Szeged draw sends Aalborg to last 16

While Szeged cemented their runner-up position in Group D it was a do-or-die match for the Danish team, who needed a point to qualify for the knockout stage of the the VELUX EHF Champions League. After a tense and even game Aalborg reached their goal, while the season of Kadetten Schaffhausen and Motor Zaporozhye ended.

GROUP D

MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) vs Aalborg Handball (DEN) 23:23 (10:10)

Injury-hit Szeged, who gave to-be top scorer of the match Márk Hegedűs his VELUX EHF Champions League debut, came from two straight defeats and Aalborg threatened to impose the third one on the Hungarian runners-up early on.

Ole Erevik made a number of nice saves and it took Szeged 24 minutes to equalise after Aalborg took a 4-0 lead with Emil Berggren being the focal point for the visitors’ attacks.

Rajko Prodanovic and Sander Sagosen were the most prolific players as the teams went head to head but right after the break Szeged stepped on the gas. Ferenc Ilyés scored from his own half to give Szeged a three-goal lead but Aalborg remained close with Martin Larsen’s pinpoint shots.

Nine minutes from time the visitors took over with a 4-0 run as Szeged seemed to lose pace and concentration in attack. Aalborg remained calm even when the home side equalised and Larsen scored the goal that sent the Danish outfit to the best sixteen 55 seconds from the final whistle.