Northern dominance

Denmark and Norway lead the tables of Women’s Champions League: By their second victory Viborg and Larvik are the number ones in the Main Round. Hypo and Leipzig still wait for their first points.

Group I

Larvik HK – Györi Audi ETO 29:27 (15:14)

Larvik decided the match despite the fact that Györ goalkeeper Katalin Palinger played outstanding. The Hungarians were very close to a point, but in the end the high speed handball of Larvik gave the two points to the Norwegians. Match winners for Larvik weregoalkeeper Lene Rantala and pivot Heidi Löke, who scored ten times. Larvik was in lead most of the time, but Györ tried all to turn the match. Led by top scorer Aniko Kovacsics (8 goals), the Hungarian were close to 25:26 in minute 54, but then Larvik decided the game with three consecutive goals until minute 57. “Györ played very strong, but we reached our goal to take this two highly important points”, LHK coach Karl Erik Böhn said. “The speed of Larvik made the difference”, Györ coach Csba Konkoly analysed. His team remains with two points, the same as Krim.

Krim Mercator – HC Leipzig 32:26 (12:15)

A game of two completely different halves: As Leipzig dominated the first 30 minutes and led deserved with a three goal difference, Krim improved and won the match thanks to their bigger international experience and the lower number of mistakes after the break. Leipzig started powerful and with a lot of impetus, but then failed after the break. “We lack cleverness”, HCL manager Kay Sven Hähner said. Krim took the lead for the first time at the score of 18:17, then extended the gap very quickly to 24:20, and decided the game at the 27:21. Top scorers were Zacsik (Krim) and Kudlacz (Leipzig) with each seven goals.

Group II:

Viborg HK – Hypo Niederösterreich 35:26 (16:10)

A free lesson for the CL record winner: Hypo was overrun by the counter attacks of Viborg and didn’t have any chance to win in Denmark. The one sided game was a duel of the top scorers, and in the end Christina Varzaru had won this duel by 14 goals against Alessandra Nascimento (11) – like her club did with the Austrians. The game was imprinted by absolute full speed and a very special jubilee: In minute two Rikke Skov scored her 1000. individual goal for Viborg. The match was equal until the 3:3, but the VHK express started and pre decided the match at the break and the score of 16:10. In the second half Viborg extended the gap very early and easily– and in the end it were nine goals. “Our defense stood well”, VHK coach Jakob Vestergaard said: “Next week we’ll have a much harder work in Valcea, but we’re playing to win in Romania.”