Easier to win on the road

Through their 30-29 win away against HC Dinamo this weekend, Viborg HK had the best possible start in the Main Round of the Women’s Champions League. Eurohandball.com talked to the reigning champions’ head coach Jakob Vestergaard about the perspectives in Group 2 after the first match day.

eurohandball.com: Just like in the group stage, you opened the Main Round with a win on the road. How much does the victory in Russia indicate on your chances in the group?

Jakob Vestergaard: As I said after our victory in Byåsen in the first match of the group stage, winning on the road is crucial. Starting with a victory on the road gives a lot of calmness and confidence for upcoming matches. The fact that we secured the win in one of those away matches that we feared the most in advance, just makes things even better.

I am pretty sure that we will have to win our home matches and probably one more away match in order to proceed to the semi-finals. And of course there is no guarantee that we win all our home matches, so that makes this away win even more important.

eurohandball.com: You were up by seven goals several times in Volgograd, but still you got in trouble. Why was that?

Jakob Vestergaard. You have to remember that Dinamo is a very strong team – and they have also been behind in several of their Champions League matches they have won this season. Our attacking game was not as efficient in the second half, as it was before the break. Furthermore, their goalkeepers started to make saves, which they practically did not make in the first half. Finally, our defence started to have problems with Kochetova, after in the first half Levina had been Dinamo’s best player.

eurohandball.com: The other match in your group also ended with a defeat for the home team, as Vâlcea won 31-26 against Hypo Niederösterreich in Vienna. What does this mean to the group as you see it?

Jakob Vestergaard: It means that the group winners of the Group Stage really mean business. Once again it shows how equal the Champions League is this year. It also shows that it has become easier to win on the road due to the EHF’s efforts against corruption. Although an enthusiastic home crowd will still mean a lot, of course.

eurohandball.com: Your next task will be at home again Hypo Niederösterreich – a team under obvious pressure after their five goal defeat at home to Vâlcea. How do you see that match?

Jakob Vestergaard: It is going to be a quite remarkable match. I think for once we will be facing an opponent with players who are physically stronger than our players. We do not run into such opponents every day. We will have to compromise for this by getting some extra speed into our game and try to win that way.

eurohandball.com: The last of your many injured players, who still is injured, the fast left winger and Danish international Gitte Aaen has been reported to be on her way back to fitness for some time now. How are the perspectives with her?

Jakob Vestergaard: Not very good, I am afraid. She is probably going to be sidelined for another three weeks or so.