Ida Oden: We can match the best

Spirit and cohesiveness can bring IK Sävehof far in the Women's EHF Champions League, their top scorer Ida Oden believes. The enthusiasm was hilarious in Partillebohallen at Gothenburg last Sunday, when Sävehof had written handball history by qualifying for the Main Round of the Women's EHF Champions League for the first time ever through a 25:25 draw against Krim Mercator from Slovenia in Group C.

The draw, which sent both teams to the Main Round, was a drama, in which Sävehof were leading by three goals for large parts of the game, but where the visitors were leading 25:23 with 90 seconds left. Goals from Ida Oden and Jenny Alm secured the point and the Main Round berth for the Swedish champions, though.

ehfCL.com had a talk with Sävehof's most scoring player in the Group Matches, 26-year-old right back Ida Oden about the historic achievement.

ehfCL.com: What was the match against Krim like for you? What did you feel during the 60 minutes?

Ida Oden: I felt that it was an extremely equal and exciting match, and I think that the result, 25:25 was a correct outcome of the game. There was a great atmosphere in the hall with a fantastic crowd.

ehfCL.com: It was you who kept your team's chances alive towards the end of the match by scoring the reducing goal to 24:25. Is that typical for you – that you are cool and without nerves in such situations?

Ida Oden: It did not take all that much important the importance of that goal. We had been playing a long attack, and I was almost forced to shoot. Fortunately the shot went in.

ehfCL.com: What do you see as the reason for your team's sudden success in the EHF Champions League this season?

Ida Oden: We have managed to keep all our players from last season, and with our experience from the Champions League last year, we have grown together. Furthermore, we have been training really hard, we believe in ourselves and we are not afraid of any opponent.

ehfCL.com: You are second on the list of the most scoring players in the Group Matches with 35 goals so far. Is there any particular reason for that success?

Ida Oden: I do not think much about who scores the goals, as long as we play well and win. I have been in the club for a long time now, and I like to take the responsibility upon me.

ehfCL.com: You are working in an IT company besides playing handball. How do you manage to combine job and handball at top level?

Ida Oden: Actually, I like to have something to do beside the handball. And in fact, I only work part time, and I can actually decide my working hours myself, so it functions really well.

ehfCL.com: If you get at least one point more than Krim on the last match day this weekend, you will win the group and be likely to get an easier draw for the Main Round, than you will if you finish second. Do you find it realistic to win the group?

Ida Oden: If anyone had told me before we started playing in the Champions League this season that we had the chance to win our group I would probably not have believed it. However, I think we have played many good games along the way, and we have proved that we have a say in Europe.

ehfCL.com: What does it mean to your team that line player Linn Blohm is out for six to nine months with a torn cruciate ligament?

Ida Oden: It is extremely sad that Linn has sustained that injury, not least as she is a really great girl who simply burns for handball. However, we have the advantage of having two equally good line players who used to share the time on the court. Now, it is going to be really tough for Frida Tegstedt, but she is in very good shape, so I believe she can manage.

ehfCL.com: How far do you think you can make it in the EHF Champions League?

Ida Oden: As I said earlier, we are filled with self confidence, and we really believe in our skills. We have proved that we are a very strong team, and that we can match the best. We will see how far that can take us, but there should be no doubt that we intend to go on fighting, like we have done this far.

Further information

Follow the last match of IK Sävehof in the Group Matches on ehfTV.com as they play away against Metz Handball.