Sävehof and Viborg draw in thriller in Partille

IK Sävehof gave their hopes of reaching the main round of the Women's EHF Champions League a considerable boost with a 25:25 draw at home against Viborg HK A/S on Sunday afternoon.

The Swedish champions came close to taking the two points, but a last-second goal from Louise Katharina Burgaard levelled the score line, securing one point for both teams. 

Group C

IK Sävehof (SWE) vs Viborg HK (DEN) 25:25 (10:12)

Sunday’s draw, which was Sävehof’s third in the Women's EHF Champions League this season, means the Swedish side’s hopes of qualifying for the main round for the second year in succession can stay alive.

Viborg were missing their Serbian left back Sanja Damnjanovic due to knee problems, but the Danish champions were not the only team who had issues in attack. 

The first half in particular was dominated by strong defence led by goalkeepers Johanna Bundsen of Sävehof and Chana Franciela Masson De Souza for Viborg. A relatively low attacking pace on both sides also contributed to the low number of goals, though Viborg were best at finding the net.

Sävehof goalkeeper Bundsen celebrated her nomination for Sweden's EHF EURO 2014 squad earlier this week, but even her solid performance could not prevent the visitors from taking the lead from the middle of the first half. 

During the last ten minutes before half-time, Viborg were relentlessly leading by one or two goals – and those two goals remained the score line in favour of the guests when the whistle signalled the end of the first period. 

Surprisingly, in-form Bundsen was replaced by Filippa Idehn in the Sävehof goal at the start of the second half. But after a troublesome start, Idehn played a considerable part in changing the course of the game.

Viborg’s comfortable lead that had stood for most of the second half ended when a goal by Elin Enhöring equalised for the home team (22:22) with just over five minutes left.

Less than one minute later, Enhöring scored the goal that would put Sävehof in the lead, and the hosts kept the upper hand until Burgaard’s equaliser in the final seconds. 

Viborg are still second in Group C, now with five points, whilst Sävehof are third with three.