Győr win Group A

”We can win the Champions League,” Győr’s 28-year old line player, Ana Dokic, told Eurohandball.com last week. By now, at least, her team are sure to win Group A. That is a fact after the Hungarians´ 24-20 away win over ruling Champions League winners Slagelse DT on Saturday afternoon. No matter how Győr´s last group match against Croatian champions Podravka Vegeta will end, the Hungarian team are sure to finish first in the group.

The 1,500 spectators in the historic Danish town of Roskilde saw relatively few goals because both teams had great difficulties in creating danger from their backcourt lines. After losing Katarina Bulatovic and Anja Obradovic over Christmas and still having Gabriela Rotis-Nagy and Suzana Cubela out with injuries, Slagelse were particularly weel in their backcourt line. In addition, they had huge problems with an extremely efficient Orsolya Herr in the Hungarian goal. Herr made 17 saves before leaving the goal to the usually first-choice keeper, Katalin Pálinger after 43 minutes and 46 seconds.

At the other end of the court Slagelse keeper, Cecilie Leganger – who was awarded Player of the Year 2007 in Denmark on the very same evening – also did really well. However, she was unable to save her team from their second defeat against Győr in the Champions League campaign.

Győr in control all the way

Győr started the match better and they were leading 3-1. The visitors kept the control throughout almost the entire 60 minutes. After leading almost the whole first half, they were two up (10-8) at half time.

Soon in the second half, that lead was extended to 4 goals – for the first time at 13-9 – and after that the guests were constantly leading by 3 or 4 goals. There was no real doubt about the result.

“Actually, we did okay in defence for most of the match and received 24 goals, which is quite acceptable. However, we were disadvantaged for being one player down for great parts of the match. In attack we did not manage to produce as many scoring opportunities, as we usually do,” commented Slagelse coach, Anja Andersen, after the match.

Romanian international Aurelia Brandeanu was her team’s top scorer with 7 goals. She scored 4 of them from 7-meter throws. On the other side Montenegrin international, Maja Savic, scored 6 times for Slagelse.

In spite of the defeat, Slagelse are sure to follow Győr to the Main Round on second place.