Numerous decisions are still pending. The focus is not only on the fight to stay in the class, but also the duel for the European places. Four points separate second and fifth places.
With the triumph in Metzingen, fifth place is not enough for international business this time. The teams deliver a thrilling long-distance duel, which also applies to the team in the bottom of the table.
However, tough opponents await Zwickau, Bad Wildungen and Solingen. A key game in the relegation battle ends the weekend on Sunday. The Swabian derby between Bietigheim and Neckarsulm will not be rescheduled until mid-April.
Note: Clicking on the result in the game graphic leads to the live ticker with further information about the game and the goal scorers.
Thuringer HC – BSV Sachsen Zwickau
After the disappointing cup performance in the Final Four in the Women’s Handball Bundesliga, the Thuringian HC got rid of their frustration. Even without the injured national player Annika Lott, the THC celebrated a confident 33:23 (20:10) home win against BSV Sachsen Zwickau on Wednesday.
HSG Blomberg-Lippe – VfL Oldenburg
After four wins in a row, the HSG is currently brimming with self-confidence. In fifth place, they are currently knocking on the European business and now want to increase the pressure on the competition.
However, the Oldenburgers are a dangerous opponent. “It will be a difficult game for us against a team that we have unfortunately always been behind in the last duels,” explains Blomberg’s coach Steffen Birkner in advance. “In order for us to be successful, we need aggressive coverage and good goalkeeping. In attack, we simply have to be as effective as possible and attack in a structured manner.”
“They play with an incredible amount of speed, which means a lot of work for us after the extremely strenuous weekend in Stuttgart,” says Oldenburg coach Niels Bötel, looking at the upcoming duel. “We certainly can’t keep up with that pace, but we want to prevent them from getting into their game. Because with that they can beat pretty much any opponent in the league. They’ve certainly refined that again in the last three weeks.”
HSG Bensheim/Auerbach – HSB Bad Wildungen Vipers
After two rather shaky performances recently, the Flames want to go full throttle again after the three-week break. After all, in second place they are only four points behind SG BBM Bietigheim.
Meanwhile, the Vipers urgently need points in the Hessen derby to stay in the league. The coaching change has not yet brought the hoped-for success. “I can’t understand what happened and I can’t accept it in this way. That’s what particularly motivates me personally,” said Flames coach Heike Ahlgrimm before the duel hr-sport and emphasizes: “I want to win this for Tessa too.”
HSV Solingen-Graefrath 76 – Buxtehuder SV
The promoted team can still dream of staying in the second division. The club is only one point behind the saving bank, and this gap should ideally be made up at the weekend. However, the guests from Buxtehude still have a say. Finally, at the end of February they had Blomberg on the verge of defeat.
“Our goal for the season is a positive point ratio,” says Dirk Leun, “for that we need the points in Solingen.” The Buxtehuder coach has used the last three weeks without games to further integrate new signing Nyala Krullaars and improve coordination.
TuS Metzingen – Borussia Dortmund
After a big cup party, the chicks from Metzingen are now moving on to the league. “Of course it won’t be easy to focus back on the league so quickly after the days off and the many emotions. We want to take the momentum from the cup weekend with us and throw everything into it again against Dortmund,” said Metzingen coach Werner Bösch.
“I’m really looking forward to us playing against the new cup winners. They’re a great team, but I believe in my team. I think the key will be hard work over 60 minutes,” explains Dortmund’s Haruno Sasaki. “If we stick to the plan, put all our energy into it and stay focused, then the result will come by itself.”
TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen – SV Union Halle-Neustadt
It’s one of those famous four-point games in the bottom third of the table. Leverkusen can probably finally say goodbye to the relegation battle with a win against the Wildcats.
Meanwhile, the guests from Saxony-Anhalt urgently want to increase the gap downwards, because the lead over the first relegation zone is only three points. But after four defeats in a row, Halle-Neustadt doesn’t have much self-confidence.