Dinamo Bucuresti catch up with 10 goal deficit to take away win

Dinamo Bucuresti performed an impressive comeback as they managed to catch up with a 10 goal deficit to take a 29:28 away win against Fraikin BM. Granollers in Group A.

In the same group, SC Magdeburg won clearly 25:19 at home against Aalborg Handball, while Bjerringbro-Silkeborg defeated Saint-Raphael Var Handball 31:26 at home.

Men’s EHF Cup

Group A

Fraikin BM. Granollers (ESP) vs Dinamo Bucureist (ROU) 28:29 (20:13)

The match in the Palau d´Esports de Granollers took a highly surprising turn in the second half, to say the least.

With 11 seconds left, Dinamo’s French playmaker Ibrahim Diaw gave the visitors their first and only lead in the match at 29:28.

However, this was enough to secure the visitors the win.

For great parts of the match, not much indicated an away win.

Granollers, who missed the quarter-final last season, appeared determined to prevent a similar disappointment this time.

From the start, they seemed to be going to steamroll their opponents and already in the first half, they were leading by 10 goals at 17:7 and 18:8.

Before half-time, Dinamo managed to reduce the distance to seven goals, though and mainly thanks to an improving defence, the visitors gradually moved closer during the second half.

With two minutes left, they managed to equalise at 27:27 and although Granollers got back in the lead at 28:27, two goals in succession from Ibrahim Diaw gave Dinamo both points.

Yves Ragot and Ciprian Sandru scored five goals each for Dinamo Bucuresti, while 10 goals from right wing Ferran Sole were not enough for Granollers.

SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Aalborg Handball (DEN) 25:19 (12:9)

The match was special for the Magdeburg players Jannick Green and Jacob Bagersted.

The Danish goalkeeper and line player both have a past career in Aalborg and both had a nice meeting with their former club as Magdeburg won clearly in front of over 3,500 spectators in the GETEC-Arena.

Aalborg were missing two of their most important players, Norwegian playmaker Sander Sagosen as well as line player Simon Hald and the task was to be too big for the Danish visitors who only had 12 players in their team sheet.

Aalborg had 70 supporters with them in Germany but their support was not enough against a Magdeburg team who were leading from the start and who were three goals up at half time.

After Aalborg had been able to hang in fairly well in the first half, they had to let go after the break, and after they had playmaker Morten Slundt sent off with a direct red card with 11 minutes left, their resistance was definitively broken.

Magdeburg got nine goals up at 23:14 before Aalborg managed to reduce the deficit a little towards the end.

Group C

Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (DEN) vs Saint-Raphael Var (FRA) 31:26 (15:12)

A brilliant performance from goalkeeper Kasper Larsen played an important part in Bjerringbro-Silkeborg's perfect start to the group phase.

The 26-year-old performed many excellent and crucial saves throughout the 60 minutes and contributed hugely to the win against the current number two in the French league.

After an equal start with changing leads, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg got a small upper hand toward half time.

The home team were particularly successful and finding experienced Michael Knudsen on the line and this cooperation between back court line and pivot played an important part in the Danish three goal lead at half time.

After the break, the hosts increased their lead even further and were leading by seven goals several times before finally winning by five.

“I think we were good at withstanding their physically hard way of playing, and as the game progressed we became good at running with them and creating space for each other,” said Danish international Mads Christiansen who was Bjerringbro-Silkeborg's highest scoring player with seven goals.

“We had constant problems with their defence which came much forward and caused trouble for our relatively heavy back court players. Furthermore, Kasper Larsen did very well in their goal. Toda, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg were a level or two above us,” was the comment from Saint-Raphael line player Alexander Lynggaard.