Just as Nikola Portner had taken a throw from Hendrik Pekeler to the head and had to be treated briefly, his coach Bennet Wiegert took the Swiss goalkeeper to once again, gave him a few words on the way and hit him hard on the chest several times. The scene from the final phase of the 34:31 victory against THW Kiel illustrates how important SC Magdeburg's success was against its rival from the north.
"I know Niko and know where he draws his energy from. That's why I wanted to use that once again to get him in the right mental state for crunch time," Wiegert explained later. However, the 41-year-old saw the key moment of the game elsewhere. After the time-out at 23:23 "to march immediately again and not to let the momentum spill over to the opponent" was decisive according to Wiegert.
The SC Magdeburg showed against the Kieler the most constant season performance, allowed itself hardly weakness phases and was on the spot, if the THW made itself hopes to be able to lead the game nevertheless again in its direction. The back line with new playmaker Felix Claar (four goals, five assists) is working better and better and also Omar Ingi Magnusson (five goals, two assists) is gradually finding his form. In addition, there were 17 counterattack goals - a Magdeburger strength, which had recently been somewhat lost.
With 9:3 points, the SCM is the first pursuer of the top teams from Melsungen and Berlin, has now already completed three games against top teams. The home games against Flensburg and Kiel were won, away at the foxes there was a defeat especially performance-wise annoying.
Magdeburg has arrived in the season and has an advantage: as a cup finalist last season, the Elbe city can watch in peace this week as the foxes and Melsungen struggle in the DHB Cup, and enjoy a pure training week and certainly some rest before the next game against Göppingen.
In addition, the Elbe city can rely on their supporters. The interaction with the fans in the hall was excellent against THW. "The hall was there the whole time, even when Niko was not so present and then Niko, Niko shouts came and he then continues to come in," Wiegert praised the sense of the audience. "The hall definitely carried us. The atmosphere was electric and beautiful," Portner agreed with his coach. If SC Magdeburg continues to develop so positively, it will have a weighty say in this tight championship season.
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