Because the wunderino Arena in Kiel was occupied, the defending champions and record cup winners had to go to that arena for his "home game" where they had won all of their twelve cup trophies - but it was not a good omen: because SCM turned the tide after extra time to win 35:34 and thus qualified for their eleventh German Cup Final4 tournament.

At the last REWE Final4 in Hamburg in 2022, the later German champions led 13:12 at the break of the final, but then broke down and failed again and again against THW goalkeeper Niklas Landin, losing 21:28 the dream of the third cup trophy after 1996 and 2016 was over.

Before Germany’s reunification, SCM had won the GDR Cup four times – including the penultimate FDGB Cup trophy in 1990 after early triumphs in 1977, 1978 and 1984. After the introduction of the Final4 tournaments in 1993, SCM was the first club from former GDR, which qualified – and immediately won the trophy at the debut in 1996. In the quarter-finals, Magdeburg knocked out THW Kiel, followed by a 23:20 in the semi-finals in Hamburg against the two-time cup winner SG Wallau-Massenheim, before six goals by Vigindas Petkevicius were decisive for the 20:18 in the final against TuSem Essen. Back then as boss of defence, and today SCM branch manager: Steffen Stiebler, in goal beside Henning Fritz was Gunar Schimrock, who is now responsible for SCM marketing.

From the first to the second cup victory in 2016, Magdeburg had five more Final4 participations in Hamburg. In 2002, Magdeburg was in the final against their 2023 semi-final opponents TBV Lemgo - and lost against Florian Kehrmann & Co. 23:25. In 1999 (against Kiel), 2004 and 2006 (each against Hamburg) the SCM lost the semi-finals before returning to the final in 2015. In the semifinals, the SCM dethroned the defending champions Füchse Berlin with a thrilling 27:26 victory, followed by the historic, because longest ever, final in the history of the Hamburg Cup followed: After 60 dramatic minutes against SG Flensburg-Handewitt, it was 24:24, after extra time 27:27 – then Flensburg’s young Swede Hampus Wanne sunk the decisive penalty to 32:31 in shoot-out.

But a year later, the SCM struck back: In winter 2015/16, Bennet Wiegert took over the command, in the semifinals against Bergischer HC, SCM needed an extra-time to win by 36:33 just like Flensburg (31:30 against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen) to proceed to the final of the REWE Final4. And the following day, the Austrian Robert Weber was on fire, scoring ten goals in the 32:30 win against SG for the first cup triumph since 1996 and the first domestic title since the championship in 2001.

After that, SCM again qualified for the REWE Final4 tournaments in 2018, 2019 and 2022 – in 2018 they lost the semifinals against eventual cup winners Rhein-Neckar Löwen and in 2019 and 2022 they made it to two finals against Kiel, after having won the semifinals against Hannover-Burgdorf and Erlangen. Twice. the Zebras were too strong - but in the current season, Magdeburg have already eliminated THW in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final against TBV Lemgo, after a 21-year delay, SCM can now take revenge for the lost final of 2002.

Photo: Klahn