Women´s Cup Winners´Cup Last 16, second leg preview

After Thüringer HC, HC Leipzig, Hypo NÖ and Rostov-Don already clinched their berths in the top eight of the Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup, four more teams will follow them over the next weekend (9/10 February).
After the first leg matches favourites are clearly set in all four encounters.

The Polish champions Vistal Łączpol Gdynia can afford to lose in Spain against Balonmano Bera Bera by eleven goals in the second leg after their easy ride last weekend (32:20).

However, since they beat the Spanish opponents also in the Women´s EHF Champions League Qualification in Viborg last September (31:22), the keeping of their unbeaten record against Bera Bera could be a strong motivation for the Polish side.

Two clubs will enter the second leg with an eight goal cushions created on the home court.

RK Zaječar would need more sharpshooters like Maja Zebić, who scored 10 goals in the first leg, if the Serbian champions still want to dream about qualifying through the Russian title holders Dinamo Volgograd.

HC Podravka Vegeta is in comfortable position before their short drive behind northern borders of Croatia.

In Vác, Hungary the injury depleted Croatian champions, who lost two key players during the season - Miranda Tatari and Sanja Damnjanović, need to protect the eight goal lead from the first match.

“We can expect a hard match in Hungary, our opponents showed already in the first match everything what they are capable of.

"Anyway, we are aiming for the second victory as we want to confirm our effort and our goal to be in the quarter-finals,” Podravka´s goalkeeper Marta Žderić said for the club website.

The French side Issy Paris Handball also hold all the aces as the Wild card tournament of the Women´s EHF Champions League participant returned from Norway´s Stabæk with a four-goal victory.

Photo: Robert Šostarić

Further information
Follow all the results of the Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup, Last 16 here