Füchse Berlin suffered a 33-34 defeat against One Veszprém HC on September 27, 2026, at the Covered Hall New Administrative Capital in Egypt, effectively ending their hopes of reaching the IHF Club-Weltmeisterschaft final. Despite a stellar 14-save performance and three blocked penalties by German national goalkeeper Lasse Ludwig, the German Cup winners conceded a decisive last-minute goal to Nedim Remili, sealing the narrow Group B loss.
How Füchse Berlin Lost the Lead in Egypt
The EHF Champions League group opponents Veszprém opened the match by scoring the first three goals, but Berlin responded strongly in the first half to secure a 19-16 halftime lead. Star players Mathias Gidsel and Tobias Grøndahl powered the offense, finishing as joint top scorers with nine goals apiece for the German side. However, Veszprém mounted a second-half comeback, with Ivan Martinovic equalizing at 24-24 midway through the half. The match remained tightly contested until the final minute, when Remili converted the winning shot for the Hungarian club.
Coach and Player Reactions to the Defeat
Füchse Berlin head coach Nicolej Krickau described his feelings after the match as mixed, calling it a top-tier performance that deserved a better result. Managing director Bob Hanning presented Ludwig with the official International Handball Federation player of the match award following his heroic defensive efforts, which included stopping three seven-meter throws. Ludwig expressed immense disappointment, stating that his squad played with high discipline and energy for all 60 minutes but lacked the necessary fraction of luck at the final whistle.
Remaining Schedule in Group B
With Veszprém securing the victory, the Hungarian side holds the upper hand to finish as group leaders and advance directly to the tournament final. Füchse Berlin will complete their group stage fixtures in Egypt against local club Al-Ahly on Tuesday, September 29, at 7:00 PM local time. The team will subsequently play their final placement match of the international tournament on Thursday, October 1.