HC ALKALOID – CHC OHRID 24-24 (11-13)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Silvana Karbeska and Marija Ilieva. Delegates: Marjan Nachevski and Dushko Kamishevski

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj (6 saves), Galevski (3 saves), Djonov, Þordarsson 4, Markoski, Serafimov 3, Karasmanakis 3, Stojkovic 1, Gjorgiev, Velkovski 1, Ivanovski 2, Kosteski 3, Petkovski, Mitev, Borzas 6, Alarov 1

Seven-meter throws: 2/4 Suspensions: 6 min

CHC OHRID: Chanevski (1 save), Blazhevski (10 saves), Gjorgeski, Strmljan 1, Ojleski 2, Ivankovic 4, Kukulovski, Vejin 3, Risteski, Taseski 1, Morales, Savrevski 2, Jotic 3, Liapis 1, Petric 2, Dukic 5

Seven-meter throws: 1/3 Suspensions: 12 min

The first round of the Macedonian Super League season ended with a derby clash as HC Alkaloid and CHC Ohrid battled to a 24-24 draw at the Avtokomanda Arena.

From the opening whistle, both teams set a blistering pace, prioritizing fast transitions while maintaining intense defensive pressure, resulting in a goal-for-goal exchange. The visitors from Ohrid managed to carve out a slight edge, maintaining a fragile lead that Alkaloid consistently erased, though the hosts repeatedly missed crucial opportunities to surge ahead.

This pattern of play continued throughout the first half, with the two teams tactically probing each other. After 30 minutes, it was Ohrid who carried a slim 13-11 advantage into the break. The halftime interval proved transformative for Alkaloid, as they started the second half in stark contrast to how they finished the first.

They exploded with a 6-0 run, completely flipping a 13-15 deficit into a lead. New signing Uros Borzas orchestrated the attack with precision, while the defense solidified, not conceding a single goal for a full ten-minute stretch and building a 19-15 lead. Ohrid responded immediately with a timeout, after which they scored three consecutive goals to close the gap to 19-18. However, after the visitors squandered a chance to level the score, Alkaloid’s Kosteski responded and extended the lead to 20-18. The final minutes delivered pure drama, and the game ultimately ended in a draw, with Valentin Karasmanakis scoring the goal that sealed the 24-24 result.

HC Alkaloid fell short once again in the return leg (28-29) against German Bundesliga side TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, thus concluding their campaign in the EHF European League qualifiers. The German team proved superior across both matches, securing their spot in the competition’s group stage.

Christian Prokop (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf):

“We played two intense matches against Alkaloid’s team. Our goal was to win both games, and we achieved that. I am happy about it because we have a young team that needs these kinds of matches outside the Bundesliga to gain experience. We are eagerly looking forward to the group stage of the European League.”

Justus Fischer (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf):

“We faced two tough and intense matches against a team with excellent individuals. I believe our defense was key; our goalkeepers were outstanding and saved a lot of shots. In the end, we accomplished our main objective – two wins in two matches.”

Kiril Lazarov (HC Alkaloid):

“Full credit to Hannover, their victory was well-deserved. I am disappointed because we missed a total of nine 6-meter shots across both legs. With that kind of statistic, it’s impossible to overcome a team that plays in the Bundesliga. We knew Hannover was the stronger team, but this is too much. And when you consider that this is an opponent that beats teams like Magdeburg or Füchse Berlin, it puts into perspective just how difficult it was with our poor statistic.”

Igor Gjorgiev (HC Alkaloid):

“I would like to congratulate Hannover on the victory and wish them luck in the group stage of the EHF European League. Unfortunately, our European journey concludes here, and our focus will now shift entirely to domestic competitions.”