Doha: Füchse Berlin defeated MKB-MVM Veszprem in extra time to win the 2015 IHF Super Globe championship
In a thrilling final, the German side beat Veszprem 28:27 after the teams were tied at 24all at the end of full time play.
Berlin forged ahead to a two-goal lead early on, maintaining that advantage until Momir Ilic closed the gap to one in the 11th minute (7:6).
Veszprem equalised for the first time in the 14th (7:7) but it was not for long.
Berlin’s penalty-scoring hero of the tournament, who knocked Barca out of the Semi-Final after the buzzer in their previous match, scored from seven metres against Roland Mikler in the 16th to push them ahead again before Frederik Petersen ran a fast break (9:7, 17th minute).
Veszprem were chasing and levelled the score with a goal from line player Renato Sulic off a Laszlo Nagy pass in the 24th minute (11:11). But Berlin were having none of it – the German team inched ahead and held a two-goal advantage inside the last two minutes of the half, when Jesper Nielsen was sent off. They retained that lead until the break, but Veszprem were quick to equalise in the second period. It was Sulic who levelled the score again, with a fast break, and Mate Lekai added another seconds later to give the Hungarian team the lead for the first time in the match (15:16).
But two goals for Berlin from the line – first Drago Vukovic then Nielsen – followed by a missed shot from Ilic, meant Berlin crept in front once more (17:16, 36th minute). Christian Zeitz scored an outstanding eret shot to equalise at the 40-minute mark (18:18).
Tension was high as the clock ticked on – Ilic scored a penalty before Mirko Alilovic saved one, but the score remained level until Lekai struck on a fast break again. Berlin answered immediately and with 15 minutes on the clock the score was locked at 20:20.
As the match entered its final four minutes there was nothing separating the teams (24:24). Berlin keeper Petr Stochl made a crucial save with just over two minutes left, followed by another on a Nagy breakthrough inside the last 60 seconds. Berlin had possession with 20 seconds left on the clock and Fabian Wiede shot only to hit the post, sending the match into extra time.
Veszprem came out of the blocks faster again – with two goals (24:26) in two minutes. Berlin’s Kent Robin Tonnesen decreased the difference to one and Stochl backed him up with a superb save before Vukovic placed the ball neatly into the top right corner on the whistle for the break (26:26). In the second period of extra time it was Tonnesen who struck first – and then second, to put Berlin two in front with a minute and a half left (28:26).
Veszprem scored once more but it was Berlin that had possession at the final whistle when they were still one in front. And so the 2014/15 EHF Cup winners added another trophy to their cabinet in what has already been a successful year for the IHF Super Globe debutants.
“I feel super. People need to respect us more. We won today – Barcelona and Veszprem, two finalists of the Champions League. So I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of myself and everybody. The problem is we don’t have time to celebrate – in two day we play a game in the German league.
“But we are very happy, we fought for this, we come here with nothing to lose. We are super happy, we are heroes now,” said centre back Petar Nenadic after the game.
Meanwhile, last year’s winners FC Barcelona defeated Sydney University Handball Club to win the bronze medal.
The Spaniards won 30:20.
The Peninsula
