May 4, 2022 - Nexe Našice and GOG drew 37:37 in the return match of the EHF European League quarterfinals and is the first Croatian club to advance to the Final 4 of the prestigious European handball club competition!

Nexe thus wrote the history of Našice, Slavonia, and Croatian handball, achieving this phenomenal success. NEXE drew against the Danish club GOG in the full Phönix Tag Arena in Gudme, and defended the advantage from the first meeting a week ago when they celebrated 32:27.

Nexe played a brilliant 20 minutes, and then missed a lot of opportunities in the last ten or so in the first half. Instead of a convincing lead, they were -2 after 30 minutes of play. Fortunately, this did not leave a mark on their game, which was mostly thanks to the young Dominik Kuzmanović who singlehandedly shattered Gudme's dreams of qualifying for the final tournament. 

Nexe Našice opened the match well, easily led 1:3, gained confidence, and controlled the match almost without major difficulties. When Branko Tamše's team took the lead for the first time with three goals, the home coach was forced to ask for a timeout. The first quarter of the match was not yet over. 

Nexe had the answer to GOG's game. Whether it was a quick transition, an attack on full defense, or a threat to take the ball away for a passive attack. The first half had three heroes. Mihailo Radovanović managed to defend against seven home attacks. Halil Jaganjac and Predrag Vejin played with GOG's defense and scored from all possible positions.

Nexe was up by 4 in the 21st minute (13:17). GOG equalized with a 4:0 series in less than four minutes and at the end of the first half was up 22:20. It was the first serious warning for Nexe that the end is still far away.

The second great crisis arose at the beginning of the second half. In less than five minutes, GOG was up by 4 (26:22) and had an attack for five points. Dominik Kuzmanović quickly shattered all hopes, and Nexe had a 0:6 series and returned for the 26:28 advantage.

In the 48th minute, they were up by 4 again (27:31) and ended at 37:37, which means that Nexe secured a spot in the EHF European League Final 4!

Simon Bogetoft Pytlik was brilliant for GOG with 11 goals. Halil Jaganjac scored 12 goals from 16 attempts, which is fantastic for an outside player. Predrag Vejin scored 7, and Marin Jelinić 6 out of 6 attempts.

The EHF European League Final 4 is played on May 28 and 29. The host will be known in the next ten days, as the EHF is waiting to see who will make it to the final tournament. Nexe is also a candidate to host the final tournament.

Source: HRS

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May 20, 2021 - As expected, RK NEXE defeated second division team Slatina with a convincing 25:41 and advanced to the semifinal of the Croatian Handball Cup.

The final tournament will be played in Poreč from June 18 to 20, and in addition to RK NEXE, two other semifinalists are known - PPD Zagreb, which defeated Vinkovci's Spačva, and Sesvete, who celebrated away in Poreč. The fourth participant in the final tournament will be the winner of the duel Balić-Metličić - Dubrava.

Last night's visit to Slatina was supposed to be a handball holiday, but the pandemic still took its toll, so this game was played in front of empty stands. The beginning belonged to NEXE, which led 4-0 in the first four minutes and actually showed the hosts how the game would go. Despite the huge difference in quality, a very good young home team skillfully used all the opportunities given to them and managed to score 15 goals by the break (15:24).

Coach Branko Tamše rotated the players again on several occasions, making changes to the complete lineups. In the continuation of a similar story, the physical superiority of Našice and the young rhythm of Slatina could not match. If we consider that apart from competing in the Cup, they are not competing, the resistance they offered to the Croatian runner-up was more than solid.

Slobodan Kadic

The match ended with a convincing 25:41, and the set goal was achieved - placement in the Cup final, but coach Branko Tamše was still very dissatisfied with the approach and commitment of some of his players.

"Last night, the local handball players finished their very good performance in this season's Croatian Cup, they have to wait for the decision on the continuation of the competition in the Second Croatian Handball League - East. As their coach Viktor Freihaut pointed out, for years, they have been at the top with direct aspirations for placement in the First Croatian Handball League."

NEXE will briefly put aside the Croatian Cup competition and return to the final of the domestic championship. In the 4th round of the Package24 of the Premier League - Champions League on Saturday, NEXE will play in Varaždin. The match against Dabrovo will be played starting at 7 pm with a live TV broadcast on Planet Sport.

Source: RK NEXE

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March 24, 2021 - The Nexe Našice handball team was defeated in the first match of the EHF European League last 16 at home against German side Rhein-Neckar Löwen 27:25 (13:14).

The Našice club held their own against the favored German side and even had an advantage 15 minutes before the end for 22:21.

Slobodan Kadic

Slobodan Kadic

Nexe kept the score even until the last five minutes when Löwen turned the game around and ultimately claimed the victory. 

Slobodan Kadic

Halil Jaganjac scored seven goals for Nexe, while the best for Löwen was Swede Jerry Tollbring who also scored seven goals. Both goalkeepers were excellent, with Moreno Car recording 12 saves and Andreas Palicka 11.

Slobodan Kadic

The return match is played in a week in Germany. 

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March 18, 2021 - The Nexe handball team recorded a 36:32 victory at home in Našice against Macedonian club Vardar in the 5th round of the SEHA League Group B. 

Motor leads the table with 9 points from three games, followed by Nexe with nine points from five games, and Vardar with six points from four games. In last is Vojvodina who recorded four defeats in four matches.

Slobodan Kadic

Slobodan Kadic

In the clash of these two teams in Skopje, the hosts celebrated 27:26, so Wednesday's victory in Našice could prove crucial in the fight for second place in the group.

Slobodan Kadic

Halil Jaganjac and Janko Kević scored eight goals each, and the great goalkeeper Moreno Car recorded 16 saves. Timur Dibirov scored nine goals for Vardar. 

Slobodan Kadic

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February  24, 2021 - The Nexe Našice handball team achieved their fourth consecutive victory in the EHF European League, defeating CSKA Moscow 32-31 (14-14) on Tuesday in Našice.

The victory was confirmed by Mario Tomić with a goal seven seconds before the end when he sent the ball into the undefended net.

Slobodan Kadić

With this Nexe victory and the expected defeat of the Swedish team Alingsas away to the leading Magdeburg (36-21), Nexe theoretically secured their spot in the last 16 of the EHF European League's first season.

Slobodan Kadić

Nexe played a very even match against the Moscow team, who they lost to in November by 11 goals (29-18).

Halil Jaganjac and Janko Kević scored six goals each for the home team, Fran Mileta scored five times, and Dorian Markušić scored four goals. Goalkeeper Moreno Car had 15 saves, and Mihailo Radovanović had two. Ilchenko, Astrashapkin, and Fokin scored five goals each for the Russian side.

Slobodan Kadić

One round before the end, Nexe is in fourth place with 10 points. CSKA and Montpellier have 10 points each, but with a better goal differential. In first is Magdeburg with 14 points. Alingsas has four points, and the Turkish club Besiktas, which lost all nine games, will not advance to the next round. 

Nexe will play in Montpellier on March 2 in the last round of the group stage.

Sportklub.hr

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