After over three months without a loss, SC Magdeburg suffered a defeat in the Bundesliga. THW Kiel managed to end the streak with an impressive 31–29 home win.
It was a clash between two giants of German handball as Kiel welcomed Magdeburg. Having not lost since September, Magdeburg had created a gap at the top of the table and were clear favorites going into the match.
In the opening half, it was the away side who were in control. Daniel Pettersson was very effective from the wing, and Magdeburg’s defense looked solid, conceding only ten goals in the first half.
But after the break, Kiel turned up their offense in a big way. Lukas Zerbe had a terrific day on the right wing, scoring nine goals from eleven shots. In goal, Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas made 14 saves that proved key as Kiel mounted their comeback to secure a huge home win.
The victory keeps Kiel in the hunt for the Champions League spots. Despite the loss, Magdeburg remain top of the table with a game in hand and a four-point gap to challengers Füchse Berlin.
Bundesliga – Sunday 15/2
Lemgo – Erlangen 27–21
Füchse Berlin – Stuttgart 37–32
Hamburg – Flensburg 35–38
Kiel – Magdeburg 31–29