HSG Kastellaun/Simmern – SG Zweibrücken 32;27 (14:12)
With the hoped-for home win, HSG Kastellaun/Simmern started in front of their own fans in the IGS Halle in Kastellaun and, after the opening defeat at Handball Mülheim-Urmitz, gained two important points in the new season. Against coach Mirza Cehajic’s guests from Saarpfalz, who are among the top 4 in the league, the Hunsrück team showed the reaction Cehajic had hoped for to the weak opening performance and achieved a deserved victory. After an even opening phase, things did not go well at all for coach Mirza Cehajic’s team. After the 3:3, four goals in a row from the guests made it 3:7 (15th) and the hosts took their first time-out. They then found their rhythm again and, after the 9:11 (23rd), took the lead with four goals in a row at 13:11 (29th), and the Hunsrück team held on to this lead until the dressing room.
The second half also got off to a good start, with Cehajic’s team turning their lead into a four-goal lead at 18:14 (36th minute) and when they even managed to increase their lead to five goals at 20:15 (39th minute), the guests took a time-out. Undeterred, the hosts even increased their lead to six goals at 22:16 (41st minute) and thus seemed to have made the preliminary decision. But it was going to be tight again: the Saarpfalz team used the hosts’ time-out at 23:19 (46th minute) to work their way back to 23:20 (48th minute), then came back to 27:22 (53rd minute) while outnumbered and thus finally decided the game.
“First of all, a big compliment to the opponents, who are in the process of rebuilding but have a good mix of experienced and young players, but are not yet in sync. For me, this team is stronger than last year’s team. We got off to a good start thanks to a good defense, but we gave away too many balls in attack and were then punished on the counterattack! It was only when Sasa Puljizovic took control of the game and Maurice Lahm made a few saves in goal that things started to go better for us. In defense, the team with Julian Kötz and Julian Mangold were excellent in defense, which now worked well as a unit. This is how we came from a secure defense to our quick goals and the deserved half-time lead. After the break, it was a “one man show” from Heinrich Löwen, who played an outstanding game and was the most successful scorer on our side with 9 goals. In front of an outstanding crowd in the IGS Halle, however, Maurice Lahm’s concentration in goal was lost in the 45th minute and our experienced Mario Percin came on, made some important saves and now we were able to finally seal the deal,” said a delighted Cehajic.
Kaltenmorgen, Percin and Lahm – Hild, Rickus, Löwen (9), K. Kötz (4), Mallmann, Mühlbauer (3), Mangold (3), Hassley (5), Puljizovic (7/3), Adams, Grethen (1), Percin, M. Kötz
