Stunning performances from left back Tin Lučin and goalkeeper Marcel Jastrzębski drove the victory for Nexe, with nine goals for Lučin, who finished as the clear leader on the scoring chart, and 11 saves for Jastrzębski. Nexe were in charge for most of the match, although Kiel threatened to take the upper hand many times in the second period.
QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG
Top scorers: Tin Lučin 9/14 (RK Nexe); Harald Reinkind 5/8, Rasmus Ankermann 5/9 (THW Kiel)
- Nexe flew through the opening minutes, hardly missing any chance to convert an attack into a goal and with 23-year-old goalkeeper Jastrzębski in scorching form; the Croatian side charged ahead to a three-goal lead, 5:2 then 6:3 by the ninth minute
- the only problem for Nexe early on was securing the middle of their defence, as line player Lukas Laube netted Kiel’s first two goals, but they clearly outperformed Kiel in attacking efficiency at over 80 per cent up to the end of the first quarter, 7:6
- although Kiel improved their attacking efficiency, the momentum was always with Nexe, who led through the entire first half aside from two equal scores — at 1:1 and 13:13, just over two minutes from the break
- Jastrzębski hit a save rate of 50 per cent around the middle of the first half, with six stops at that point, and finished the half on nine to Kiel’s combined four; the German side, missing a few key players due to injury and illness, counted only five scorers in the first period
- the second half was all about Nexe holding Kiel off — but THW had their first taste of the lead in the 39th, 18:17, and saw a level score another seven times; however, Nexe had the upper hand most of the period
- from 25:25 in the 53rd minute, Nexe opened a narrow lead; when the clear top scorer of the clash, left back Lučin, scored his ninth goal for 30:27 with three minutes on the clock, victory was in sight
An open duel as Nexe aim to overthrow titans at home
While Kiel are regulars on the final weekends of European cup competitions, whether EHF European League, EHF Champions League or the second-tier predecessor the EHF Cup, RK Nexe target their second participation in the EHF Finals Men. The Croatian side finished fourth at the event in 2021/22 — the only year the EHF European League Men title was not won by a German club.
The tie is open ahead of the second leg, where Kiel will have the home right and hope that helps them emphatically secure a place at the final weekend in Hamburg as it has before. Two years ago, in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League 2023/24, they came back from a nine-goal loss in the first-leg quarter-final against Montpellier, took a 10-goal win and reached the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 2024.
Kiel will hope to welcome back their EHF European League top scorer Bence Imre, who missed the first leg due to illness. Also absent in the first leg for Kiel were Emil Madsen (knee surgery) and Elias Ellefsen á Skipagötu (shoulder injury). While Kiel have some injury woes to deal with, Nexe’s quarter-final opener showed how well their reshape ahead of the 2024/25 season has served them. Jastrzębski was the only new arrival for 2025/26 and is proving a valuable addition.
