SC DHfK Leipzig misses out on DHB Cup quarter-finals

The SC DHfK Leipzig handball team clearly missed out on a place in the quarter-finals of the DHB Cup. The team of coach Runar Sigtryggsson was beaten 21:27 (12:14) by Bundesliga rivals MT Melsungen on Tuesday evening. In front of 3,851 spectators, Franz Semper and Oskar Sunnefeldt were SC DHfK's best scorers with five goals each.

The club from Leipzig got off to a sluggish start and initially revealed many inaccuracies in attack, which Melsungen exploited to take an early 5:2 lead (9th minute). A strong spell by Semper, who scored four goals in the space of six-and-a-half minutes, brought the home side back to 7:8 (16'), but the fourth-placed club in the German league responded with four goals in succession to make it 12:7 (21'). The five-goal deficit acted as a wake-up call for SC DHfK, which then developed far more drive on goal and was able to reduce the deficit to 12:14 by the break.

However, the momentum was gone again after the restart. Leipzig repeatedly rebounded off Melsungen's compact defense or were thwarted by substitute goalkeeper Adam Morawski. As a result, the visitors pulled 21:14 ahead by the 45th minute. SC DHfK then tried to throw Melsungen off its stride with more offensive cover. However, the favorites kept a cool head and exploited the gaps to pass to the circle. Sunnefeldt countered with shots from the backcourt, but there was no change to the visitors' unchallenged victory.