Handball record champion THW Kiel succeeded in kicking off the Champions League with a success.
On Wednesday the Kiel won their first group game against the Belarusian champions HC Brest with 33:30 (18:15).
Niclas Ekberg was the best thrower of the "Zebras" with eleven goals.
A trio was successful six times each for the hosts.
The North Germans took command from the start.
Hendrik Pekeler scored to 5: 2 (6th), Ekberg increased to 8: 4 (10th).
Brest came up to one goal several times, but the Kielers did not allow more.
With a 5-0 run from 20:19 (36th) to 25:19 (43rd), the THW ensured a reassuring lead, which melted down a bit in the final phase.
THW trainer Filip Jicha tried to distribute the load over as many shoulders as possible.
At first, Pekeler and Pavel Horak formed the defensive inner block, Miha Zarabec took over control of the game, and Rune Dahmke worked on the left wing.
In the course of the game, Jicha cheerfully changed.
Substitute goalkeeper Dario Quenstedt, who was substituted on for the luckless Niklas Landin after a good quarter of an hour, also got a lot of playing time.
The Kielers will not start their journey home again until Thursday. Then the preparation for the 105th Schleswig-Holstein derby against SG Flensburg-Handewitt begins on Sunday (1.40 p.m. Sky and N3).