Mer

Gidsel leads Fuchse Berlin out of crisis against Aalborg in Champions League

Mathias Gidsel in action against Aalborg Handball
Mathias Gidsel in action against Aalborg HandballČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Daniel Lakomski
Füchse Berlin on Thursday night took an important step out of the crisis. After two successive defeats in the German Handball Bundesliga and the personnel upheaval surrounding the team's head coach Jaron Siewert and sports director Stefan Kretzschmar, the Berlin club celebrated their second win in the Champions League by defeating Aalborg Handball 31-28 (17-13) in the German capital.

The hosts had already impressed in the opening game of the prestigious competition at HB Nantes - and the team also put in a focussed performance against the Danes on Thursday evening.

World handball player Mathias Gidsel was tleading goalscorer for the capital side on matchday 2 with eight goals, while national player Juri Knorr scored one goal for his new employers.

Coach Nicolej Krickau's team led by three goals for the first time after 15 minutes (10-7). The Danes were given far more two-minute penalties in the first half - and the Foxes knew how to capitalise on situations where they were outnumbered. Even though the visitors managed to overcome this weakness in the second half, they were unable to close the gap to the Foxes decisively.

Match centre: Füchse Berlin vs. Aalborg Handbold

Relief for Füchse's restlessness

After the opening win at MKB Veszprem KC, it was Knorr's first ever defeat in his second Champions League game. After four years with the Rhein-Neckar Löwen, Knorr left the Bundesliga this season and moved to Aalborg.

Thanks to the win, the Foxes took a small step out of the crisis in troubled times. The fans had recently booed Füchse managing director Bob Hanning rigorously after he had relieved Siewert and Kretzschmar of their duties.