Heartbeat final in Düsseldorf: 1. FC Saarbrücken table tennis secured the Champions League title in the final meters late on Monday evening. In the “Golden Match” the Saarbrücken team defeated Düsseldorf 2:1
It was an extremely bad starting position for the team from 1. FC Saarbruecken table tennis. The professionals around captain Patrick Franziska lost the first leg in the final of the Champions League in front of a home crowd in Saarbrücken’s Hermann-Neuberger-Halle last week by a narrow margin of 2:3. On Monday they had to play away at Borussia Düsseldorf in the second leg.
False start to the second leg
In the run-up Franzika had shown herself to be confident. They have won more often in Düsseldorf, he likes to play there himself, he said. Since they only just lost the first leg, everything is still possible against the German record champions Düsseldorf.
But the evening began with a defeat from Saarbrücken’s point of view: Darko Jorgic lost his opening game against the German individual champion Dang Qiu 1:3 (11:9, 9:11, 7:11, 7:11).
Franziska fights and saves
Patrick Franziska then fought a hard exchange of blows against the Swede Anton Källberg to win a 3:2 (8:11, 9:11, 11:7, 11:8, 6:5) and thus saved Saarbrücken from an early exit.
After that, Düsseldorf initially took the lead again. Takuja Jin didn’t get anywhere against Düsseldorf’s Kay Stumper and lost 0:3 (6:11, 9:11, 9:11). In the fourth game of the evening, Qiu and Franziska fought a neck-and-neck race. Saarbrücken’s top player finally won 3:2 after five sets (11:9, 11:8, 8:11, 10:12, 6:5).
Decision in the “Golden Match”
The fifth and last regular game was played by Darko Jorgic and Düsseldorf’s Anton Källberg. Jorgic made up for his initial defeat and clearly defeated Källberg 3:1 (11:9, 11:6, 6:11, 13:11).
Since the FCS TT came up with an overall result of 3:2 and thus equalized the first leg result, the final decision in “Golden Match” mode with three sets followed shortly after 11 p.m. If they win, it would be the first champion title in Saarbrücken club history.
Jorgic makes the victory perfect
Saarbrücken’s Takuya Jin lost the first of these against Qiu 7:11. Patrick Franziska equalized with a 11:6 against Düsseldorf’s player Källberg. Finally, Darko Jorgic played again for the all-important last set, this time against Kay Stumper.
Both delivered a heated duel to the end. Jorgic finally prevailed 11:9.