SC Magdeburg threw off their campaign at the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship with a big win over the California Eagles, 50:20, securing the largest win so far in this edition.

GROUP A
California Eagles (USA) vs SC Magdeburg (GER) 20:50 (10:28)

Goal difference is important at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship and three-time winners SC Magdeburg knew this before entering their match against California Eagles, making their debut at the 2025 edition of the world club handball flagship competition.

The German side, which won the title in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and finished on the second place in 2024, had a fantastic run of unbeaten matches in the competition -16 - having lost the final against Veszprem in overtime in 2024, and were virtually sure to extend it against the Eagles.

The two sides have also met in the last edition, when Magdeburg took a 57:21 win and things looked to be heading to the same outcome after the first half, when the German side was spurred by coach Bennet Wiegert to push the tempo up, lifting them to a 28:10 lead at the break.

By the 45th minute, the gap increased to 25 goals, 40:15, as the easy balls won in defence by the Champions League winners in 2025 were converted into fast breaks and wings Lukas Mertens (10 goals) and Tim Hornke (seven goals) led the way, despite missing eight shots between themselves.

As goalkeeper Matej Mandić constantly hovered over a 50% saving efficiency, damaging the Eagles’ attack time after time, there was no chance that the American side would limit the damage. However, Magdeburg failed to improve on their result from the previous years, as they full time saw a 30-goal win, 50:20 for the German side.

Mertens finished the match with 11 goals, Hornke added nine, while line player Magnus Saugstrup had a perfect match, with eight goals from eight shots for Magdeburg, the three combining for 27 goals, more than the Eagles.

Magdeburg have already improved their chances to be the best first-placed side at the end of the preliminary round and will face Sharjah SC on Sunday, while the Eagles have finished third in this group and will head to the placement round. 

Player of the Match: Albin Lagergren (SC Magdeburg)