GROUP B
MOTW: RK Celje Pivovarna Laško (SLO) vs Lomza Industria Kielce (POL) 30:33 (16:17)
- a 5:1 run to start the second half from Kielce was the pivotal moment of the match, with left back Szymon Sicko scoring the first two goals to hand Kielce a four-goal lead, 22:18
- Sicko was the match top scorer with nine goals, tying his best showing in the competition, set against Flensburg in October 2021
- Kielce are on a three-game winning run and jump into second place in the standings. Celje have lost three games in a row and look set to be in a back-and-forth battle for sixth place, the last place that ensures a play-off berth
- center back Aleks Vlah was Celje's top scorer again, with eight goals that means he retains first place in the goal scorer standings, with 41 goals
- two of the last three wins secured by Kielce against Celje came in the last two games, but the Slovenian side still holds the head-to-head advantage, with six wins in nine matches
- Celje's center back Tilen Strmljan, who scored four goals, was named the Player of the Match
Kielce stay strong to win their match in a row
Celje proved again they are no walkovers by pushing Kielce to the limit in this match. The Polish side had to maintain their intensity until the last moments, with their lead cut to a single goal with three minutes left, 29:28.
Three goals in a row from right back Nedim Remili decided the match for Kielce, who rediscovered their usual attacking self, after a disappointing outing against Barca, in the semi-finals of the Super Globe, where they scored only 28 goals in a 28: 39 defeat last Saturday.
The Polish side have the third-best attack in the competition after five rounds. They have scored 171 goals, but their last three wins have been tight, with the highest number of goals between them and the opponents being four goals.
Celje might have lost their third match in a row, but proved again to be a strong side, although an inexperienced one. Their reputation of growing excellent talent was displayed on the biggest stage, with a 61% attacking efficiency against Kielce.
I have big respect for Celje Pivovarna Laško, their coach, and their players. They are a team that fights until the very end against every opponent. We expected tough match, but at the end we are happy to take two points back with us to Kielce.
