The 2. Handball Bundesliga resumed this weekend with the 18th matchday, delivering a mix of crucial results in the battle for playoff spots and the fight to avoid relegation. Friday’s action saw significant gains for teams in the upper and lower ends of the table, while Saturday’s matches continued to reshape the league standings.
The standout result of Friday evening was TUSEM Essen’s narrow 30-29 victory over the Owls Ludwigshafen. Despite a strong performance from Ludwigshafen goalkeeper Magnus Grupe, who recorded 12 saves, Essen managed to secure the win. Alexander Schoss, Essen’s top scorer, sustained an injury five minutes before the end, with Felix Goettler and Finnley Werschkull each contributing six goals. Rene Zobel led the scoring for Ludwigshafen with seven goals.
Also on Friday, TSV Bayer Dormagen faced TuS N-Lübbecke, with the latter emerging victorious with a 34-30 away win. The visitors established an early lead and maintained control throughout the match. Niko Blaauw, Henri Pabst, and Tim Wieling each scored six goals for Lübbecke, while Florian Boehnert matched that tally for Dormagen.
VfL Eintracht Hagen continued its strong form with a 26-23 home win against HSC 2000 Coburg, solidifying their sixth-place position. Linus Kutz and Jan von Boenigk were the key scorers for Hagen, contributing seven and six goals respectively.
Saturday’s matches saw further shifts in the standings. HSG Krefeld Niederrhein and TuS Ferndorf faced off in a crucial relegation battle, with Ferndorf snatching a 26-27 away win after trailing for much of the game. A late double strike and a save from goalkeeper Can Adanir proved decisive, extending Ferndorf’s lead over Krefeld to five points.
At the bottom of the table, HC Oppenweiler/Backnang continued to struggle, falling to a 31-23 defeat against TV Hüttenberg. TVH established a significant lead early on, leading 16-12 at halftime, and maintained control throughout the second half.
Perhaps the most significant result of the weekend was 1. VfL Potsdam’s 28-27 away win against HBW Balingen-Weilstetten. The match was closely contested, with the lead changing hands several times. Potsdam ultimately secured the victory thanks to a late goal from Markus Mahr, moving them into a strong position in the league table.
The 2. Handball Bundesliga continues to deliver compelling action, with teams battling for position as the season progresses. The results from this weekend highlight the competitive nature of the league and the importance of every match in the pursuit of playoff contention and survival.
