Magdeburg extend perfect start at Zagreb’s expense

HC PPD Zagreb could only keep the pace for 11 minutes against SC Magdeburg. The German champions steered clear and never looked back to clinch their second win in a row, 35:25, in their comeback season in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League.

GROUP A
SC Magdeburg (GER) vs HC PPD Zagreb (CRO) 35:25 (17:12)

• a 6:2 run spurred by two goals from Tim Hornke and Magnus Jensen Saugstrup each helped Magdeburg turn the game their way early in the first half
• the German side started the season in the European premium competition with two wins for the fourth consecutive time
• this was Magdeburg’s seventh win in the Champions League with a difference of at least 10 goals
• after scoring four goals in the first game of the season, right wing Tim Hornke scored 11 times for Magdeburg, to become the team’s top scorer
• Zagreb have now lost five games in a row in the European premium competition, including three in the current season

Best defence inspires Magdeburg to win

Magdeburg did not have the hardest start to the season, but they definitely did their part to secure two wins in the first two matches. The main takeaway, though, is that they currently have the best defence in the competition, conceding only 53 goals against Dinamo Bucuresti and Zagreb, an average of 26.5 goals per game.

Zagreb have been once again disappointing, as their goalkeepers only combined for five saves in the game. But they also failed to bring the goods in attack, scoring 52 goals, only one more than botb Porto and Elverum.