Pfadi’s Defeat in Kriens Leaves Them Stuck in the Middle Ground
The NLA handball team from Winterthur, Pfadi, missed an opportunity and lost to Kriens 31:35 (18:19). They played according to their current position in the standings: mediocre. Published today at 06:00 AM. There is still much work to be done for Coach Goran Cvetkovic and his Winterthur team. Photo: Deuring Photography. Subscribe now and benefit from the read-aloud function.
Five games, five points, and the 6th place. Pfadi finds themselves in the Swiss National League A right where many expected them to be at this point in the season: in the middle of the pack. So far, there have been no major surprises in either direction. The Winterthur team missed out on a point that was not in their budget with a 31:35 loss to HC Kriens-Luzern on Thursday. They held a 17:12 lead after 22 minutes. The efficiency in attack was there, and the defense was not facing any significant issues. This was also due to the fact that their opponents, now the top challenger to reigning champions Schaffhausen, were not performing particularly well.
Allowing the Opponent to Turn the Game
However, their opponents did not manage to turn the game around either. Despite this, they still emerged victorious. This was primarily due to Winterthur’s own mistakes. From the 17:12 lead, their errors in attack began to accumulate, with Aleksandar Radovanovic, for example, making three turnovers in the first three minutes of the second half. The 17:12 advantage turned into a 19:23 deficit by the 35th minute.
Winterthur had essentially handed the opponent the opportunity to make a comeback. They were unable to rectify the situation until the end. Cvetkovic remarked, “There was a chance to win this game.” Unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize on it, with technical errors proving to be a major hindrance. “We were not at the level to control the game,” Cvetkovic added. Even defensively, allowing 35 goals was not a stellar performance.
The performances of playmakers Radovanovic and Tim Rellstab were not sufficient. “If both of them fail to find their rhythm, it becomes challenging,” explained Cvetkovic. The three young playmakers also failed to deliver anything exceptional, unlike Gian-Luca Bühlmann’s performance against Thun the previous week. “We failed to generate enough pressure on the goal from the backcourt.”
Learning from Mistakes
According to the coach, there was a lack of focus on the basics. If they can learn from their mistakes and avoid simple errors, then this defeat can serve as a learning experience and aid in their development. On a positive note, Kristian Rammel’s accuracy at the pivot position (5 goals) and right winger Alec Smit’s impressive performance, scoring 10 goals from 13 attempts, stood out.
Now Facing a Test against BSV Bern
The draw against Suhr in the opening match of the season can now be seen as a success in hindsight. Currently, the Aargau-based team holds the 2nd position in the league. They achieved what Pfadi failed to do ten days ago: securing a point in Kriens.
The second team making a positive impression in the early stages of the season will face Pfadi on Sunday at 5 PM at the Axa Arena: BSV Bern, led by young playmaker Felix Aellen, has only suffered a defeat against Kadetten Schaffhausen, winning all subsequent matches, including the one in Zurich.
“We are no longer the clear favorites,” mentioned Cvetkovic in anticipation of the BSV match. With three home games in the next four rounds, his team has the opportunity to gain momentum in the league.
Following that, their first appearance in the European Cup awaits. The opponent has now been revealed: Pfadi will face RK Sloboda from Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in the second round of the European Cup on October 19/20 and 26/27, where they are expected to be the favorites.
Urs Stanger is the Head of the Sports Department of the Zurich Regional Newspapers.
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