German handball champion Rhein-Neckar Löwen has taken another step towards successfully defending his title. The Mannheim team won 38-28 (20-13) at the TuS N-Lübbecke and are still in front with 42-6 points ahead of the SG Flensburg-Handewitt (40-10) and the Füchse Berlin (38-10). The lions have also played one game less than Flensburg.
In the fight for the international places the surprise team TSV Hannover-Burgdorf had to accept a setback. Lower Saxony lost 26:29 (13:14) at HSG Wetzlar. SC Magdeburg could have benefited from this, but the former champion TBV Lemgo did not make it past 27-27 (13-12). In the table Hannover (37:13) remains in fourth place ahead of Magdeburg (36:14) behind the top trio.
In the relegation fight TVB Stuttgart and TV Hüttenberg separated 30:30 (14:13). For Aufsteiger Hüttenberg it was the third division of points in series. With 10:40 points the TVH is still second last before the Eulen Ludwigshafen (9:41), but is only one point behind the TuS N-Lübbecke (11:39). Ludwigshafen can pass Hüttenberg in the afternoon with a victory at GWD Minden (15.00/Sky).
In front of 1317 spectators the lions dominated the game in Table 16. from Lübbecke from the beginning at will. Led by returning Kim Ekdahl Du Rietz, coach Nikolaj Jacobsen’s side took an early 5-0 lead. The outstanding Swedish star player Ekdahl Du Rietz was the most successful scorer of the game with nine goals.