Another FTC win comes at a price

Ferencváros may have won at home against Zvezda Zvenigorod on Sunday, but they lost another key player in the process.

Both teams have started the match at a fast pace and appeared to abandon their defence.

Ferencváros raced into a 14:10 lead thanks to the effective play of Kovacsicz, who scored six goals in the first 20 minutes.

Marennikova and Uskova performed well for the Russian side, as they cut the gap to 18:17.

The first half was marred by an injury to Nerea Pena, as she twisted he knee, forcing her to leave the court on a stretcher.

Zsuzanna Tomori started the second half as she ended the first, brilliantly, scoring 10 of her team’s first 22 goals.

That still was not enough for the Hungarians, as Zvezda took the lead in the 37 minute, with the score at 22:23.

With only two minutes to play, Alena Abramovic saved spectacularly, Tomori then scored on the counter attack. The Hungarians played down the clock, leaving Zvezda just enough time to cut the gap to one before the final whistle, the Hungarians ran won a very close and high scoring encounter 35:34.

Zsuzsanna Tomori scored 15 goals, putting her second on the top scorers list with 60 goals in the competition.

"Our defence was much weaker than a week ago against Oltchim, but our attack was much smoother.

“There were many goals in the match, it shows both teams had problems with their defence," said Gábor Elek, head coach of FTC.

Meanwhile an MRI scan on Nerea Pena’s knee showed that she has suffered a cruciate ligament tear in her right knee and has to be operated on.

It was the same injury she suffered just one year ago on the same knee.

After missing out on the 2012 Olympics in London, she returned after a long rehabilitation and just started to play with good form again.

Pena’s mother came to Hungary to watch their match against Zvezda, so they were sitting together beside the court after the injury. After the match, the whole team and the fans consoled and encouraged the Spanish national team player.

"Nerea's injury has made our task difficult. Thank God Bettina Dajka could replace her excellently; she was one of the best players.

“But all of my team has played with a huge heart after Nerea was out. It will be very hard from now on.

“Our next opponent, Krim is extremely confident. Now we are missing three players from the inner positions, Zácsik, Pena and Szekerczés.

Our only chance is Szekerczés who might play on the weekend. Dajka is a big talent, but she was injured for a long time, so we cannot expect too much from her. Zácsik is still going through rehabilitation and she is too far away from fitness to count on her in this season," concluded Elek.