“It’s a 50/50 game”

After last Saturday’s epic comeback, HCM Baia Mare are on the verge of their biggest achievement in the team’s history: qualification for the MVM EHF FINAL4 in Budapest.

But the 25:23 win was far from a steady course and Dinamo are eager to hit back in fashion on their home court this Saturday.

Women’s EHF Champions League Quarter-final Leg 2
Dinamo-Sinara (RUS) vs HCM Baia Mare (ROU)
Saturday, 11 April, 14:00 hrs local time live on ehfTV.com
Leg 1: 23:25

The frustration and disarray was there to be seen on the Romanian champions’ faces in the final minutes of the first leg. An ear-shattering atmosphere seemed to be scarce, as Baia Mare had to overcome a mountain to please their fans.

But there was nothing short of a miracle in the hosts’ amazing comeback, with three goals scored in the last 49 seconds of the game to seal a 25:23 win.

However, the emotional roller-coaster of the first leg is now far away for Baia Mare. The Romanian champions are grasping at their maiden MVM EHF FINAL4 berth, but coach Tone Tiselj is promoting moderation.

“I do not understand why everybody is happy about, because I must confess that the home leg was one of the Baia Mare’s worst games this season.”

“The week before the match was very difficult for Dinamo, but they had an amazing fighting spirit and were really on the money for all but the last minute of the game,” said Tiselj on Wednesday, before Baia Mare left for Volgograd, via Vienna.

The long trip, which took Baia Mare two days and left Tiselj without two training sessions, is working in Dinamo’s advantage, but the Russian side is far from a flawless team on their home turf. The hosts have recorded only three wins in Volgograd, their other three matches ending in a draw and two defeats.

“It’s a 50/50 game in the second leg. I think Tiselj is trying to change Baia Mare but he came too late, in January, and he has to work very hard,” said Viktor Ryabykh, Dinamo’s coach, who will rely again on the amazing trio of Anna Kochetova, Olga Akopian and Daria Dmitrieva to grab the goals necessary to book them a ticket to Budapest.