Flensburg claim convincing away win against Sävehof

After having an easy campaign in the main round, where they won all four matches by a margin of 10 goals or more, Flensburg again lived up to their billing as one of the main title contenders. Sävehof, with by far the youngest squad of all quarter-final teams, lacked depth and will have to fuel up if they want to make an impact in the reverse fixture next week.

QUARTER-FINAL, LEG 1

IK Sävehof (SWE) vs SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER) 30:41 (14:22) 

• it took 15 minutes for Flensburg to get to a five-goal lead in a high-paced game which left defence forces on both sides helpless
• crucial for the half-time score were the home team's 10 technical errors compared to Flensburg's two; consequently Sävehof were on 33 per cent attack efficiency and the German side boosted 63 per cent
• Flensburg hit their first double-digit (27:17) lead in the 40th minute; Sävehof's lowest trail in the second half was by seven, 10 minutes before the buzzer, but their attack faltered
• by the end of the game not much changed, as the home team grew to 38 per cent, Flensburg ended on 57 per cent attack efficiency
• Flensburg's leading scorer in the EHF European League with 51 goals, Lasse Møller, added seven goals to his tally, while Óli Mittún and Emil Berlin were Sävehof's best individuals, each scoring six times

Perfect quartet for Flensburg's win

The German side had the upper hand throughout the match and their experience was the fulcrum for a convincing win. Yet, three names stood out: left wing Emil Jakobsen, left back Lasse Møller, and line player Johannes Golla, with the help of the fourth, maestro Jim Gottfridsson. The trio scored a total of 24 goals, almost 60 per cent of all Flensburg's goals. Gottfridsson not only helped with his six goals but he also added nine assists to his sheet, making a perfect day for numerous Flensburg fans that made the trip to Partille.

Photos © 2024 Karin Celander