Minsk need to take last step, double header in Montenegro

BNTU-BelAZ Minsk Region have a 12-goal lead to defend when they enter the Darius&Girenas Sporto Hale in Kaunas Saturday in the early afternoon for the second leg match of the Women's Cup Winners' Cup.

The 32:20 for the Belarusian team in the first match obviously means that the hosts ACME-Zalgiris will have kind of a mountain to climb if they are going to turn the tables and qualify for the third round, where the German Bundesliga team HSG Blomberg-Lippe will be waiting.

Just like Minsk, Byasen Trondheim have entered the Cup Winners' Cup from the qualification tournament for the Women's EHF Champions League.

The only European experience, their opponents WHC Danilovgrad have, is reaching the third round of the Challenge Cup last season.

However, Danilovgrad may be able to compensate a little for the gap in experience compared their Norwegian adversaries, as the Montenegrin team has the home advantages in both matches.

Late Friday afternoon the two teams meet for the first leg in the Police Academy Sport Hall in Danilovgrad, and the same arena is also the venue of the return match on Saturday afternoon.

Byasen did not exactly get the best possible dress rehearsal before going to Montenegro, as they lost the quarter-final in the Norwegian Cup 27:31 to HK Halden.

“We do not have much time to rise from that disappointment, but now it is crucial for us to stand together as a team against an opponent we do not know much about in advance," Byasen coach Claus Mogensen tells eurohandball.com.

Spanish opposition in the form of Mecalia Atletico Guardes will be waiting for the overall winner in Round 3.

Find the overview of the Round 2 fixtures here