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HC Alkaloid launched its European campaign in the EHF European League qualifiers but failed to secure a favorable result on the road, losing 37-27 to TSV Hannover-Burgdorf in the first leg of the playoff tie. The return leg will take place in seven days at Skopje’s Avtokomanda Arena, with the winner advancing to the group stage.

The match opened at a high tempo, with action flowing both in fast breaks and structured attacks. Hannover grabbed early control, benefiting from a saved penalty and a technical mistake from Alkaloid, building a two-goal lead. Alkaloid fought back to level the score after eight minutes (6-6), with Þordarsson delivering precise finishes to Joel Birlehm’s net. Alkaloid even took the lead for the first time in the 10th minute (10-9), with the Icelander hitting 5/5. However, a spell of missed opportunities and errors allowed Hannover to regain control, and by the 15th minute, they led 14-11, prompting Kiril Lazarov to call a timeout. Goalkeeper Birlehm came up with another crucial save, which sparked a Hannover fast break for 16-12. Alkaloid reduced the gap quickly through Borzas, and Galevski pulled off two more stops, but Birlehm blocked two consecutive shots, preventing Alkaloid from narrowing the deficit.

At halftime, Hannover maintained their edge, going into the break 19-15 ahead. The second half started as a back-and-forth exchange, with both teams scoring until 24-19. During this period, Alkaloid was reduced to six players after Velkovski received a red card, and Hannover exploited the advantage. The German side eventually extended their lead to a maximum of 10 goals in front of their home fans. HC Alkaloid’s main issue in the match was finishing, as reflected in the fact that Hannover’s goalkeepers recorded 19 saves over the course of the game.