The Zehlendorf team has lost three of its lavish nine-point lead after a perfect first half of the season (nine wins from nine games) because the start of the second half of the season was a complete failure (two defeats). But also the pursuer Rüsselsheim did not start the second part of the season flawlessly and lost clearly 0:4 in Feudenheim last weekend. With a deficit of six points, anything but a win on Sunday would mean the end of any hopes of promotion for the RRK. In the first leg, the wasps stole the points from Rüsselsheim 4-2.
The Zehlendorf women should not underestimate their task on Saturday. Feudenheimer HC not only proved against Rüsselsheim that he can be dangerous for any opponent. Rüsselsheim and Feudenheim also play against Mariendorfer HC in their Berlin appearance. The winless bottom could be the first relegated team this weekend if the competition has the same results.
The TG Frankenthal wants to continue their race to stay up in the league with their double guest appearance in Nuremberg (first HGN, then NHTC). The TG competitors ATV Leipzig (against TuS Lichterfelde) and TuS Obermenzing (against Nürnberger HTC) have home games.
In the north, the relegation battle is more exciting than the championship race. With a lead of ten points, leaders Club Raffelberg will probably not be able to dispute their return to the first division. With a home win over Crefelder HTC, the Duisburg women want to take the next step. The second-placed THV from Bonn has two appearances in Hamburg (first Klipper, then Polo) ahead of them. Should the BHTV lose both, the CR ascent would already be in dry cloths with their own victory.
In the Lower Saxony derby between Hannover 78 and Eintracht Braunschweig, 78 could move ahead of Eintracht in the table with a win. Neither of them have to worry about staying up in the league. It’s quite different with the teams in the table basement. Taillight Blau-Weiss Cologne is not nearly as far behind as their southern counterpart Mariendorf, but they still need points, preferably on Saturday at DSD Düsseldorf and on Sunday in the home game against Crefelder HTC. There are also two opportunities in Hamburg for the penultimate team, HC Essen 99, to make up ground against direct competitors (Klipper, Polo).
Photo: Wolfgang Sternberger
