Löwen draw but clinch quarter-final spot

After a tough match against Nexe that ended in a draw, Rhein-Neckar Löwen are in the quarter-finals of the EHF European League Men.

The ‘Lions’ could not break free of the Croatian vice-champions and the match was open until the end. Nexe played strong, especially in the second half, but Löwen will progress due to their narrow first-leg win, 27:25.

LAST 16, SECOND LEG
Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) vs RK Nexe (CRO) 27:27 (14:12)
First leg 27:25. Aggregate result 54:52

• this was Löwen’s first match in their new SNP Dome Arena
• Nexe had the lead three times in the match (1:0, 19:18 and 20:19), but the rest of the game was on Löwen’s side — although they could not achieve a gap of more than three goals
• Janko Kevic, Zivan Pesic and the goalkeeper duo of Moreno Car and Mihailo Radovanovic kept Nexe’s hopes high until the end
• Andy Schmid’s six goals in the last 10 minutes of the match were crucial for German side

Lucky number seven

Both teams had their heroes tonight and on both sides seven was the magic number. Even though Andy Schmid scored the crucial goals in the right moments, Jerry Tollbring had some amazing shots from the wing, proving once again that he is ready for big things.

Nexe’s two top scorers, Zivan Pesic and Janko Kevic, netted seven times apiece. The two showed their skills, quality and important roles in the Croatian club, which has a mix of experienced players and young talents.