15th January 2025 has been a very special date for me. After years of being absent, I was back at the German Handball Bundesliga. In my residence Leverkusen, TSV Bayer Leverkusen hosted HSG Blomberg-Lippe. The Rheinland women team had lost all of their matches in the league so far, so that it was urgently time to gain some confidence and come back on track. An interesting match-up at Ostermann-Arena in Leverkusen for the Werkselfen.
This posting comes with a section of 275 major size pictures in the sports galleries.





TSV Bayer Leverkusen – HSG Blomberg-Lippe – Match Report
Leverkusen had a strong beginning of the match. Their defense acted smart against the guests, who partially even played with seven attackers. Goalkeeper Lieke Anna van der Linden blocked a couple of initial shots, while her teammates were rather straight on the offensive side. After just 7:28 minutes, her team was already in the lead by four goals (5-1). However, they could not keep up that spirit. Blomberg-Lippe understood soon how to create gaps in the opponent’s defense and also profited from some technical mistakes. Even though Leverkusen did score here and there, the lead melted down more and more. Seven minutes later, the score was back tied, 7-7.





Leverkusen more and more lost their line in the second part of the first half. The young team felt to lack physical as well as mental stability and gave the guests too many too easy offensive plays. Within some four minutes, Blomberg-Lippe could change the score from an 8-8 tie to a five goal 14-9 lead. At least, Bayer Leverkusen managed to survive the last minutes and have a rather even-scored game, so that the intermission score was 12-16.










Blomberg-Lippe Rolled over Leverkusen in the First Minutes of the 2nd Half
The four goal difference still lead some opportunity for a comeback of wooden spoonist of the Women Handball Bundesliga. But finally, it felt like the break rather harmed the team from the Cologne neighbouring town. Within the first eight minute, Blomberg-Lippe scored straight and played a solid defense, so that their lead was already 21-13 after 38 minutes.











You have to pay credit that the young Leverkusen team never gave up in that match. Of course, there were some lineup changes by the guests, but the gap in score between the two contestants did not alter too muh any more. Around the 50th minute, the Blomberg lead peaked at an eleven goal difference twice. Michael Biegler’s team managed to close up to nine goals until the final whistle, with a final score of 22-31.
TSV Bayer Leverkusen – HSG Blomberg-Lippe – My View of the Match
Leverkusen has a very young team, which does need to gain more experience. However, I felt that the key lacks were on the physical and mental side. The great start by the team did not lead to a flow – and even in later parts of the game, they did here and there manage to have a closer battle. However, there were also the other times during these 60 minutes, in which they neither acted pleasingly in offense nor in defense. Blomberg-Lippe was cool enough to take profit of these situations. Even though their coach Steffen Birkner stated that he was not too pleased with his team, this finally gave the guests an easy evening in Leverkusen.

TSV Bayer Leverkusen – HSG Blomberg-Lippe – Lineups
TSV Bayer Leverkusen: 11 Lieke Anna van der Linden, 16 Nele Vogel, 71 Lena Lindemann – 2 Annika Ingenpaß, 6 Astrid Richartz, 8 Fem Julia Boeters, 10 Sophia Cormann, 18 Johanna Andresen, 20 Pia Terfloh, 21 Mia Cruzado, 26 Loreen Veit, 28 Christin Kaufmann, 30 Rozemarijn Irma Genevieve Alderden, 37 Marie Teusch, 39 Jennifer Souza, 77 Hannah Marie Wirth
HSG Blomberg-Lippe: 12 Zoe Ludwig, 16 Melanie Veith – 3 Laura Rüffieux, 5 Amber Verbraeken, 6 Laetitia Quist, 7 Diana Dögg Magnusdottir, 9 Nieke Kühne, 10 Ida Margrethe Hoberg Rasmussen, 14 Ona Vegue i Pena, 15 Carolin Jaron, 19 Maxi Mühlner, 22 Judith Tietjen, 31 Alexia Hauf
TSV Bayer Leverkusen – HSG Blomberg-Lippe – Gallery
In the sports gallery, there is a designated major size picture gallery with 275 pictures of this match at
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