Elverum share points with Presov after late goals

Hakon Ekren levelled for Elverum in the closing seconds after Oliver Rabek gave Presov the lead with 20 seconds left on the clock as both teams settled for a 24:24 draw in VELUX EHF Champions League Group C on Sunday afternoon.

• Both teams had already been out of race for play-offs

• Elverum stay in fourth place while Presov leave bottom of table

• Andre Lindboe and Oliver Rabek each scored 10 goals

GROUP C:

Elverum handball (NOR) vs TATRAN Presov (SVK) 24:24 (10:9)

Presov took a point from Norway after a 24:24 draw. Elverum had the edge in the first half (10:9) but the Slovakian champions prevailed after the break.

Despite the important absences of Josef Pujol, Erik Toft and Peter Overby, Elverum started well.

Morten Nergaard allowed Presov only one goal in the opening 10 minutes by making 6 saves, while his counterpart Igor Chupryna.

The 6-0 defence of the hosts worked well and helped Nergaard gain confidence.

Rastislav Trtik also had limited options on the bench. The lack of wingers meant Presov played with two line players, Marek Pales and Leon Vučko.

Only two goals from the back court

Only two goals from the back court in the first half led to Presov trailing by one goal at half-time.

The absentees gave Lubos Sarpataky more game time and the Slovakian youngster fired in his first Champions League goal in the 48th minute.

Elverum‘s main weapons, apart from the excellent goalkeeping, were goals from counter attacks and the successful Andre Lindboe on the left wing.

But Presov improved after the break thanks to more goals from the back court and the efficiency of Jakub Hrstka.

Presov went ahead for the first time in the 49th minute.

Rabek and Chupryna were at their best after the break. Rabek found the target 10 times as he forced coach Michael Apelgren to order a man marking on him in the final minutes.

His last-minute goal (23:24) looked decisive but was singled out by Ekren in the penultimate second.