GROUP D REVIEW: Top scorer Stipe Mandalinic and his Bitola based team take revenge against Trebnje and re-gain hope for the Last 16
It took them five matches, but finally they made it: Thanks to the 33:26 against Trimo Trebnje, the Bitola side of HC Eurofarm Pelister took their first ever victory under their new name and the unification of the two clubs Eurofarm and Pelister. On the other hand, it was the first international defeat for four times Champions League winner Uros Zorman in his new function as Trebnje coach.
GROUP D
HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs. RK Trimo Trebnje (SLO) 33:26 (20:14)
- Trebnje had won the first meeting 28:24 last week – their last lead at Bitola was the 6:5 in minute 10
- The crucial period of the match was from minute 21 to the break, when Eurofarm Pelister scored a 8:3 run for the already decisive half-time result of 20:14
- Croatian international Stipe Mandalinic was the outstanding player of the match, scoring 11 goals from 11 attempts – to be on 34 goals in total
- The biggest gap between hosts and visitors was eight goals at 26:18 and 27:19
- Trebnje had won all previous matches in the European League – three in the qualification, two in group phase, so it was their first international defeat this season and they remain on four points
Second double-digit for Mandalinic
Stipe Mandalinic was hailed as Pelister Eurofarm’s top signing of this summer – and the Croat, who played for Füchse Berlin before, proved his value for his new club already several times: in his first match for Bitola he scored 11 goals, but he was not happy, as his side lost 29:30. The left back then added five and seven goals in the matches against Schaffhausen and Trebnje – on Tuesday Mandalinic again exploded, netting another 11 times (including three penalties) without missing a single chance.
TEXT:
EHF / Björn Pazen