REVIEW: Defending champions G.A.S. Kilkis Akropolis and record winners Detono Zagreb qualify for the men's semi-finals, while Multichem Szentendrei makes it to the last four in the women's event
Beach handball heavyweights qualify for semis at ebt Finals 2017
The powerhouses of European beach handball prevailed on day 2 of the ebt Finals 2017 in Gaeta.
However there was also room for surprises as the preliminary round came to an end and the semi-finals were confirmed on Saturday.
In Group A of the men's event, defending champions G.A.S. Kilkis Akropolis secured the top spot, but the battle for second rank and the second berth in the semis became a fierce one.
Eventually BHT Auto Forum Petra Plock, Club BM Playa Ciudad de Malaga and TSHV Camelot all ended the preliminary round with four points, but the Polish side from Plock came second overall because of the better set difference in the direct duels with Malaga and Camelot.
Plock will now face Salgótarjáni Strandépítok BHC from Hungary who came first in Group B with three wins from four matches. The ebt Finals record winners Detono Zagreb came second.
They will face Kilkis Akropolis against whom they lost in the 2016 semi-finals.
Russia „Ekaterinodar“, who have already won the Champions Cup twice and came second at the ebt Finals 2016, only placed third in Group B.
In the women's event, the two Hungarian teams in the competition, Multichem Szentendrei, Champions Cup winners 2015 and silver medallists in 2016, as well as OVB Beach Girls placed second in their group respectively.
First – and both are yet to lose a game – came Club Balonmano Playa Algeciras in Group A and Westsite Amsterdam in Group B.
On Sunday, Algeciras face the Beach Girls and Amsterdam play again Szentendre.
The women's semi-finals will be played at 10:00 hrs local time, the men's semis one hour later. The women's final takes place at 17:00 hrs, the men's final at 18:00.
All matches are streamed live on youtube.com/ehfTV.
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EHF / ts