Buxtehude in quarter-final after catching up with nine goal deficit

One away goal more than their Hungarian opponents Érd Handball Club sent Buxtehuder SV on to the quarter-finals in the closest decision in the Last 16 of the Women's Cup Winners' Cup.

Having won their home game 32:23, Érd seemed to be heading for the quarter-finals ahead of the return match in the Sporthalle Schulzentrum Nord in Buxtehude.

Spurred on by 1,200 spectators, though, the North German team managed to catch up with the Hungarian lead, and not even a red card for Swedish international Ulrik Ågren could stop the home team from winning 31:22, making the aggregate result 54:54 – but by having scored just one away goal more, Buxtehude were ready for the quarter-final.

“It is simply just cool, simply just great. Our fans and the will of the team became decisive at the end. We worked hard for our luck today,” Buxtehude coach Dirk Leun said.

“We were expecting a different Buxtehude team compared to the first match. We knew it would be difficult. We did not succeed in stopping BSV's fast play and are very disappointed,” were the words from Érd coach Edina Szabo.

It was not nearly as close in the Trondheim Spektrum in Norway, where 1,185 spectators saw Byasen Trondheim let a 30:23 win follow last weekend's away against Croatian HC Lokomotiva Zagreb.

“We played a fine defensive match, and Terese Pedersen did extremely well in our goal. Furthermore, Tonje Nøstvold and Teodora Tomac made fine performances in the attack, so I am very content,” Byasen coach Claus Mogensen told eurohandball.com as the 54:45 aggregate win was a fact.

There was not much doubt about the outcome in the Gråkjær Arena in Holstebro either. Viborg HK had a 30:24 lead with them from the home game in the all Danish tie against Team Tvis Holstebro, and with a 30:27 win away, the former treble Women's EHF Champions League winners are in the quarter-final with 60:51 on aggregate.

“We looked strong today, although we have been a bit down on our performances lately. Today we succeeded in putting several layers on our game, and it looked good,” Viborg coach Christian Dalmose said.

Ruling Cup Winners' Cup winners Hypo Niederösterreich also managed to finish the job after their 27:23 away in the first leg against HC Odense.

Although the Danish team were leading by two goals at half time in Maria Enzersdorf, the Austrian champions won 28:27 and 55:50 on aggregate.

Rostov-Don could afford a 30:28 away defeat in Croatia to HC Podravka Vegeta and still win 52:49 on aggregate after a 24:19 home win in the first match, and a 27:26 away against Metz Handball did not matter to the other Russian team, Zvezda Zvenigorod either, as their 26:19 home win last weekend was enough to secure them a total 53:45 win.

Finally, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria let their 40:30 home win against Tertnes Bergen be followed by a 33:27 win in Norway.
 

The seven overall winners from this weekend join already qualified Fleury Loiret Handball in the bowl at the draw for the quarter-finals in Vienna Tuesday.

Further information

Find all results of the Women's Cup Winners' Cup Last 16 here

Photo: BSV, Robert Magnussen/Nidarosfoto, hfoto.dk, John Vint