The handball players of THW Kiel are only one step away from the 23rd German championship. Coach Filip Jicha’s team won the last home game of the season against HSG Wetzlar 38:23 (19:10).
With a win at Frisch Auf Göppingen on Sunday (3:30 p.m. / Sky), the title is certain. If pursuer SC Magdeburg blunders against TVB Stuttgart on Thursday, the “Zebras” could celebrate beforehand.
The hosts only had some problems with the Mittelhessen in the early stages. Within eleven minutes, however, Kiel turned a 5:6 (10th) into a 14:7 (21st). When Hendrik Pekeler scored the empty HSG goal in the 28th minute to make it 18:9, the decision had already been made. Even before the break, the THW fans were singing: “Only THW will be German champion.” The best throwers of the game were Harald Reinkind from Kiel with nine goals and Emil Mellegard, who scored four goals for Wetzlar. The best THW player was goalkeeper Niklas Landin with 15 saves.
There was a lot of applause before and after the final whistle. First Reinkind’s contract extension was announced until June 30, 2027, then the outgoing Niklas Landin (Aalborg HB), Sander Sagosen (Kolstadt IL), Miha Zarabec (Wisla Plock) and Yannick Fraatz (back to Bergisches HC) were said goodbye.
