Bergischer hc stumbles against rhein-neckar löwen, seesing set for summer switch
The Bergischer HC (BHC) suffered a 25-28 defeat against Rhein-Neckar Löwen, jeopardizing their hopes of escaping relegation from the Handball-Bundesliga. The loss comes with the added news of pivot Aron Seesing's impending move to Löwen in the summer.
Bhc coach pütz criticizes attack and refereeing after loss
“We weren’t satisfied with several things. Especially in the first half, our attack didn’t get going well, and we conceded shots we didn’t want in defense,” BHC coach Markus Pütz stated after the match. He added that a lack of consistency, despite strong support from goalkeeper Christopher Rudeck, contributed to the loss.
The game started poorly for the Bergische Löwen in the SAP Arena. Jannik Kohlbacher repeatedly found himself free to score, leading to a quick 4-10 deficit. “We failed to contain the circle game and won too few duels. But we worked our way into the game painstakingly and weathered setbacks, so we were mentally fully present,” said Fabian Gutbrod, sporting director of Bergischer Löwen, acknowledging the 11-14 halftime score.
Pütz also alluded to questionable refereeing decisions, noting that his team lacked luck in 50-50 situations. “We went into the locker room down by three and then tightened up defensively in the second half. We kept Rhein-Neckar Löwen to 28 goals, which is good. But throughout the game, we didn’t have the luck we needed in 50-50 situations to take anything from this,” he commented.
Seesing, who will be joining his former club in the summer, was self-critical. “It wasn’t enough to be in contention for points. We couldn't exert the maximum pressure at the end and never got within minus one. That might have been the moment when Rhein-Neckar Löwen would have started to think,” Pütz explained, after his team fell further behind from 17-19 to 22-27.
The loss leaves the BHC in a precarious position as they battle to avoid relegation. The team will need to find a way to translate their second-half performance into consistent results if they hope to survive the season.