Handball Bundesliga: THW Kiel concedes its first defeat of the season in Magdeburg

Bundesliga handball

Clap in the top game - THW Kiel loses to SC Magdeburg

As of: 30.09.2026 22:11

The German handball record champion THW Kiel has conceded the first defeat of the season. The "Zebras" lost 26:32 (9:15) to the defending champion SC Magdeburg on Wednesday evening in the top game of the Bundesliga. For the THW, this was a longer series of successes against the SCM.

by Christian Görtzen

For Kiel, it was the first defeat against Magdeburg since February 7, 2024, when it was 26:33 in their own arena. After that, the North Germans had not lost to the Saxon hitchhikers six times in a row. They, in turn, have now been undefeated for 28 consecutive home games.

After the derby draw against SG-Flensburg-Handewitt (31:31), the SCM's bankruptcy is another disappointment for THW. With now 11:3 points, the Schleswig-Holsteiners fall behind the champions (12:2) in the table to third place. Due to the success in the game brought forward from the 16th matchday, Magdeburg also took over the lead of the table from the SG (11:1), at least temporarily.

We reject the free chances at the front.

THW professional Lukas Zerbe

"From the twelfth minute, the gaps in the back of us go too far. Magdeburg can throw easy goals, so we lose the game," said THW's far-right Lukas Zerbe in an interview with ARD. “Today we didn't quite manage to narrow the game for the first 30 minutes. Magdeburg deserved to win."

Missed start: Kielers waste their chances in abundance

THW coach Börge Lund had to do without backroom player Emil Madsen in the extremely difficult task. The Dane, who had scored five goals against Flensburg-Handewitt, was even out for several weeks due to a muscle fibre tear in the adductor area. Madsen's teammate Eric Johansson had said in the run-up to the game what matters to the Kiel team in view of the acoustic pressure from 6,600 spectators: "We have set ourselves the goal of not being provoked and keeping calm."

The calm quickly didn't work in one area - on the offensive. The "Zebras" gave away their opportunities in rows, such as Lukas Zerbe by seven metres, Julian Köster with a free throw and, above all, the playmaker Elias Ellefsen a Skipagötu, who changed to Aalborg Handbold next summer and put the ball free-standing from the near throw zone clearly over the SCM goal by touchdown.

THW only with nine goals in half one

After twelve minutes, the THW had a throw rate of just 27 percent, and shortly afterwards the North Germans were 3:8 behind (15th). The Kiel team repeatedly failed with their throws at Magdeburg goalkeeper Matej Mandic (parade quota at the time: 57 percent). As clear as the THW was on the scoreboard in the back - it was not Andreas Wolff. The national goalkeeper, for example, annoyed Matthias Musche with his parades.

Handball Bundesliga results and table

Results, table scores and match days at a glance.

Nevertheless, after 23 minutes, it was a six-goal deficit for the "Zebras", who had only scored five goals themselves. The THW rubbed against the extremely flexible, gripping 3-2-1 cover of the Saxony hitchhikers, could hardly tear gaps. After all, the attack on the Domen Makuc, which had come for Ellefsen á Skipagötu, was reliable. The Slovenian was the Kiel goal scorer four times in a row. After an interim seven-goal deficit (6:13, 26.), we went into the cabin with a 9:15.

"Zebras" despair at SCM goalkeeper Kuzmanovic

Lund brought in Gonzalo Perez de Vargas for Wolff at the beginning of the second half (parade quota: 25 percent). But things did not start well again: Makuc lost seven metres to Dominik Kuzmanovic, and Johansson then again with a throw from the distance. And shortly thereafter, Makuc once again lost to the Croatian national goalkeeper on a penalty throw.

SC Magdeburg - THW Kiel 32:26 (15:9)

Goals Magdeburg: O. I. Magnusson 11/5, G. T. Kristjansson 5, Claar 4, Lagergren 4, Saugstrup Jensen 3, Bergendahl 1, Mertens 1, Musche 1, D. Pettersson 1, Serradilla Cuenca 1

Goals Kiel: Makuc 9/3, Johansson 3, Reinkind 3, Zerbe 3, R. Dahmke 2, E. Ellefsen á Skipagötu 2, J. Köster 2, Büchner 1, Nacinovic 1

Spectators: 6,600

Penalty minutes: 8 / 4

Lund now tried the tactical means of the 7: 6 overnumber. But whatever the Kiel team tried before the eyes of national coach Alfred Gislason, it did not have the effect of coming within striking distance again. On the contrary: barely ten minutes before the final siren, it was an eight-goal deficit (22:30) - so the matter was practically over.

The most successful Kieler was Makuc with nine goals. The THW will continue on Saturday (6 pm, in the live centre at NDR.de) with a home game against VfL Gummersbach.

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This topic in the program:

NDR Info | Sports current | 09/30/2026 | 8:25 pm

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