“We are very satisfied with the result. Brest have become stronger compared to [when we played them] in March. We are glad to win.”
“Congratulations to Vive. We had hopes to win before the game but we failed to play well in the last 20 minutes.
“Our goalkeeper played better in the first half [than the second] and that is why we were three goals ahead at the break. We played at an unsatisfactory level between the 10th and 25th minutes of the second half while Ivic showed the highest level.
“It's really difficult to play against such teams that use all mistakes we made [to punish us].”
“We wanted to dictate our rhythm of play and it led to the three goals difference at half-time, but we were not lucky in the second half as we lost the ball a lot. Also, unfortunately, Ivic played well. All this led to such a final result.”
RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) vs HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb (CRO) 30:28 (14:13)
Celje made a winning start to their VELUX EHF Champions League campaign after coming out on top in a rollercoaster clash with old rivals HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb, celebrating only their second win in the last eight meetings with the Croatian giants.
Having lost both games against Zagreb in Europe’s premier club competition last season, Celje turned the tables with a remarkable home court performance.
Mandalinic puts on a one-man show
This was always going to be a fast-paced encounter and it fully lived up to expectations as both teams played at the top of their limits, with Zagreb taking an early 6:4 lead as their top scorer Stipe Mandalinic fired on all cylinders.
But Celje quickly regained their composure and turned the deficit into an 11:9 advantage, with Zagreb relying almost exclusively on Mandalinic to stay in the match. The left back finished the first half with an impressive tally of seven goals from as many shots but it was Celje who carried a one-goal advantage into the locker room.
Zagreb finds second wind
The start of the second half was a carbon copy of the same period in the first as the visitor’s steamrolled into a 20:18 lead, with Mandalinic again at the heart of their effort.
He received welcome support from Zagreb’s Slovenian right back David Miklavcic, who was inspired against his compatriots and netted five goals from as many shots up to that point.
Rampant Celje swings the contest
However, that was as good as it got for Zagreb as the home side seemed to move up a gear in attack, while they also stifled Mandalinic and Miklavcic at the other end of the court.
Having turned the two-goal deficit into a 25:22 advantage, Celje kept going at full throttle and prevailed after their goalkeeper saved a seven-metre penalty shot when the hosts were 29:27 ahead and a man down, after one of their players was suspended for two minutes.
Winger Luka Zvizej led the home team’s attack with seven goals, while Mandalinic netted 10 from 13 shots but the rest of the team just couldn’t match his firepower.
Branko TAMSE, RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko Head Coach, said after the game:
“First of all I have to thank the great spectators here in the Dvorana Zlatorog. At the same time I have to congratulate my players since they have done today almost all we have planned in these past four days - our 5-1 defence worked great, although that we only started training it just this week.
“The match was very hard, but there was a nice atmosphere and I think that also the match has been good to watch, since there were a lot of nice combinations and goalkeeper saves.
“This is just the beginning though, we have two points which we deserved today and, of course, we needed them.”
Veselin VUJOVIC, HC Prvo plinarsko drustvo Zagreb Head Coach, said after the game:
“Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose; that’s life. Last season we won by a goal, and today we had a similar match.
“The decisive moment in the match was in the second half when we did not take our two player advantage and Celje scored twice.
“From then on Celje had full control, but this is just the first round and there are plenty of games to play and many points to win.
“Teams have to win on their home court, and try to get some away ones, which we did not manage to get today.”