ROUND REVIEW: Tight matches were not the order of the weekend in the Women´s EHF Cup Winners’ Cup, as five more teams joined Muratpasa Belediyesi, Jomi Salerno and Gorodnichanka in Round 3.
A weekend of clear decisions
In the Sport Palace RCOR in Minsk, BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Reg. made it all clear already Friday night against B. S. K. Dernegi, as the Turks were defeated 41:22. The Belarusians did not stop there on Saturday and won almost as clearly, 36:21 in the same arena, and the aggregate result of 77:43 left no doubt as to who the better team was.
In the Sporthalle Zug in Switzerland it did not help O. F. N. Ionias much that Magdanlina Papa scored 11 goals against LK Zug Handball Friday evening. The Swiss hosts still won 33:22 and reduced the second leg on Saturday at the same venue to a formality, where a 28:28 draw saved a bit of the honour for the Greek visitors, while Zug can look forward meeting Norwegian side Byåsen who lost to HC Leipzig in the final qualification match for the Women’s EHF Champions League.
HC Odense had also taken a major step toward the third round last weekend, as they won 30:24 in Skopje against WHC Metalurg. Ahead of the second leg in Paaruphallen in Odense, the Danes´ assistant coach Robert Gertsen predicted a ten goal win for his team in the second leg, but as it turned out, his prediction appeared to have even been a bit too pessimistic, as Odense won by 13 this time, 30:17, and the 650 spectators could see their team off to the next round with a 60:41 aggregate win.
ZORK Jagodina had more or less made it all clear already with their 35:26 away win against Union Korneuburg last weekend, but that did not make the Serbian girls relax, when the Austrians visited the Sportska hala JASSA Saturday. 1,000 spectators were rewarded with home win of no less than 40:18, leading to an aggregate win at 75:44 for Jagodina.
Round 3 is likely to be a tougher challenge for the Serbs, as former treble EHF Champions League winners Viborg HK will be waiting for them.
If anyone by SERCODAK Dalfsen had been afraid that their seven goal lead from the first leg at home against KGHM Metraco Zaglebie Lubin would not be enough before the visit to Poland Saturday, their fear turned out to be groundless. After having won 27:20 at home, the Dutch champions did lose the return match, but only by one goal, 32:31. A 58:52 overall win sent Dalfsen on to Round 3.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / cor