Unequal match of Danish top teams

There is a huge quality difference between the Danish teams of the Women’s Champions League. This impression was confirmed on Monday night in the Gigantium Arena of Aalborg, where 3421 spectators saw Viborg HK defeat Aalborg DH 41-27 in the quarterfinals of the Danish Cup.

It was 22-12 for Viborg already at half time and they continued to increase their lead in the second half.

“We have to realise that we have a very long way to go to reach the level of Viborg. At the moment they are probably the best women’s team in the world,” Aalborg’s coach, Leif Gautestad, said after the match. The club published an official letter to thank the home crowd their loyal support throughout the match despite the difference.

Viborg: room for improvement

“It is great performance to go to Aalborg and win by 14 goals. This is one of the most difficult matches in the whole season, and I am impressed how well the team are already functioning together. There is still room for improvement, however. We were not ready in the first five minutes of the two halves and that is something we have to work on. It is nice to see the professional attitude of the team, though, and the way new players are already integrated,” said Viborg’s sports director, Michael Hansen, after the big win.

Unlike Aalborg, Viborg are directly qualified for the group stage, where they will meet FTC Budapest from Hungary, Budocnost T-Mobile from Montenegro and a team from the qualification tournaments.

Aalborg will have to play a qualification group in Athens at the end of this month. The opponents will be three national champions: that of Ukraine, HC Zaporozhye, Greece, AC Ormi-Louz Patras and IK Sävehof from Sweden. Only the winner of the group will proceed to the group stage where Krim Mercator Ljubljana, Zvezda Zvenigorod and 1. FC Nürnberg will be waiting for them.