On Saturday, after a chaotic journey marked by flight delays, drones, and a night on a German airport floor, Team Esbjerg delivered a resilient performance against DVSC Schaeffler, winning 32–29 in the Champions League.
The team missed their direct connection to Debrecen due to delays, but managed to find a connecting flight from Munich to Budapest. However, after boarding, they were forced to sit on the plane for over an hour before being asked to disembark. The reason? A drone had triggered a high-alert response from German authorities. Meanwhile, security restrictions prevented anyone from leaving the airport, and all nearby hotels were fully booked due to “Oktoberfest”.
– We got about four hours of sleep. We barely had time for a cup of coffee and a quick tactics meeting before heading to the hall, said head coach Tomas Axnér.
The match reflected their exhaustion early on, as DVSC Schaeffler pulled ahead by four goals. Esbjerg fought back with three consecutive goals to equalize and maintained a narrow lead throughout the second half. Nora Mørk orchestrated the attack with 11 assists, several in the crucial final minutes, while key defensive stops from Anna Kristensen helped secure the victory.
DVSC Schaeffler–Team Esbjerg 29–32 (14–15)