Magdeburg take big step towards quarter-final

SC Magdeburg cruised to a clear 32:24 away win at HC Eurofarm Pelister in Bitola in the first leg of the EHF European League Men Last 16 on Tuesday.

Ten goals from Icelandic right back Omar Ingi Magnussson, raising his total to 58 goals for the season, opened the gate to the quarter-final for Magdeburg.

LAST 16, LEG 1

HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs SC Magdeburg (GER) 24:32 (9:15) 

• trailing 5:3, the hosts did not score a goal for more than 10 minutes as Magdeburg pulled ahead decisively to 11:3
• while Eurofarm only scored from 45% of their attacks and missed 11 chances in the first half, Magdeburg were on 79%
• when Magdeburg led by nine early in the second half, the match was decided
• Pelister reduced the gap a bit, but never came closer again than six goals
• former Bundesliga player and Pelister top scorer Stipe Mandalinic scored six goals from 12 attempts

Kristjansson’s sad story continues

Gisli Kristjansson missed Tuesday’s match and could be even out for the rest of the season after his fourth severe shoulder injury within two years. On Sunday, when SC Magdeburg beat Füchse Berlin in the German Bundesliga (29:24), the Icelander fell on his left shoulder, where he had undergone surgery three times since January 2019. “It is so sad to see what happens to this brave fighter. We cannot say how long he will be out,” said SCM coach Bennet Wiegert before the duel in Bitola.