A vintage performance from 41-year-old Roland Mikler proved to be the difference as OTP Bank – PICK Szeged defeated Industria Kielce 26-23, ending the Polish side’s six-game winning streak and taking a vital step toward the quarter-finals.
In a clash defined by defensive grit and world-class goalkeeping, it was the Hungarian hosts who kept their nerve in the closing stages. The opening 30 minutes saw both sides neutralize each other, with the score locked at 11-11 at the break. While Kielce’s defense held firm, they struggled to find a consistent rhythm against a wall named Roland Mikler.
The veteran goalkeeper turned back the clock, recording 16 crucial saves (a 40% save rate) to win the individual duel against Kielce’s Klemen Ferlin.
The final push
The second half remained a chess match. Kielce briefly took the lead at 18-17, but Szeged, powered by Lazar Kukić’s six goals, always found an answer. Despite the clinical finishing of Piotr Jarosiewicz from the seven-meter line, the Polish runners-up couldn’t silence the home crowd.
In a frantic final minute, Szeged finally managed to break the “two-goal barrier,” extending their lead to 26-23 — the largest gap of the match and also the final result.
– We knew it would be a tough match and that we had to match the opponent’s pace, Szeged’s Mario Šoštarić said to EHF´s website.
Kielce now returns to Poland needing a four-goal victory to advance, having seen their momentum halted by a motivated Szeged side that has now won four straight against them.