Györ and Viborg open Group C with big wins

Györ Audi ETO KC and Viborg HK, who are considered to be favourites for the two top positions in Group B of the Women's EHF Champions League, met the expectations in the first round by taking clear wins Sunday.

Györ only had a bit of trouble at the start of their home game against HC Lokomotiva Zagreb, but after a 17:13 lead at half time, the double Champions League winners took a clear 32:23 win.

Viborg had to struggle throughout the first half against IK Sävehof, but by winning the second half with no less than 12 goals, the Danish champions booked an impressive 13 goal win.

GROUP C
Viborg HK (DEN) vs IK Sävehof (SWE) 38:25 (16:15)

Viborg HK took the expected home win in their first match of the group, and the 13-goal difference at the end was probably even more, than even the most enthusiastic Viborg fans were expecting.

However, the Danish champions had their trouble throughout the first half against an unimpressed and excellently fighting Sävehof team.

A brilliant opening by Johanna Bundsen in the Sävehof goal and a 3-2-1 defence by Viborg which had certain starting problems gave the visitors a surprising 10:7 lead.

However, the Viborg play improved at both ends of the court when experienced Rikke Skov entered the court. When Chana de Souza took over the position in goal, it helped even further, and Viborg could take a narrow one goal lead with them to half time.

At the beginning of the second half, Sävehof pleased the 50 Swedish fans who had taken the trip across the Kategat to support the team, as the Swedish champions still managed to hang on for the first minutes after the break.

This was soon to change, though. Viborg proved that they were not only the most experienced team and the physically strongest team, but also the best playing team.

This enable Viborg to simply roll over their opponents during the last 20 minutes, where the lead was increased constantly until 13 goals at the end.

“We are happy of the good start of the tournament, and it is still a very exciting group with three great teams. We look forward for the next match against Zagreb, but first we have an important match against Randers HK in the national tournament,” said Viborg coach Christian Dalmose, while his Swedish adversary was content with his players' performance in the first half and the beginning of the second.

“Until approximately the seventh or eighth minute of second half we perform well, but today Chana is a monster between the posts. She makes us feel unsecure of the things we do. Although I am happy starting away, so we are able to improve for the match next weekend against Györ in Sweden,” said Sävehof coach Henrik Signell.

Györi Audi ETO KC vs HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) 32:23 (17:13)

Györ did what not only their own fans, but most of handball Europe expected of them in advance and opened their Champions League campaign this season with a convincing nine-goal win against Lokomotiva Zagreb.

It did not take the ruling double EHF Champions League winners from Hungary to get the upper hand against the Croatian champions and Champions League debutants.

In the high-scoring beginning, the game was equal, though, and Lokomotiva were even able to take a two goal lead at 7:5. The favourites soon took over the driver's seat, though.

Several great saves from their new goalkeeper Jelena Grubisic, including two penaly shots, contributed well to the home team taking over the lead and being four goals up after the first 30 minutes.

In the Györ attack, back court players Eduarda Amorim and Anita Görbicz did what might be expected of them, and so did Heidi Loke on the line.

Thus, it was the experienced players in the Györ team who took the responsibility upon them once again, but as the second half progressed, more and more players contributed, and the home team managed to more than double their half time lead so that the final win ended by being by nine goals.