Rhein-Neckar Löwen took three points from HBV Balingen-Weilstetten on Thursday evening, winning 29:27 in the Bundesliga. The result moves the hosts up to two points from their visitors, who sit fifth with four after three matches. A draw would have kept the gap at two, but the home side held on to take the full haul.
It was a match decided by fine margins rather than dominance. To be fair, neither side built a cushion that would survive the second half. By then the score was tight enough to swing either way, and the hosts found an extra gear when it mattered most. The away side had their chances, but the final whistle came with the home side ahead.
We had tipped this one for the hosts before kickoff, and the prediction came through. Ninety-five percent confidence felt steady, and Löwen delivered on it. They didn't look comfortable for long stretches, but they found a way to close it out rather than let the visitors pull away.
The recent form of both sides made this interesting to watch. Balingen-Weilstetten had won two of their opening three, while Löwen were still searching for their first victory after two draws. The visitors had looked sharp against Eisenach and Hamburg, but the away trip to a side that doesn't travel to make up the numbers is a different proposition.
What the result means now is straightforward. The home side sit twelfth with two points, but the gap to fifth is only two. A win like this doesn't change the table dramatically, but it gives them something to build on. The visitors remain in the upper half, and there is unrest in the dressing room if they cannot afford another slip away from home.