first second. The defense was still well sorted, only Carlos Carneiro and left backcourt Zaikin of the Portoguese team were radiating some danger for the TBV. Meanwhile Glandorf scored to 15-10 and together with Florian Kehrmann on the right side provided the next three goals for the TBV. After a well-played pass of Ilyés to Preiß, the TBV could extend their lead with 7 goals for the first time in the match to 19-12 within just a few minutes. The TBV attack was playing much better now and passing to the circle runner turned out to be a good tactic against the Portoguese defense, who were noticeably growing weaker and also in the attack they were failing again and again, because of the strong performing goalie Martin Galia.
In this half Benfica coach Silva already called his time-out after a few minutes. But also after that the hosts couldn't oppose anything against the strong playing TBV. After 38 minutes the score board showed 21-13 for the TBV - a comfortable lead, which Glandorf raised to 22-13 with his fourth goal in the second half.
After 44 minutes the TBV had already expanded the lead to 25-14 and it became clear that the suprising coup one week ago was right now to be wiped out. At a result of 26-16 (48th) also Ilyés, who excelled with great passes at the circle, contributed his first goal to 27-16. After 50 minutes Bechtloff increased to an advantage of 12 goals (28-16), after Kehrmann's great pass, who had positioned himself at the circle. Also in the last ten minutes the TBV was playing concentrated and confident.
Beyond doubt the Lemgo-players had made up for their bad appearance in the first leg. The entry in the quarter final of the EHF European Cup was save, only the margin of victory was still uncertain, since, especially in the second half, Benfica Lissabon couldn’t counter at all. At the final result of 31-18 the TBV finally had 13 scores more than Benfica on their account and so, after a weak performance in the first leg, reached the well-earned next round.