Great Wisla catch-up chase

Group A:

After RK Zagreb had taken the first victory in this group on Thursday against Sävehof, Barcelona had to fight hard for their points, as Kadetten had an easy evening in Sarajevo.

FC Barcelona Intersport (ESP) vs. Chambery Savoie (FRA) 28:25 (13:16)

It was hard work for the defending champions to take their first points in their opener, as Chambery stood brave until the halftime whistle. But when coach Xavi Pascual reminded his players of the opening home defeat against Löwen last season, they had learnt their lesson. Matchwinners for Barcelona were goalkeeper Danijel Saric, Juanin Garcia and six times scorer Laszlo Nagy. Bicanic hit the back of the net eight times for the French runners-up.

HC Bosna BH Gas Sarajevo (BIH) vs. Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) 23:34 (14:14)

Thanks to their clearest away victory in their history of the VELUX EHF Champions League Kadetten made best promotion for the “match of the year” against Barcelona on Thursday.

As their defence stood close to perfection – including goalkeeper Vaskevicius (20 saves in total) - the Swiss champions dominated the whole game. But Bosna fought back after the early 4:0 series of Kadetten and equalized until the break. After the 25:21 for the Swiss Bosna did not score for ten minutes – so Kadetten increased the margin to finally eleven goals. Top scorer was Kadetten pivot Ursic with eight goals.

Group C:

Hamburg had beaten St. Petersburg in the opener on Thursday, now Plock and Metalurg followed them on Saturday.

Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) vs. HBM Constanta (ROU) 30:29 (13:15)

Lucky victorious start for the Polish champions: Though Constanta was in lead most of the time, Plock celebrated the victory thanks to a last minute goal of Kubisztal. Stamate, Constanta’s top scorer with ten goals, missed the last shot in this high tensioned thriller.Plock started well, led 10:7, before the Romanians scored four straight goals (minute 21). From that on Constanta did not give the lead from their until minute 59 (except the 20:20) – intermediately the margin was four goals at 29:25. But as Plock scored the last five goals in this game in only four minutes they turned the match. Kavas and Kubisztal were the Plock top scorers with each eight goals.

HC Metalurg (MKD) vs. Cimos Koper (SLO) 28:23 (15:7)

The FYR Macedonians secured a perfect start in the VELUX EHF Champions League thanks to their goalkeeper Darko Stanic – until last season a player of Cimos Koper. The Slovenians (current Challenge Cup winner) were to weak in attack in the first half, scored only fopur goals in 24 minutes, so the eight goals margin was more than one step to the victory for the host. Even as Koper improved after the break and started with a 4:1 series they could not endanger Metalurg – the much more aggressive and more ambitious team. Cimos came closer only to three goals like at the score of 21:24. Top scorers were Skoko (Koper), Rakcevic, Mirkulovski and Mojsovski (all Metalurg) with each five goals.

Group D:

HC Partizan Beograd (SRB) vs. AG Kobenhavn (DEN) 25:31 (12:16)

This Saturday in the Serbian city of Vrsac will remain in the history of AG Kobenhavn as their first ever victory in the first ever match of the VEUX EHF Champions League. But the Danes had to struggle hard until the score of 10:10, then the resistance of the Serbian champions was broken. Man of the match was Icelandic wing Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson who scored all his eight goals before the break and secured the 16:12 halftime score nearly on his own. In the second half Kobenhavn decided the game very early thanks to their better alternatives on the bench.