Aalborg 36-35 FC Barcelona: Comeback falls short
A loss for the Barça handball team in Denmark after an epic game with a showstopping finale. The blaugranes trailed the entire game, but were just one last second penalty away from grabbing a point, but ultimately Aalborg left with a 36-35 win.
It was the big match of the gameweek, between last season's two finalists in the competition, with the Danes getting their revenge on the blaugranes who had taken their EHF Champions League crown. Emil Nielsen and his national teammates from Aalborg were celebrated for becoming world champions before the game.
Difficult from the outset
The Danes started well, going up 5-2, with Landin proving more effective in goal than Nielsen. Ortega tried to change things around calling timeouts and shuffling his pack, but Aalborg carried on, reaching their biggest lead of six on several occasions. It was 19-13 after 24 minutes, before Nielsen returned to save two in a row, and it was 19-15. The blaugranes were unable to capitalise though, and went in five down at the break.
Blaugranes bring it back within reach
Coming back from five down was no easy task, but they started the second half well, led by N'Guessan, and scored 1-5 to go within one goal (24-23). The equaliser was proving more difficult, though, and suddenly the scoreboard was fluctuating, Aalborg out to four, before Barça brought it back to two.
The end of the game was where it all went off, Barça went to within one, missed three chances in a row, including a penalty to tie. It looked like it was all over, but there was still one more twist in the tale. 36-35 and Aalborg with possession, with less than 30 seconds to go.
Cruel penalty and defeat
The referees blew for passive play and Barça went at it quickly. Then it all went quiet, the referees looked at VAR and blew for a blaugrana penalty. Richardson stepped up to rescue a valiant draw, but Landin saved and Barça return home from Denmark empty-handed.
GAME STATS
Aalborg: 36
Barça: 35
Aalborg: Landin (0), Barthold (4), Arnoldsen (9), Bjornsen (7), Hald Jensen (0), Vlah (4) and Thurin (3) - starting seven - Norsten (0), Wiesmach (0), H. Moller (0), Larsen (0), F. Moller (2), Mollgard (1), Antonsen (1), Juul (2) and Munk (3).
Barça: Nielsen (0), Alei (0)x, D. Mem (9), Petrus (0), Frade (8), N'Guessan (8) and Wanne (0) - starting seven - Gonzalo (0), Bazán (0), Carlsbogard (2), Ariño (2), Janc (1), Sola (0), Makuc (0), Richardson (4) and Javi Rodríguez (0).
Periods: 5-3, 9-7, 14-9, 17-12, 20-16, 23-18 / halftime / 24-22, 27-24, 29-26, 31-28, 34-32, 36-35.
Referees: Kursad Erdogan and Ibrahim Özdeniz.