GROUP B REVIEW : After eight straight losses, Finnish side Cocks earned a deserved point tonight, in a home draw against Lemgo
An already-eliminated team can be dangerous, not having anything to lose and wanting to show their best side before exiting a competition.
Cocks proved exactly that tonight, upsetting Lemgo to the point where they gained a draw but they could have even hoped for more, after wasting the chance to win in the last minute.
Using the full extent of its bench, the German side took the upper hand in the last seconds before half-time before the hosts turned things around after the break.
GROUP B :
Cocks (FIN) vs TBV Lemgo Lippe (GER) 29:29 (12:15)
- it took a while for Lemgo to get going, but once they did, the visitors were unstoppable. Scoring a 5:0 run between minutes 20 and 28, the German side took a five-goals avantage
- with Onur Ersin as main scorer (five goals overall), Cocks turned things around after the break, even regularly took the lead in the first part of the second half
- neither team managed to take the upper hand, though, as Bobby Schagen failed to score the game-winner for Lemgo in the dying seconds of the game
- Thanks to this draw, Cocks score their first point of the season, despite already being eliminated, while Lemgo remain fourth in the group, with 10 points
Lemgo youngsters in the spotlight
With his team already eliminated, Lemgo coach Florian Kehrmann made the choice to rest usual starters such as Jonathan Carlsbogard to give some playing time to the younger members of his squad.
It was a half-successful bet, as his team did not manage to retain the advantage it took in the first half, but Kian Schwarzer and Linus Geis proved tonight there was more to this Lemgo team than just his stars.
TEXT:
EHF / Kevin Domas