Neagu brings fresh hope for Romania

A 19-month wait was finally over when Romanian national player Cristina Neagu took to the court again last week following a long-lasting shoulder injury.

With Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea she played for just five minutes in the national league against her former team, Corona Braşov, before playing nearly half an hour against Austrian champions, Hypo Niederösterreich, in a Women’s EHF Champions League Group Match on Sunday (14 October).

The return was successful, as Oltchim’s star scored four goals in the two matches, one in the league match, three in the EHF Champions League encounter which Oltchim won 30:25.

And even though Oltchim’s fans and the management were looking forward to the positive impact Neagu’s comeback will have for the club, she will be far more important for the Romanian national team, which - without Neagu - showed itself from its worst side just recently, placing only 13th at the 2011 World Championship and failing to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.

“Neagu’s comeback is a huge plus for our team. She will surely be selected for the team that will play in December in Serbia at the EHF Euro 2012. I have already talked to her and she assured me about her willingness to help the team in this competition,” Romania’s national team coach, Gheorghe Tadici, was quoted in Romanian newspaper ProSport.

“It’s going to be a difficult competition, but I am confident that our team can still achieve great results. In my opinion, we need two years to get into the first five teams in the world. Our objective for the EHF Euro 2012 will be set after the friendly matches against Germany, Serbia and Denmark in November,” concluded Tadici.

With Neagu, who was voted World Handball Player of the Year in 2010, in the team, Romania won bronze at the EHF EURO 2010 in Denmark und Norway.

The 24-year old left back had to undergo a complex surgery in August 2011, repairing a torn cartilage in her shoulder.

Her comeback, which was envisioned to happen at the start of 2012, was halted by a few setbacks. But finally, she was given the green light to proceed. 

“I still feel pain in my shoulder, but it’s something I can work with. I missed handball a lot and I am ready to give everything I have for my club and my country," Neagu said.

"However, I don’t need to hurry, as I am taking this step by step in order to make sure I will be at 100 percent in the next years.”

For more EHF EURO 2012 news go to www.ehf-euro.com

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