Larvik not feeling safe just yet

Norwegian contenders Larvik will have to play the second leg of their Women’s EHF Champions League Quarter-final tie against German champions Thüringer HC without their Polish left back Alina Woitas, who is facing a lenthy injury break.

Women’s EHF Champions League Quarter-final Leg 2
Larvik (NOR) vs Thüringer HC (GER)
Saturday 11 April, 18:30 hrs local time live on ehfTV
Leg 1: 29:26

“We will have to approach the game like pirates with knives between our teeth.”

Those words come from Larvik coach Tor Odvar Moen ahead of the second leg of the Women´s EHF Champions League quarter-final between Larvik and Thüringer HC.

Before the match in the Arena Larvik Saturday evening, the Norwegian record champions and 2011 Champions League winners are leading by three goals after winning 29:26 in Germany last weekend.

However, Larvik are hampered by a serious injury for the return match.

The knee injury, their Polish left back Alina Wojtas sustained in the first match has turned out to be of the worst possible kind, as she has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

However, that is not Tor Odvar Moen’s main reason for being cautious ahead of the return match

“We played a great part of the first match without her, and we have many skilled players, so there are obviously some who can take over for Alina.

While Larvik have won the Women’s EHF Champions League once, no German team has ever been as far as the semi-finals in the tournament, so THC can write German handball history if they manage to turn the tables and send Larvik out.

The Norwegian hosts are determined to prevent that from happening.

“Of course, we have put ourselves in a very good position by winning by three goals away, but there is not that much of a difference between playing at home and away in European handball these days, and we are definitely aware of Thüringer’s skills, so were are far from feeling secure yet,” Tor Odvar Moen tells ehfCL.com.

“Therefore, we cannot take things easy in any way, but we will all have to be ready from the start.”