The time has come: the BVB women's handballers will play their final home game of the 2021/22 season on Saturday (19:00 CET). Coach André Fuhr's team will be aiming to produce another good showing against HSG Bad Wildungen Vipers, as they aim to finish off the home campaign in style in front of their fans at Halle Wellinghofen.

If the Borussia Dortmund women's handballers perform only half as well as did in their highly deserved 31-23 win over Leverkusen on Wednesday evening, a real handball festival awaits the BVB fans in the final home game of the season on Saturday evening. The opponents are HSG Bad Wildungen Vipers and throw-off at Halle Wellinghofen is at 19:00 CET.

Head coach André Fuhr was of course satisfied with the performance in Leverkusen in Wednesday, saying: "We played really well for 50 minutes and not particularly well for 10 minutes, although the coach was not entirely innocent in that respect. I changed a little too much at that point." Otherwise, though, everything was on point in this all-NRW clash. Captain Alina Grijseels was in great form, while Mia Zschocke shone with a very good performance in defence and four goals in attack against her former club. "I'm especially happy for Mia," said Fuhr, praising the Germany international following what was probably her best performance in recent weeks.

BVB were 17-10 up at the break and even led 21-11 after three minutes of the second half. Logically, André Fuhr used the opportunity to field players who have otherwise not seen much action. Zschocke, van der Heijden, Grijseels and Freriks were given a break, with Sando, van Zijl, Rønning, Sasaki and Uścinowicz replacing them. The switch saw Leverkusen claw the score back to 23-20 by the 45th minute, as BVB involuntarily set up an exciting finish to the match.

But that was as far as the Leverkusen ladies' comeback got. Fuhr reversed the changes and a slender 23-20 advantage was transformed into a more comprehensive 31-23 lead in the final 15 minutes. The vice-champions' display was a commanding one, as the fans in Leverkusen's Ostermann-Arena were forced to accept with envy.

The Black & Yellows will be hoping for a similarly strong performance on Saturday in their final home in front of their fans, with Thüringer HC the opponents on the final day of the league season on 21 May. "We struggled slightly in the reverse fixture against Bad Wildungen. But every player will again want to show her best possible self on Saturday," explained Fuhr, adding: "As a coach, I'm also totally focused on getting four points from the final two games against Bad Wildungen and Thüringen. We want to not give up anything more in the home stretch of the season and get our fans in the mood for next season."

Throw-off against Bad Wildungen will be at 19:00 CET on Saturday; tickets will be available from the box office.