Russian and Belarusian champions march in step

Chekhovskie Medvedi and Dinamo Minsk celebrated easily earned victories on Thursday evening, which meant major steps closer to the knock-out stage of the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Group A:

Chekhovskie Medvedi (RUS) vs. Reale Ademar León (ESP) 36:22 (18:8)

Until Sunday Chekhovskie Medvedi top the table of Group A, equal in points with HSV Hamburg, who will face SG Flensburg-Handewitt in the ehfTV.com Match of the Week. Thanks to this victory the Russian champions are ahead of fifth ranked Ademar León already by six points - what nearly already means the qualification for the Last 16 after they had won the first encounter at Spain 29:22.

León’s fate was sealed in less than 30 minutes, when the Spaniards were below by double figures for the first time after Chekhov had started brilliantly by leading 7:1.

After the break the guests resigned, as Medvedi were in full speed mode still, extending the gap easily to 24:10 and even to 33:14 in minute 50, before decelerating extremely and allowing León to come closer, but not close.

Top scorers were Timur Dibirov (Medvedi) and José Mario Guttierez (Leon) with six goals each.

Group D:

Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs. Dinamo Minsk (BLR) 28:33 (14:16)

Mathematically, Kadetten Schaffhausen still can hope for the their third straight qualification for the Last 16, but practical the chances are close to zero after their second defeat against Dinamo Minsk within one week.

It was the fifth defeat in the sixth match for the Swiss champions, while the Belarusian champions have seven points on their account and consolidate their third rank below FC Barcelona and Füchse Berlin. The distance to Schaffhausen and Szeged increased to five points now with only four matches ahead.

After losing the first encounter against Minsk by ten goals the result on home ground for Kadetten was closer, but still they could not endanger their opponent at any time. Schaffhausen were in lead until the 12:11 at the end of the first half, before Minsk turned the match around and did not give the lead from their hands until the final buzzer. The biggest gap in the second half were six goals, Kadetten did not manage to come closer than to an intermediate 26:30.

Top scorers were Maxim Babichev and Vasko Ševaljević for Dinamo, which were not even shocked by a red card against Pavel Atman. Andrija Pendic stroke eight times for Kadetten.