Wacker Thun vs RTV Basel

The defining phase came within the opening quarter-hour. Wacker Thun, playing with the energy and structure that new head coach Oscar Carreno has instilled during pre-season, raced to a 7–3 lead that forced RTV Basel into an early tactical timeout. The visitors never recovered their rhythm, and the damage inflicted in that first spell — combined with an electric Lachenhalle atmosphere — set the tone for the entire evening. The composure and game management Carreno's side showed after building that lead suggests a team that has bought into its new tactical framework quickly.

Nino Gruber (#21) – The player who penned the pre-match preview calling on fans to help make the Lachenhalle a fortress again delivered on his own promise. Gruber was instrumental in organising the attack and keeping the tempo high during the crucial early phase. His leadership from the backcourt was a major factor in Thun's fluid build-up play.

Wacker Thun's back line – Facing a Basel team that had shown cohesion from the previous season, the Thun defence made life difficult for the visitors' shooters. The compact structure Carreno has implemented — built on the team's existing strengths per his own comments before the match — limited Basel's clear sight of goal for long stretches.

RTV Basel's attack – To their credit, Basel continued to create chances throughout, particularly in the second half. Their 29 goals on the road against a well-drilled Thun defence showed they have offensive quality, but they could not match the home side's firepower or defensive solidity over 60 minutes.

The 38–29 scoreline reveals a match that Wacker Thun dominated from early on. The nine-goal winning margin — a significant one in top-tier handball — reflects a game that was never truly in the balance after the opening exchanges. While the Betmana match page displays the full head-to-head record showing Wacker Thun have won 20 of 25 meetings with Basel since 2010, this result stands out as one of the most convincing. The combined 67 goals are well above the average of 56.6 across this fixture's history, indicating that this was a high-scoring, open contest where Thun's attack simply overwhelmed Basel's defence.

Basel's ability to score 29 suggests they found some success in the second half once the pressure of the scoreboard had slightly eased, but Thun's response every time Basel cut the deficit was the decisive pattern.

Wacker Thun open their 2026/27 campaign with two points and a significant boost in goal difference. Under new management, this is the ideal start for a team that finished fifth in the pre-season standings projection — a table that had them on zero points alongside nine other sides before a ball was kicked. The emphatic nature of the win sends an early message to the rest of the NLA.

Basel, who had their first competitive outing under their belts, will need to regroup quickly. They face their first home match of the season against GC Amicitia Zürich on Saturday 29 August.

Wacker Thun, meanwhile, travel to face Kadetten Schaffhausen on Saturday 29 August — a significantly tougher test against one of the traditional powerhouses of Swiss handball.

Wacker Thun delivered exactly the season-opening statement they needed. Carreno's tactical imprint was visible from minute one, and the squad's execution — particularly in that decisive opening spell — was clinical. RTV Basel will take lessons from patches of the second half but will know that the damage was done long before the final whistle. If Thun maintain this level, they will be a difficult opponent for anyone in the NLA this season.