Randers agonisingly close to spectacular comeback

Winning your first leg away from home by nine goals in a European Cup tie usually makes you virtually certain to proceed to the next round.

However, this was not the case for MKS Selgros Lublin when they hosted Randers HK for the second leg of the Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup Last 16.

Having won 27:18 in Denmark last weekend, the match at home on Sunday appeared to be a mere formality, but a big second half performance by Randers saw them come desperately close to stealing a ticket for the last eight, winning by eight goals in Poland, 29:21.

Hypo Niederösterreich still have the chance to live up to their proud European traditions again this season. The Austrian champions were in trouble after losing 25:20 away against Siófok KC Galérius Fürdö.

However, as the Hungarian team visited the Südstadt of Vienna, Hypo managed to win 30:22 and secure their berth in the quarter-finals.

A 25:22 defeat in Serbia against WHC Radnicki Kragujevac could not bother Byasen Trondheim, who had won the home game in Norway 39:24, making Sunday’s match nothing more than a dead rubber.

“We did not reach the same level as last Sunday, but the final result was the biggest lead Radnicki had and our overall win was never threatened,” Byasen coach Claus Mogensen said.

Having won 24:20 in Romania against H.C.M. Roman last Saturday, FC Midtjylland were also very close to the quarter-final ahead of their home game Sunday.

After a narrow 15:14 lead at half-time, the current number two in the Danish league removed any doubt in the last 30 minutes and won 29:21.

“We had a little trouble concentrating at the start and did not really stick to what we had agreed on. However, we turned things aroujnd quite fast,” explained FC Midtjylland coach Helle Thomsen.