HBL

Wolff and Makuc turn the opener around: Kiel make their statement in the second half

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Foto: Klahn

In the season opener at a sold-out MERKUR OSTSEEHALLE, THW Kiel delivered their response to a disappointing previous campaign: 35:27 against TBV Lemgo Lippe. The victory was built on an outstanding Andreas Wolff in goal and a Domen Makuc who took control of the match in the second half.
It was a game of two halves. The first period remained open, hard-fought and at times evenly balanced – at the break THW led narrowly by 17:15. Only after the restart did Kiel decide the contest through a combination of solid defence, a goalkeeper in inspired form and the increasing control exerted by the Slovenian newcomer.

Andreas Wolff was the defining factor. Fifteen saves, including a saved seven-metre throw, brought him an HPI rating of 91 – the best of the match. His run at the start of the second half laid the foundation for the decisive surge. In attack, Makuc orchestrated Kiel's fast-paced game with six goals and precise assists, while Lukas Zerbe remained consistent with seven strikes – five of them reliable seven-metre conversions.

For TBV, Joël Willecke stood out. The pivot repeatedly exploited Kiel's offensively minded defence in the first period and finished with eight goals (HPI 85). But once Kiel adjusted defensively and Wolff raised his save rate, the visitors lacked the means to respond.

A sluggish start and the turning point after the break

Kiel made the better start, pulling away to 7:3 through Eric Johansson and Rune Dahmke. But Lemgo stayed calm: through Willecke and their well-drilled back-court play, the visitors worked their way back and drew level at 9:9. The match swung back and forth before Kiel held a slender 17:15 advantage at the break.

The real turning point came in the opening minutes of the second half. For over six minutes no field goal was scored, with both defences standing firm. In this goalless phase Kiel kept their nerve – and when the game opened up again, the decisive run followed. Carried by Wolff's saves and Makuc, who made intelligent decisions as playmaker and scored goals himself, THW pulled six, seven goals clear and never relinquished that lead.

The returning players and newcomers also fitted in: Harald Reinkind scored from right back, Lukas Laube organised the defence, and 19-year-old Rasmus Ankermann held his own in the centre of the block. Lemgo coach Florian Kehrmann found clear words after the match to describe the difference.

Overall we put in another passionate performance. We had a few problems at the start, which gave Kiel the initiative, then we fought our way back into the game but had to invest a great deal, said Kehrmann. He continued: Kiel also have a really, really deep squad with a lot of quality in reserve. That made the difference in the second half.

For Julian Köster, who scored his first competitive goal in a Kiel shirt after 18 minutes, it was a successful debut. Full house, first match finally this season and then straight away two points, said the newcomer, though he also cautioned: Of course there are still many things we can improve, must improve. But I think we're on a really good path so far.

With the opening victory, THW Kiel move provisionally top of the table on the first matchday with 2:0 points – figures of limited significance after just one match. Both teams continue on Thursday, 3 September 2026: Kiel travel to SG BBM Bietigheim, while Lemgo host HSG Wetzlar at the same time.

Match statistics

THW Kiel - TBV Lemgo Lippe 35:27 (17:15)

THW Kiel: Wolff (15 saves), Vargas; Zerbe 7/5, Makuc 6, Johansson 4, Dahmke 4, Skipagøtu 4, Köster 3, Nacinovic 3, Reinkind 2, Szilágyi 1, Ankermann, Andersson, Laube, Faust, Madsen, Duvnjak

TBV Lemgo Lippe: Möstl (7 saves), Ebner (2 saves); Willecke 8/1, Suton 4, Zehnder 4/1, Valkovskis 3, Wanner 3, Versteijnen 1, O'Sullivan 1, Hutecek 1, Wagner 1, Nyfjäll 1, Theilinger, Bilanzola, Batzer, Stypinski, Risch

Top Player: Andreas Wolff (HPI 91) / Joël Willecke (HPI 85)

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