After their two victories against Tatabanya last week, Eurofarm Pelister remained on their high-flyer and defeated GOG despite a strong performance of four newly-crowned World Champions. With a run of four victories, the Bitola-based team is second-ranked now and passed the visitors, having nine points now – but GOG (eight points still) were close to a draw.

GROUP B:

HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs. GOG (DEN) 32:31 (15:16)

• Eurofarm Pelister’s top scorer Stipe Mandalinic was on the team list, but did not play.
• Though the hosts were ahead 5:2, GOG intermediately turned the match around quite easily taking the first advance at 8:7.
• After two strong performances last week against Tatabanya, Pelister Croatian youngster Mateo Maras again had a flying start, scoring five goals from five attempts in the first 18 minutes – the same number as GOG’s Emil Jackbsen in the same period. In the end, Maras were Bitola’s top scorer by eight strikes, while Jakobsen had eleven goals on his tally.
• Steered by Nenad Kosteski, Eurofarm Pelister turned the match around by a 5:0 run from 20:22 to 25:22. Finally, the seventh strike of Josip Peric for the 32:30 decided the thriller, as Anders Zachariassen only managed to score once for GOG.
• Next week, GOG have to travel again, as they play both matches against Trebnje in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Eurofarm Pelister host top team Rhein-Neckar Löwen.

Four incredible strong World Champions

The GOG quartet, which won the World Championship trophy in Cairo two weeks ago, definitely managed to conserve its form also on club level. At Bitola, All-Star team right back Mathias Gidsel (4), top scorer Emil Jacobsen (11), Anders Zacharisassen (5) and playmaker Morten Olsen (4) lost the match, but scored 24 of the 31 GOG goals.