Aalborg set up all-European clash after straightforward win against Al-Wehda

In their first-ever game at the IHF Men’s Super Globe, Danish powerhouse Aalborg Håndbold left nothing to chance, sealing an impressive 38:27 win against Saudi hosts Al-Wehda Club.
 
Aalborg will face SC Magdeburg in an all-European semi-final on Thursday, eyeing to become the first-ever Danish side to play in the final of the competition.

QUARTER-FINAL
Aalborg Håndbold (DEN) vs Al-Wehda Club (KSA) 38:27 (19:10)
 
Al-Wehda had huge ambitions before of the start of the IHF Men’s Super Globe, but their first game, a 29:20 win against San Francisco CalHeat on Tuesday, underlined some flaws which were due to be exploited by more experienced opposition like Aalborg.
 
Sure enough, the Danish side had a flawless start, jumping to a 7:1 lead in the first nine minutes, prompting Al-Wehda’s coach, Ahmed Nabil, to take a time-out to weather the storm. But it was already too little, too late, as the lead the Danish side built in the beginning of the game proved to be unassailable.
 
Norwegian left wing Sebastian Barthold, one of Aalborg’s top scorers in the last two seasons in the EHF Champions League Men, was also unstoppable in the first-ever game in the IHF Men’s Super Globe for the Danish side, putting eight goals past the Saudi opponents in the first half.
 
With Swedish back Felix Claar in fine shooting form, the lead grew to nine goals at the break, 19:10, as Al-Wehda did not find answers to stop Aalborg, especially with the last IHF Men’s World Championship top scorer, Frankis Marzo, out due to a ruptured Achilles tendon yesterday, against CalHeat.
 
In fact, Aalborg, who were also without star centre back Aron Palmarsson, stopping Cuban back Angel Hernandez, who scored only four goals from 11 shots, was enough to put a serious dent in Al-Wehda’s attack.
 
As the Saudi team failed to improve their attacking output, Aalborg continued to extend the difference, despite coach Stefan Madsen rested his starters in the second half. 
 
With goalkeeper Simon Sandgrav Gade saving 11 shots, it was time for right wing Sven Jonas Samuelsson to shine, converting fast breaks at a superb pace. There was no surprise, therefore, that the gap ballooned to 13 goals, 29:16, with 14 minutes to go.
 
Despite Hernandez and experienced back Alexander Barabash combining for 15 goals, it was not enough for Al-Wehda, who failed to progress to the semi-finals and tie their result, the fourth place, from 2019.
 
Eventually, Aalborg continued to pounce and secured an impressive 38:27 victory. This was the second-best attacking outing for a team in the last three editions of the IHF Men’s Super Globe, only three goals shy of Kiel’s 41-goal game in 2018.
 
The Danish side will be facing SC Magdeburg in the semi-finals on Thursday, a superb clash between two European powerhouses for a place in the final of the competition.
 
Al-Wehda will now move to Group A of the placement round 5-10, alongside San Francisco CalHeat and Qatari side Al Duhail.