Füchse Berlin hold off SG BBM Bietigheim 32-31 to move fourth in Bundesliga

Hard-fought league victory in Bietigheim

Füchse Berlin claimed a 32:31 away victory against SG BBM Bietigheim in their Handball-Bundesliga match on Saturday. The result marked Berlin's fifth victory in six league matches this season, allowing the club to move up into fourth place in the Bundesliga standings. Bietigheim entered the contest positioned in sixteenth place in the league table and pushed the visitors until the final seconds. For Berlin, the fixture concluded an intense schedule of five competitive matches played within a span of just nine days. That demanding stretch included their recent participation and travel at the Club World Championship.

Berlin relied on a productive and balanced offensive output across their backcourt and wings. Matthes Langhoff led all Berlin players in scoring with seven goals on the night. Tim Freihöfer, Mathias Gidsel, and Tobias Gröndahl each contributed six goals to the winning effort. Together, these four players accounted for 25 of Berlin's 32 total goals, providing the necessary scoring punch to secure the narrow away victory.

Lineup returns and opening half

The fixture marked the on-court return of two prominent players for the Berlin squad. Right back Mathias Gidsel, the reigning World Handball Player of the Year, was back in the lineup after missing two matches at the Club World Championship due to a thigh contusion. Despite Gidsel's return, Berlin initially experienced difficulty finding their offensive rhythm against a competitive Bietigheim side. The visitors were repeatedly denied by Bietigheim goalkeeper Martin Tomovski, who produced multiple saves during the opening minutes.

The contest remained tightly contested and balanced throughout the opening twenty minutes of play. Berlin held the lead through most of the early exchanges, but Bietigheim responded by leveling the score on multiple occasions. Midway through the first half, German national team player Nils Lichtlein entered the match, making his comeback after a 100-day injury layoff. Berlin seized control in the closing minutes of the first half, pulling ahead by three goals to establish a 20:17 lead at the break.

Second-half cushion and late fatigue

Berlin carried their advantage into the second half and continued to lead as play resumed. The visitors maintained control over the flow of the match and gradually expanded their margin over the sixteenth-placed hosts. With twelve minutes left on the clock, Berlin pushed their advantage to five goals at 30:25. That five-goal cushion was Berlin's largest lead of the entire match, putting the visitors in a seemingly commanding position entering the final phase.

The cumulative strain of playing five games in nine days became evident during the final ten minutes of the match. Berlin visibly tired in the closing minutes, leading to defensive lapses and missed opportunities on attack. Bietigheim capitalized on the visitors' fatigue, launching a persistent comeback and steadily eroding Berlin's lead. Berlin had to endure a tense finish as the lead narrowed to a single goal, but the visitors held on to claim the 32:31 win.