Rhein-Neckar Löwen are coming home with two points, but they are hard-earned.

The German side, one of the competition’s big favourites, won the first leg of the European League Men Last 16 on Tuesday 27:25 against RK Nexe.

The Croatian vice champions kept the score line level until the last five minutes.

LAST 16, LEG 1

RK Nexe (CRO) - Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) 25:27 (14:13)

• Nexe opened with a 2:0 lead and were ahead for the opening 20 minutes
• Löwen first edged ahead after two goals from Patrick Groetzki
• Nexe went back into the lead with three unanswered goals as they reached half-time with a one-goal advantage
• Löwen finally clinched the victoty thanks to a 4:0 run late in the second half
• the goalkeepers excelled, with Moreno Car getting 12 saves and Andreas Palicka 11

Night of the wing

Almost every player in the Rhein-Neckar Löwen squad scored tonight, but the one who stood out was Jerry Tollbring. The 25-year old left wing scored seven times tonight and some of his strikes came in crucial moments of the match. On the other side, Halil Jaganjac also added seven to his tally for Nexe, which is now 75 for the season.