Landin secures Kiel’s first third place in Cologne

In regular time, Telekom Veszprém were dominant at first, then Kiel struck back, and finally a penalty goal from Kentin Mahe with the final buzzer secured a level score at regular time and a penalty shootout to decide the winner. In the shootout, Niklas Landin saved two shots, against Gasper Marguc and Rasmus Lauge, while Yahia Omar hit the crossbar.

As Niclas Ekberg, Steffen Weinhold and Magnus Landin scored their penalties, THW secured their first ever third position at the EHF FINAL4 in Cologne after losing the placement match three times, in 2013, 2015 and 2016.  

3/4 PLACEMENT MATCH
THW Kiel (GER) vs Telekom Veszprém HC (HUN) 37:35 (34:34)(14:18)

• nine saves from Rodrigo Corrales and five goals from line player Andreas Nilsson paved the way to Veszprém’s well-deserved half-time lead 
• Kiel’s batteries seemed to be running quite low already in the second part of the first half, with only goalkeeper Niklas Landin and the back-court duo Miha Zarabec and Nikola Bilyk keeping THW in the game 
• while Kiel had to work hard for every goal against an extremely movable Veszprém defence, the Hungarian side managed to score much more easy goals 
• everything changed when THW coach Filip Jicha switch the tactic to seven-against-six in attack, putting more pressure on Veszprém’s defence — and turning the score of 24:28 into the first level result at 30:30 in minute 50 
• when youngster Sven Ehrig scored by a double strike and Niklas Landin saved three Veszprém shots, including a penalty against Petar Nenadic, the match was turned around at 32:31 in favour of Kiel — and was on the edge 
• the last three goals in regular time were all scored from penalties: first, two from Niclas Ekberg for Kiel, then Kentin Mahe with the final buzzer for 34:34. The penalty shootout was needed to decide the winner, and then three Veszprém players did not score 

A triumph of will, tactics and luck 

Veszprém seemed to be on the way to a win in the middle of the second half, but THW Kiel never gave up. Even without their top stars Sander Sagosen and Hendrik Pekeler they fought like lions, boosted by the seven-against-six tactic.

Players such as Domagoj Duvnjak, Nikola Bilyk and Patrick Wiencek truly gave all they had and combined for 16 goals, while the German team’s top scorer Nikola Bilyk (seven goals) struck cold as ice in crucial moments. In the end, luck and Landin secured the victory in the penalty shootout.