DAY REVIEW: Five teams reached the next stage of the EHF European League Women after some entertaining games on Friday and Saturday
On Friday and Saturday, six matches were played in qualification round 2 of the EHF European League Women – and five teams confirmed their progression to qualification round 3.
In the only double-header of the weekend, MKS Zaglebie Lubin had no problems against Switzerland's LC Brühl Handball, winning 35:19 and 33:24.
- goalkeeper Monika Maliczkiewicz shone for Lubin on Friday with a 48 per cent save rate (15 saves), while her teammate Adrianna Gorna stood out with 11 goals on Saturday
- following a 28:27 win at TUSSIES Metzingen, HSG Blomberg-Lippe won the home leg of the German derby 28:24
- Norway's Tertnes Bergen reached round 3 after they were again too strong for ZORK Jagodina, 24:16
- five more second-leg matches will be played on Sunday
- the round 3 draw will take place on Monday 25 October in Vienna; the matches are scheduled for 13/14 and 20/21 November
Magura and Molde through despite home defeats
Some ties in qualification round 2 featured very close and dramatic fights. After a 27:26 away win at DHK Banik Most, Magura Cisnadie hoped to earn another victory in Romania, but lost 26:25 and only scraped through via the away goals rule.
A similar story happened to the Norwegian side Molde Elite, who were looking to finish the job on home court after beating Thüringer HC 35:32 in Germany. Lamprini Tsakalou's 10 goals and Rinka Duijndam's 16 saves lifted THC to a 28:26 win, so Molde needed some good luck to proceed to the next stage courtesy of a one-goal aggregate victory.
TEXT:
EHF / Sergey Nikolaev