Zaječar won the first part of all-Serbian contest.
Metalurg and Bera Bera reach Last 16 of Cup Winners´ Cup
Two participants of the EHF Champions League Qualification Round clinched their berths in the Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup during the first weekend of Round 3.
Only thanks to two victories with the narrowest margins WHC Metalurg could celebrate the promotion to the Last 16. Macedonian champions beat Poland´s SPR Lublin twice over the weekend 27:26 and 26:25. The scoring race between Metalurg´s Mirjeta Bajramoska and Lublin´s Alina Wojtas was won by the Polish player (19:15), however she could not prevent her side from being eliminated.
Spanish runners-up Balonmano Bera Bera joined Metalurg after they won both matches on the home court against Romania´s HC Danubius Galati (26:23, 22:19).
Ten more teams will follow Metalurg and Bera Bera to the next stage after the second leg which is scheduled for next weekend (17-18 November) and four more participants will join the competition´s Last 16 from the European top-flight after all four third placed teams of the EHF Champions League Group Matches final standings will be redirected to the Cup Winners´ Cup.
The draw of the Last 16 pairings will take place on Tuesday, 20 November (11:00 hrs local time) at the EHF Office in Vienna.
The nearly sold-out Chemkostav arena in Michalovce (1,400 fans) could cheer from the half-time lead of Iuventa (15:14) against Rostov-Don, but the Russian favourite took home 31:28 victory even despite several spectacular saves of 46 years old Lenka Černá in the goal of the Slovakian champions. The legendary Czech goalkeeper signed for Iuventa only two weeks ago to help out the side hit by goalkeepers´ injuries and to continue her illustrous career.
In all-Serbian clash ŽORK Jagodina failed to take advantage of 2,000 spectators in the stands of Sportska hala JASSA as they lost against national champions RK Zaječar 23:26.
France´s Toulon Saint Cyr Var Handball beat last season´s semi-finalists of the Cup Winners´ Cup HC Leipzig 31:28.
The second French team Issy Paris Handball moved very close to the Last 16 after an overwhelming 35:21 victory in Prilep, FYR Macedonia against the home team HC Žito.
Further information
Find the results of the Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup Round 3 here
TEXT:
EHF / br