Zagreb edge Metalurg for first away win

HC PPD Zagreb ended their group stage campaign on a high note after edging HC Metalurg thanks to a strong start in which they carved out a four-goal lead in the Macedonian capital.

GROUP A

HC Metalurg vs HC PPD Zagreb 20:22 (10:12)

A fast and furious start to the game in which Zagreb raced into a 6:2 lead was crucial for the outcome of this clash between traditional regional rivals as the Croatian title holders finally ground out an away win after four defeats in Europe’s premier club competition.

The result had no bearing whatsoever as Metalurg remained rooted to the bottom of the section while Zagreb were assured of a third-placed finish, but both sides tried as hard as they could to leave a good impression.

Having fallen behind early on, Metalurg fought well to level the score at 12:12 early in the second half but then ran out of steam as Zagreb conjured a 5:1 run to carve out another four-goal lead.

Veteran winger Zlatko Horvat led Vardar with five goals while four other players netted three each, underlining a flowing team effort by the visitors, while Marko Buvinic scored a game-high six goals for Metalurg.

The result will have boosted Zagreb’s confidence ahead of the knockout stages, where they face one of the runners-up from the other three groups.