Hagen came from the road to beat Hamm-Westfalen 41-23 in the Second Bundesliga on Thursday evening. The result keeps Hagen unbeaten after two matches while leaving their opponents winless. To be fair, the scoreline tells only part of the story — Hagen were always in control once they found their rhythm.
Hamm-Westfalen had drawn both previous games before this defeat, sitting eighteenth with two points. By then they had shown resilience, but against a side at the top of the table they could not cope. And here's the thing about handball: you cannot hide for ninety minutes when the opposition are sharp.
Hagen sit second after two victories, four points ahead of third place. They beat Krefeld 29-35 last weekend and now extended that winning run with another convincing performance. The visitors have kept their shape well, moving the ball and punishing mistakes.
The gap between the two sides was clear from the opening exchanges. Hamm-Westfalen's defensive structure appeared to break down under pressure, and Hagen made no mistake when opportunities came. They worked the game into spaces that their opponents could not cover.
What this means for the table is straightforward. Hagen are building momentum with two wins from two, while Hamm-Westfalen face a difficult run if they cannot respond. The second-placed visitors have not looked vulnerable in either match so far this season.
