Industria Kielce secured a thrilling 36-35 victory over One Veszprem HC on Thursday, February 19, 2026, boosting their chances of finishing third in the group and potentially earning a more favorable matchup in the next phase of the competition. The win came against a Veszprem side that has been a recent disappointment, despite significant investment in building a championship-caliber team.
Dramatic Finish in Kielce
One Veszprem HC arrived in Kielce without star player Nedim Remili, a former Industria Kielce player.
The home team started strong, racing to a 9-4 lead in the 11th minute thanks to a goal from Benoit Kounkouda. However, Kielce then endured a scoring drought between the 15th and 20th minutes, allowing Veszprem to close the gap and tie the game at 11-11. Despite an impressive 85% shooting accuracy in the first half, Kielce struggled defensively, with goalkeepers Adam Morawski and Klemen Ferlin managing only one save apiece.
“This isn’t a match decided by defense, but I think if Kielce had improved a bit defensively, their goalkeepers would have had an easier time and the result might have been different,” commented Iwona Niedźwiedź during the Eurosport broadcast. “They demand to be more aggressive in the second half and disrupt Veszprem’s rhythm.”
At the start of the second half, Veszprem gained a four-goal advantage (21-19), but Kielce, led by Talant Dujszebajev, rallied and regained their composure. The game remained incredibly tight in the closing stages, with the score tied at 34-34 in the 54th minute. Szymon Sićko then set Kielce ahead with a well-executed individual effort, scoring 5 goals on 7 attempts.
The crowd erupted when Klemen Ferlin saved a penalty shot from Hugo Descat. However, Kielce then lost possession, squandering a chance to extend their lead to two goals. With 50 seconds remaining, Ahmed Hesham, the match’s leading scorer with 9 goals from 14 attempts, leveled the score. A two-minute penalty was then called on Arciom Karalek, and with 20 seconds left, Vlah earned a penalty. Piotr Jarosiewicz converted the penalty, giving Kielce a 36-35 lead, but Veszprem still had a chance to tie. Hesham’s final shot sailed over the crossbar as the buzzer sounded, sealing the victory for the home side.
“Huge credit to Kielce for fighting as a team,” Niedźwiedź added. “Players like Alex Dujszebajev, Szymon Sićko, and Klemen Ferlin in the final minutes stood out, but it was a team effort. That’s their greatest strength. With fans like these, you win close games.”
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Industria Kielce will next face Fuchse Berlin, last season’s finalists, on Thursday, February 26th at 6:45 PM local time.
Industria Kielce – One Veszprem HC 36:35 (17:19)
- Industria: Ferlin, Morawski – A. Dujszebajew 6, Jarosiewicz 6 (6 from penalties), Sićko 5, Karalek 5, Nahi 4, D. Dujszebajew 4, Vlah 2, Maqueda 2, Kounkound 2, Olejniczak, Monar, Moryto, Latosiński.
- Veszprem: Corrales, Appelgren – Hesham 9, Martinović 7, Cindrić 6, Descat 4, Elisson 3, Lenne 3, Elderaa 1, Pechmalbec 1, Mesilhy 1, Goncalves, Marguc, Ligetvari, Ali Zein, Dodić.
Standings:
- Fuchse Berlin 11 matches, 20 points, goals: 370:332
- Aalborg Handbold 11 matches, 19 points, goals: 355:304
- One Veszprem HC 11 matches, 12 points, goals: 372:350
- Industria Kielce 11 matches, 11 points, goals: 357:361
- Nantes 11 matches, 10 points, goals: 353:325
- Sporting Lizbona 11 matches, 10 points, goals: 367:375
- Kolstad 11 matches, 4 points, goals: 311:401
- Dinamo Bukareszt 11 matches, 2 points, goals: 305:342
