The German handball champion SC Magdeburg continues to search for the recipe for success in the Champions League. The Elbe city team lost 28:32 (16:15) against HBC Nantes on Wednesday evening in front of 5,301 spectators and are only in sixth place in Group B. The best Magdeburg shooter was Omar Ingi Magnusson with seven goals.
Nantes only arrived with 14 players, but still led narrowly after seven minutes (5:3). Magdeburg lost too many balls on offense and attacks were sometimes not completed until the goal was thrown. Nantes was unable to break away any further, although Magdeburg rarely found means against the fast French. The SCM shone with good timing: Magdeburg took the lead with the last attack of the half.
Even after the break, the guests remained true to their offensive defense concept and kept Magdeburg out of their beloved close-range throwing zone. As against Kielce, Magdeburg’s problem wasn’t the goal, but rather that the hosts didn’t get there too often – Nantes turned the game around and led with four goals (18:22/42). Magdeburg never recovered from this, repeatedly failed because of Ivan Pesic in goal and could no longer close the gap.