Płock complete the Group Phase quest

After eleven straight seasons there will be no Montpellier Agglomération HB in the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase in the new edition. The French regulars and 2003 winners have to settle with the EHF Cup this time as they lost 23:28 in the second leg of the Wild Card play off and were eliminated by Orlen Wisła Płock with an agregate score 52:55.

Płock returned to the premier European club competition after one year absence and will play in the Group B together with THW Kiel, KIF Kolding København, USDK Dunkerque, FC Porto Vitalis and their domestic rivals Vive Targi Kielce.

Montpellier will carry on their European journey in the third qualification round of the EHF Cup.

Wild Card play off, second leg:

Orlen Wisła Płock vs Montpellier Agglomération HB 28:23 (13:10)

First leg: 27:29, on aggregate 55:52

After the first leg in Montpellier Patrice Canayer’s team arrived to Płock with two goal advantage, but hosts turned the aggregate score over very quickly and led 5:1 after Ivan Nikčević goal in the seventh minute. French team fought back and reduced the gap to one goal (10:9).

Marin Šego excelled in the Orlen goal and with his numerous saves he pushed his team to 12:9, but two amazing bits of his counter-part Thierry Omeyer, who stopped both Nikčević’s and Muhamed Toromanović’s counter-attacks and gave his team another chance (15:14) five minutes in the second half.

For a moment Montpellier were through to the Group Phase but the Polish team quickly rebuilt both their confidence and their lead. Seven minute to the final whistle the hosts pushed by a raucous crowd in the Orlen Arena led 25:21 and since then they remained on the track to the precious ticket.

“We are very happy we have advanced to the Group Phase. The best teams play in the VELUX EHF Champions League and it is a chance for me to learn a lot from the best players,” said Płock’s line player Kamil Syprzak.