Six teams ready for Round 3 of the Men's Challenge Cup

After the first weekend of the Men’s Challenge Cup, six teams are ready for the next round.

Six double-headers this weekend mean that six teams can relax next weekend, while the remaining team fight for the last tickets for the third round of the competition.

HC Maskheka have not been in a European competition since the 2011-12 season, when the club was also in the Challenge Cup, but the long absence does not mean that the Belarusian team has forgotten how to play European matches successfully.

On home ground in Mogilev, they eliminated Greece’s Pas Aeropos Edessas with two wins. On Friday, HC Masheka won 24:20, adding a 31:24 victory on Saturday.

Bregenz Handball had a considerably easier weekend than HC Masheka, though.

At home in the Handballarena Rieden-Vorkloster, the Austrian side ran over Colos SS4 Ciobrucia from Moldova, winning the first match 54:20 and the second 60:14.

Left wing Severin Lampert had a particularly successful weekend, scoring a total of 22 goals over the two matches.

Kaunas progresses

Kauno Azuolas-KTU Kaunas are also through to the third round after a clear total win at home.

Already at half time of their first match against Montenegrin side MRK Jedinstvo the Lithuanian home side led by 14 goals, 23:9. By the end of the match, they had won by 15, 37:22.

The big win Saturday obviously reduced the second leg Sunday to a formality. This time, the Lithuanian club won by 36:24.

JC Techniek Hurry-Up are also in the next round. On home ground in Emmen, the Dutch team eliminated Moldovan HC Olimpus-85-USEFS after winning the first leg 30:16 and the second 42:21.

Here, another left wing, Tommie Falke, had a great weekend with 21 goals for the Dutchmen over the two matches.

Finnish club Dicken also had Moldovan opposition. SSSCJRO-1 from Tiraspol were sent home from Helsinki with two clear defeats, 37:26 on Saturday and 29:20 on Sunday.

Finally, European debutants Estudiantes from Belgium went through in two rather close games against Parnassos Strovolou from Cyprus.

At home in Torunai, Estudiantes won the first leg Saturday 31:29 before winning by one goal more, 28:25, on Sunday.