First title for THW

New coach, old style, first title: THW Kiel won the German Super Cup against HSV Hamburg. Team spirit and a strong goalkeeper, Thierry Omeyer, played a huge part in the well-deserved 33:28 (17:14) success.

Though World Handball Player of the Year, Nikola Karabatic, could not play due to an elbow injury, the German champions won the title easily for the fifth time – new record. The top scorers were Stefan Lövgren with seven and Stefan Schröder (Hamburg) with eight goals.

Two of the big favourites for the German title – and also for the Champions League – met three days before the start of the league. More than 10 000 spectators visited Munich, which is not usually a handball city.

Kiel were in the lead right from the start. HSV improved after 8:2, especially with the new backcourt players Blazenko Lackovic and Marcin Lijewski (both coming from Flensburg).

For a short time it seemed that Hamburg could come back (6:9), but Kiel again played with more speed and restored the difference (13:7). Hamburg fought hard for the third victory in the third Super Cup final. They were more concentrated and Kiel received suspensions. Hamburg equalized for the first time at 18:18 and at 20:20 Kiel’s new coach Alfred Gislasson took his green card at the right moment.

HSV’s Olympic champion, Bertrand Gille, received his third suspension and the consequent red card. Kiel took a 23:20 lead and Hamburg missed their last chance at 26:24. Christian Zeitz decided the match with a typical “hammer shot” two minutes before the final whistle.

“At times we played high class handball, at times we played very badly and slowly. For both teams it was hard to prepare for this match due to the Olympics,” Kiel’s new coach Alfred Gislasson said. “But I’m very satisfied with the performance and my first title with THW. Hamburg have a great team.”

Hamburg coach Martin Schwalb agreed: “We showed that we have a great potential in our team. In the decisive phase, at 20:20, we played to naïvely, so Kiel deserved to win.”