Kochetova beat Viborg with 17 goals

After half of all group matches still nothing is decided yet in the EHF Women’s Champions League. But only two teams – Larvik and Budućnost have won all their three matches. Reigning champion Viborg lost their second consecutive game in Volgograd, so their way to the Main Round is starting to look very stony. Zvezda took the second Russian victory on this Sunday.

Group A

Dinamo Volgograd – Viborg HK 41:33 (20:15)

The downhill race of reigning champion Viborg HK is going on: After being defeated by Budućnost on home ground last weekend, the Danes received another clear defeat in Russia and now rank with only two points below Volgograd (4). Anna Kochetova was the outstanding player of the Russian champion with an impressive 17 goals, Olga Levina scored eight times. Grit Jurack and Rikke Skov scored seven times for Viborg in an – from the Danish point of view surprisingly - one-sided match. The Russians were the dominant team over almost the whole 60 minutes, Viborg could only hope for a better end, when they reduced the gap to 33:36. But when Anja Althaus received a disqualification nothing stopped the Russians' clear victory. It opens the gate to the Main Round wide for them, whilst VHK have to fight hard due to this clear goal difference against the direct opponent.

IK Sävehof – Budućnost Podgorica 24:33 (13:16)

Successful end of the Nordic trip for Podgorica: After winning in Viborg one week ago the team from Montenegro did not have problems to keep the lead in Group A with the maximum of six points. Like in Viborg the top duo Bulatović and Popović (each seven goals) were the match winners for the away team. They were not the top scorers of the match however, as Helleberg hit the back of the net eight times for the Swedish champion. The first half was mostly equal with advantages for Podgorica, but then Sävehof lacked power and concentration. When everything was decided, the Montenegrins extended the lead to a clear nine goals victory.

Group B

DVSC-Korvex Debrecen – Itxako Reyno de Navarra 27:32 (15:19)

Thanks to their second consecutive away victory, Itxako is now in lead in this group, equal with Leipzig now (four points), as Debrecen remain with two points like Hypo. All teams still have chances to go on to the Main Round. Sopronyi (Debrecen) and Barbosa (Itxako) each scored nine goals. The Spaniards took their favourite role right from the start: thanks to five consecutive goals from 3:6 to 8:6 Itxako took the lead. After the break they accelerated and went away to 28:21, which seemed to be the pre-decision. Supported by their spectators, Debrecen started their catch-up chase and were close to equalize at the score of 27:29, but then Pinedo and Soit decided the game in the final minute.

Group D

Zvezda Zvenigorod – Podravka Koprivnica 29:26 (11:14)

By an absolute improvement after the break and in total of 20 goals by the trio Postnova, Sen (each 7) and Kuznetsova (6) the Russian runner-up secured two highly important points for the Main Round. Like in Round 1 and 2 Koprivnica was a very strong opponent, but still the Croats will have to wait for their first points. Top scorer for the guests was Pasicnik with six goals. Thanks to this victory Zvezda is equal in points with Györ and Krim now, as all have four on their account. For Koprivnica the chances to reach the Main Round have become very small after the half of the group matches. The Croats were the stronger team in the first 30 minutes, before the Russian defence improved – Koprivnica only scored 12 goals after the break. On the other side Postnova led her team that took the lead in minute 36 at the score of 18:17. The match was decided at the score of 26:22.

The EHF Women's Champions League will now have a short break and start again on 6 November.