ROUND PREVIEW: A small set of fixtures will get the Women's EHF Challenge Cup going for 2014
Last 16 throws off with just four matches
The Last 16 of the Women´s Challenge Cup begins this weekend with only four matches, as the rest are being played as doubleheaders next weekend.
Actually, only six out of the 16 teams in the Last 16 are going to be in action in the tournament this weekend, as two of them are meeting each other twice this weekend.
This doubleheader will take place in Uzhgorod, Ukraine, where PO SC Galytchanka-Lviv welcome HC Dnepryanka Kherson for an all Ukrainian tie, with the first leg taking place on Saturday evening and the second match the following morning.
In the Sporthalle Pfaffenholz in Basel, Challenge Cup winners from 2011 Mios Biganos Bégles, from the suburbs of Bordeaux, will be trying to take the next step towards a new triumph in the tournament, as they face SG Basel Regio Handball on Saturday night.
According to their own website, the Swiss ladies feel free of pressure ahead of the match and simply want to enjoy the match. They believe that fast attacking play and a compact defence should be the keys to keep up with the French.
The last match this weekend is being played in the Sareza sportovni hala in Ostrava-Privoz, Czech Republic on Saturday evening, where last season´s semi-finalists H 65 Höör from Sweden take on hosts DHC Sokol Poruba.
The following ties will all be decided in doubleheaders next weekend:
RK Zelina (CRO) vs DHC Slavia Praha (CZE)
Istanbul Maltepe Bel. GSK (TUR) vs Issy Paris Handball (FRA)
Colegio de Gaia (POR) vs H. V. Quintus (NED)
ABU Baka (AZE) vs HC BMS Milenium (SRB)
ZRK Naisa-Nis (SRB) vs Ardesen GSK (TUR)
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / cor