Ukrainian or Polish opposition awaits victorious French side

Despite French champions Metz Handball’s failure to reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s EHF Champions League, this season may still be a great European season for women’s handball in the country.

In the Cup Winners’ Cup, Fleury Loiret Handball are competing for a place in the final, and in the Challenge Cup France is already guaranteed a final spot.

This is thanks to an all-French semi-final clash between Union Mios Biganos-Begles and HAC Handball.

Biganos-Begles having the home advantage in the first leg in the Salle Jean Dauguet Saturday at 18.30 hrs local time and with the home side lying tenth and HAC eighth in the French league, the tie looks an even one at first sight.

The opponent for the winner of this French derby will be coming from either Poland or Ukraine.

In their first season in Europe, Pogon Baltica Szczecin have reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and run into Galytchanka from Ukraine, who can boast a semi-final appearance in last year’s Challenge Cup and the quarter-final in the EHF Cup back in 1998/99 as their best European achievements so far.

The first leg throws off in the Hala Miejska in Szczecin on Saturday at 18.00 hrs local time.