Epic collapse for CSM inspires third straight win for table-topping Györ

There was no shortage of drama in May 2016 in Budapest, when CSM Bucuresti won their maiden Women’s EHF Champions League title beating Györ in the final after a nail-biting penalty shootout at the Women’s EHF FINAL4.

In a rematch of the final, the Hungarian side took CSM’s scalp in Bucharest after another classic in which the Romanian side had a five-goal advantage in the 32nd minute, but Györ took advantage of CSM’s woes and made it six points from six, winning 27:24.

• Last season, the Hungarian side won both games in the Main Round against CSM, but lost the final
• Romanian side were easily beaten on the wings, with Bernadett Bodi Györ’s top scorer, with six goals
• Swedish duo of Linnea Torstensson and Isabelle Gullden scored four times for CSM
• CSM will look to avoid their third defeat in a row, in the away game against Györ, next Friday
• CSM’s former head coach, Kim Rasmussen, now leading the Hungarian women’s national team, attended the game

GROUP C

CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) 24:27 (13:9)

It seems like Györ are already huge favourites to take their third-ever Women’s EHF Champions League. Drawn in the ‘group of death’, against title holders CSM Bucuresti, Rostov-Don and FC Midtjylland, the Hungarian champions are showing strength, intelligence and grit, inspiring two astounding comebacks on their big rivals’ home court, to take their consecutive win tally to three.

Grimsbø’s injury, the unmaking of Györ in the first half

The Hungarian powerhouse was the favourite, after an amazing start of the season in which they have already shown themselves as the team to beat this season.

Indeed, the guests were the driving force in the game against CSM early on, jumping to a 7:5 lead, thanks to flawless shooting by Dorina Korsos and Heidi Loke.

But the Hungarian side lost Kari Aalvik Grimsbø to an injury, after the Norwegian goalkeeper collided with one of her own defenders, and that was the moment the title holders took control of the game.

A 6-0 defence that resembled a wall at times, led by the amazing Jelena Grubisic, who scored her third goal of the season, was CSM’s main advantage that saw the game turn in their favour as they went on an 8:2 run in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

CSM’s collapse inspired Györ

The undisciplined Györ defence received six two-minute suspensions in the first half including two for Brazilian Eduarda Amorim Taleska which meant the Hungarian side were forced to reshape their defensive plan

The short-term result was initially a four-goal (13:9) half-time lead which moved up to five after 32 minutes (14:9) and the Romanian champions were sailing to another win in front of their rivals.

Foot off of the gas or Hungarian strength?

But Györ pushed the reset button, kept their aggressiveness and improved their discipline, taking the lead seven minutes later after a 7:2 run, capped by two open-goal shots by Anita Görbicz and Nycke Groot that took advantage of an epic collapse for the Romanian side in front of stunned and previously passionate home crowd.

A flawless shooting night for Amorim – five goals from five shots – and last-gasp passes for Heidi Loke which the Norwegian line player converted with ease, were combined with Eva Kiss’ extraordinary saves, saw CSM’s attacking efficiency drop from 50% in the first half to 33% at the end of the match and which meant Györ – who even took a time-out at the death where coach Ambros Martin was heard to tell Amorim; “what do you want to do? 2-2-3?” - recorded another impressive win as they march onwards to another final date.

Said after the game:

Jakob Vestergaard, Coach - CSM Bucuresti:
"I think the first half was pretty good and we are disappointed that we didn’t manage to win the second half as well.

"We are close to our maximum level right now, but the second half was the opposite. We have to look at all our play, our offence made a lot of mistakes and we made it easy for them to score on counter."

Ambros Martin, Coach - Gyor:
"I think that everyone can enjoy a game like this and today is an example that it is never over until the very end. I think we can do very big things with the confidence we have, but we need to have more balance in our game."