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.”

HC ALKALOID – TSV HANNOVER BURGDORF 28-29 (14-14)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Mihai Pirvu and Radu Potirniche from Romania. Delegate: Mihail Bashev from Bulgaria

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj (3 saves), Galevski (13 saves), Djonov, Þordarsson 7, Serafimov, Karasmanakis 1, Stojkovikj 2, Gjorgiev 2, Velkovski, Simonoski, Ivanovski, Kosteski 5, Petkovski, Mitev 2, Borzas 8, Alarov 1

Seven-meter throws: 1/5 Suspensions: 4 min.

TSV HANNOVER BURGDORF: Birlehm (17 saves), Gade, Tissier 2, Poulsen 7, Orlov 1, Steinhauser 5, Michalczik 3, Aho 1, Stutzke 1, Solstad, Fischer 8, Feise, Weber, Rodriguez

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

German side TSV Hannover Burgdorf were the overall winners of the two-legged duel, defeating HC Alkaloid again in Skopje (28–29) to advance further. Fired up to prove themselves, the players of HC Alkaloid delivered a fierce contest, with a pace worthy of the Bundesliga. The Germans embraced that style, giving the fans a rare chance to enjoy handball at full speed, with all the beauty and setbacks such a game brings.

Once again spurred by the saves of goalkeeper Birlehm, Hannover took the early initiative, pulling ahead by two (4-2). The match picked up rhythm, but the visitors adjusted perfectly, building leads of 9-6 and later 12-6. The character of HC Alkaloid’s players was tested, and they rose to the challenge. Ivan Galevski had a brilliant first half, balance was restored, and we finally saw the blue-and-white in full flight, erasing a six-goal deficit in 15 minutes and heading into halftime level at 14-14.

In the second half, HC Alkaloid conceded three in a row, but quickly struck back with five unanswered goals, turning the scoreboard to 19-17 in their favor. From there it was a back-and-forth battle, with the score tied at 20-20 and again at 27-27. A fourth missed penalty by Alkaloid proved costly, however, giving the German side just enough of a cushion in the closing minutes to secure victory in Skopje.

Tonight, our team proudly raised the EHF European Cup trophy after a dramatic victory over AEK Athens in the final! The cup was presented by Mr. Bozidar Djurkovic, EHF representative. For our club, this is the third trophy in history, following the Super Cup and the Macedonian Cup. To reach the European title, HC Alkaloid defeated Dragunas Klaipeda (Lithuania), West Wien (Austria), Brixen (Italy), Baia Mare (Romania), Runar Sandefjord (Norway), and AEK Athens (Greece).

HC Alkaloid is preparing for the rematch against Bundesliga side TSV Hannover-Burgdorf in the EHF European League qualifiers. The first leg ended in a loss for Alkaloid (37-27), and the team now faces the challenge of overturning that deficit to earn a spot in the group stage. Head coach Kiril Lazarov previewed the upcoming clash with the German squad, which spent much of last season leading the world’s strongest league.

“We have the rematch in the European League qualifiers against Hannover, a team that speaks for itself. They were leaders in the world’s top league for over eight months last season and this year they have strengthened with experienced players. I’m disappointed we lost by an unrealistic and unexpected ten-goal margin. Saturday is special because we’ll also lift the European Cup we won last year with our Macedonian team, a club that has been in the Super League for three years, another one in the First League, and is built on Macedonian players. It’s not ideal to lift a trophy with a ten-goal deficit from Germany, but we’ll adjust and enjoy the moment as much as we can before the match, and on the court we’ll demonstrate Macedonian handball with pride. I want a complete performance. I told the players we need to leave our hearts on the court, for ourselves, the project, and the fans. I was a bit disappointed, lost some sleep over it, but that’s sport. It’s a shame the Macedonian public couldn’t see how we played in Germany and that we didn’t deserve a ten-goal defeat. Hannover is in full Bundesliga rhythm, so this will be a big learning experience. I hope we play a full, solid game, and after 60 minutes we’ll see the outcome. Regardless of our hopes, this is a top-class opponent,” said Lazarov.

Speaking for HC Alkaloid ahead of the rematch, captain Igor Gjorgiev emphasized that the team won’t give up and promised maximum effort on every ball.

“After the duel in Germany against Hannover, we now face the home leg in front of our fans. In the first match, as a team, we had a bad day, especially in finishing clear chances and penalties, which is unacceptable against a squad like theirs. The deficit is big, but we won’t give up at any point. With our fans behind us, we’ll fight. Before the match, we’ll also receive last year’s European Cup trophy, so I invite everyone to join us in celebrating first, and then to be our eighth player,” said Gjorgiev.

Pivot Valentin Karasmanakis also spoke at the press conference:

“We had a bad team day with technical mistakes. Now the rematch is here. All we can do is give 100% on the court and, if the chance arises, improve on our previous performance and wait for the outcome. I call on the fans to give us their full support,” said Karasmanakis.

The rematch between HC Alkaloid and TSV Hannover-Burgdorf is set for Saturday at 19:30 in the Avtokomanda Arena. The match will feature a special moment for Alkaloid as they receive last year’s EHF European Cup trophy, won over AEK Athens in the final.

The refereeing duo comes from Romania: Mihai Marian Pirvu and Radu Mihail Potirniche, with Mihail Bashev from Bulgaria as match delegate. The winner of this tie will advance to Group E of the EHF European League, joining Fredericia (Denmark), Tatran Presov (Slovakia), and Savehof/Malmo (Sweden).

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.