Group B:

Montpellier Agglomeration – IK Sävehof 33:21 (16:9)

First ever international victory in the new arena: After the defeat against Hamburg on Match Day 1 Montpellier was in clear dominant position against still pointless team from Sävehof. The game was pre decided at the break as the Karabatic brothers Nikola and Luca were in brilliant form. Even the fact that right wing Vid Kavticnik was injured during warm-up didn’t make the French Champion nervous. Another player on top level was wing player Michael Guigou who overran the Swedish defense several times.

MKB Veszprem – HSV Hamburg 33:30 (15:13)

Thanks to the outstanding goalkeepers Nandor Fazekas and Dejan Peric and specially the 13 goals of Marco Vujin Veszprem kept their white vest after this top duel. The HSV defense was too weak to stand the pressure of the Hungarian attacks. The host was in lead the whole 60 minutes. Eight goals of Marco Vujin and the counter attacks of Gergö Ivancsik were the key factors for the Veszprem lead at the break. As Nandor Fazekas showed brilliant saves Veszprem had a lot of counter attack chances and led well-deserved. In the second half HSV came closer to one goal (21:22), before the “Vujin machine” restarted, cheered by the great atmosphere in the sold-out arena. With his 12th and 13th goal the Serbian international paced the way to the victory in this crucial stage of the match (24:21). Even with two suspended players Veszprem could extend their lead later-on to 29:25, and Gulyas latest decided the match with his 32:27 in minute 56. Top HSV scorers were Lindbergh and Jansen with each six goals.

Statements after the match:

Martin Schwalb, coach HSV Hamburg: “Congratulations on a well deserved victory. We didn’t play stable enough to take the points here. Two or three times we had the chance to catch up, but every time we failed. But we’re looking forward to the re match in Hamburg.”

Lajos Mocsai, coach MKB Veszprem: “It was a great experience against a high class team. Only with a fantastic performance like this you’re able to beat a team like Hamburg. This match was a great pleasure to our great audience.”

Guillaume Gille, player HSV Hamburg: “The atmosphere was outstanding. We couldn’t stop Vujin, but I don’t think that this was the reason for our defeat.”

Marko Vujin, player MKB Veszprem: “I’m absolutely glad that we have won against this world class team. We knew that we’re a great team on home soil – and we took this chance to win. Now we start to prepare for the match against Montpellier.”

Group C:

Cuatro Rayas Valladolid – Checkhovski Medvedi 26:26 (15:13)

The Spaniards gave the victory from their hands in a high tensioned match attended by 3500 spectators. Both team could count on strong defense sides, but Valladolid was dominant in the first 40 minutes. After the 10:11 the host scored a 5:0 series to 15:11 and thanks to goalkeeper Sierra and the more dynamic match play the Spaniards seemed to be on the winners way at the score of 22:17. But then Chkhovski Medvedi awoke in the final stage of the match, “supported” by a great number of Valladolid mistakes they turned the match in between 14 minutes and led surprisingly 25:24 and 26:25 thanks to the goals of Harbok and Shelmenko and despite the fact that Rastvortsev was suspended with a red card after three times two minutes in minute 48. In the end Valladolid was the lucky winner of a maybe important point in the race for the Main Round. Top scorers were Gurbindo (6 for Valladolid) and Harbok (5 for Checkhov).

Dinamo Minsk – Pick Szeged 33:29 (13:16)

First ever victory for Dinamo in their second ever match of the VELUX EHF Champions League: After this result both teams rank with 2:2 points. Szeged was stronger in the first half, as the biggest difference were six goals at the score of 15:9 for the Hungarians. But supported by their 2100 fans Dinamo reduced the gap to three goals at the break. A 9:3 series from minute 35 to minute 45 (15:19 to 24:22) was the pre-decision for the host that extended the lead to the final result of 33:29. Top scorers were Pukhouski (Minsk, 9 goals) and Sulc (Szeged, 6).

Group D:

HC St. Petersburg – Renovalia Ciudad Real 23:32 (9:14)

Successful jubilee for Ciudad Real: It was their 84th victory in their in total 100th match in the VELUX EHF Champions League. And even despite the fact that Viran Morros (suspension for one match), Luc Abalo and Egor Evdokimov (both injured) had to be replaced in St. Petersburg the task wasn’t as big as expected except the unusual playing time. Ciudad kept their white vest after two matches. After the host was in lead 3:1 the Spaniards turned the match early and took a comfortable five goal gap to the break. This distance remained for a long time, before St. Petersburg resigned and Ciudad Real extended the lead to ten goals (20:30). 17 year old Juanjo Fernandez had his debut in the VELUX EHF Champions League and scored twice. Top scorer for the Spaniards again was newcomer Kiril Lazarov with seven goals, Nasyrov scored five times for St. Petersburg that lost their first ever match of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

SG Flensburg-Handewitt – HCM Constanta 29:22 (15:7)

19 months after their last match in the VELUX EHF Champions League SG Flensburg-Handewitt celebrated a successful comeback with more than 4000 spectators – but it was a victory without glamour. The Germans caused too many mistakes and missed too many chances – so the match wasn’t that clear as Flensburg had hoped. But the win was never endangered as Constanta didn’t have the means to stop the SG. Best player of the Germans was new goalkeeper Sören Rasmussen, top scorers were Eggert with nine goals for Flensburg and Toma (ten goals for Constanta). The host led 7:2 and 13:4 before the Romanians took the profit from their often changed defense tactics. Thanks to the goals of Toma, Constanta came closer to four goals, before the time-out of SG coach Per Carlen woke up his players that came to a mostly clear victory after losing in Ciudad Real last week . For Constanta it was the second – expected – defeat in the VELUX EHF Champions League.Right after the match Flensburg wing player Lasse Svan Hansen extended his contract for four years until 2015.

HC Bosna Sarajevo – RK Croatia Ossiguranje Zagreb 26:26 (12:13)

No winner in the Balkan duel- and even the run for the top scorer was a draw: Croatian Igor Karacic (Sarajevo) and Manuel Strlek (Zagreb) each scored nine goals. The match was absolutely equal in the whole 60 minutes, the biggest difference were two goals. Bosna goalkeeper Sandro Uvodic (former Zagreb player) was the hero in the “Skenderija” hall by saving the last shot ofMarko Kopljar some seconds before the final whistle. The Bosnians celebrated the draw against the favoured team from Croatia which had beaten Constanta in Round 1 clearly,like a victory. Zagreb led 26:24 but then Bosna (now one point) scored the last two goals from the seven metre line. Best Zagreb player was goalkeeper Marin Sego with 17 saves.