HCOB embarrasses itself against Hagen: Victory is still a long way off!

HCOB embarrasses itself against Hagen: Victory is still a long way off!

On October 12, 2025, HC Oppenweiler/Backnang (HCOB) was defeated by VfL Eintracht Hagen in the second handball Bundesliga with a disappointing 31:42. The hosts were unable to gain access to the game right from the start and lost touch in the opening minutes. Within just 12 minutes, Hagen was already leading 8:3 and putting the HCOB players in serious trouble.

Coach Stephan Just indicated that Hagen's more offensive defense was putting the team under pressure. “We let the aggressive defense stress us out and weren’t able to implement much,” Just explained after the game. Technical errors by the hosts also contributed to the significant defeat.

Weak start and catching up

Although the Oppenweiler were able to improve the situation to 14:19 by halftime after an early timeout, the deficit was always noticeable. After the break they were even able to reduce the lead to 17:20, but Hagen immediately countered and quickly restored the old gap.

In a desperate attempt to turn things around, HCOB decided to go with a seventh fielder. However, this tactic produced mixed results. In the end the deficit grew to ten goals, although player Valentin Abt scored six goals, one of the HCOB's few positive performances.

Hagener's achievements and injuries

Hagen's victory was not only due to the HCOB's poor performance. Coach Pavel Prokopec praised the preparation and cooperation between the defense and the goalkeeper, which were crucial to the success. Tim Düren, a returnee to the team, was celebrated with a goal and a seven-meter penalty and made a significant contribution to the victory.

A downer for the Hagen team was the injury to backcourt player Max Öhler, who injured his shoulder in a duel and was taken to hospital to be examined. However, he was released the same evening.

Prospects for HCOB

The current season remains sobering for the HCOB so far: after eight competitive games, including one cup and seven championship games, the team is still waiting for its first win. The next duel is next Saturday when HCOB will play against TV Großwallstadt. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. A repeat of yesterday's performance would be fatal for the team if they don't want to write off the season early on.

The outlook is positive for Hagen with 11:3 points and third place in the table. The team has established itself as a serious candidate for promotion, while the HCOB is urgently hoping for a turnaround.

For more information and detailed game analysis, you can check out the coverage at HC Oppenweiler/Backnang and kicker.de visit.