Closing equaliser! Unleashed HC Linz can dream of the title

The handball gamers of HC Linz AG are just one victory away from the eighth championship title within the membership’s historical past, the primary since 1996.

On Friday, coach Milan Vunjak’s group secured a 1-1 house victory over Exhausting within the “greatest of three” closing collection. “Large respect for the group! They by no means stopped believing,” Vunjak was stuffed with reward. The choice on the title shall be made on Wednesday in Exhausting (8:20 p.m.).

From the primary minute on Friday, it was clear that the Linz group needed to show that the painful 26:32 defeat within the first closing recreation in Exhausting was extraordinarily clear; that they may do higher. Spurred on by the sold-out corridor in Linz-Kleinmünchen, HC Linz was remodeled. Particularly the protection, which triggered noticeable difficulties for the Vorarlberg group’s highly effective backcourt and elicited uncommon technical errors.

Christian Kislinger scored Linz’s first lead (4:3) within the seventh minute. For the captain, who will retire after the ultimate collection, the victory was an extension of his profession – no less than for a short while. “We’re exhibiting a very totally different face than within the first recreation, we’re completely prepared,” mentioned the 30-year-old.

Exhausting warfare „horvatslos“

Linz dominated. Even Exhausting’s goalkeeper Constantin Möstl, who had been named participant of the season earlier than the match, barely bought into the sport. His coach Hannes Jon Jonsson introduced substitute Golub Doknic into the sport for the primary time after simply ten minutes.

Alternatively, Florian Kaiper – supported by the higher protection – grew to become an insurmountable hurdle at instances, parrying 10 pictures (28 %). There was no hint of the Tougher sovereignty from the primary encounter three days earlier: Linz pulled forward by as many as eleven targets at one level – an indication of energy.

Exhausting had a severe harm: Ivan Horvat – prime scorer within the first closing with eleven targets and Linz’s nail within the coffin – watched 60 minutes from the bench yesterday resulting from a foot harm. “Tougher’s recreation is predictable. It is determined by Möstl and Horvat,” Bernhard Ditachmair had mentioned earlier than the ultimate. The Linz membership president noticed how his group – led by Kislinger and Mislav Grgic (8 targets every) – left nothing to probability within the second half. “I mentioned I would not thoughts in the event that they grew to become champions,” mentioned Ditachmair with amusing. Postscript: “It is unbelievable how they got here again after the primary closing.”

Instantly after the ultimate whistle, planning started for the fan journey to the deciding match on Wednesday.