<h2> Vardar show determination to overcome brave Dinamo</h2> <p> The third place match was all about making amends for Saturday’s defeat and Vardar managed to defend their bronze medal spot against the brave Dinamo-Sinara 28:26 (16:15).<br /> <br /> However, it was the furthest thing from easy job for the Macedonian side, after Dinamo resisted their sharpshooting peril until the dying minutes of the game.<br /> <br /> Olga Agkopian’s red card did not made it any easy for Dinamo who performed far beyond the pundits expectations in their valiant effort to take a positive result in their MVM EHF FINAL4 debut.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /> <br /> Andrea Penezic was unstoppable in her quest for the title of top scorer.&nbsp; With nine goals to her name in the game she has now taken the top spot with 102 goals scored overall.<br /> <br /> It was Vardar who won the mini-final in the end taking a good result home with them to Skopje.</p> <p> "I have to congratulate my team on winning this match. It was very tough to prepare mentally after being beaten by Buducnost. Our wish was to go back to Skopje with the smile on our faces. We have succeeded to do it!" Vardar centre back Andrea Lekic said.</p> <p> <strong>MVM EHF FINAL4, third place match:<br /> Dinamo-Sinara (RUS) vs WHC Vardar SCBT (MKD) 26:28 (15:16)</strong><br /> <br /> The semi-final disappointment must have been still ringing in players’ minds, as the start of the match was a tight affair, with both sides stuck at 3:3 in the opening five minutes.<br /> <br /> Andrea Penezic was eager to show her best scorer’s credentials, netting two goals early on.<br /> <br /> With attacking prowess in display, goalkeepers came face-to-face in a bid to make the difference.<br /> <br /> Elena Utkina saved a seven-meter effort from Maja Sokac while Amandine Leynaud responded in a similar manner, interrupting a Dinamo counter attack and allowing Vardar take the lead with Siraba Dembele scoring her first goal for 4:5.<br /> <br /> Mid-way through the first half there were a few changes of momentum with each team taking control of the game for brief periods.<br /> <br /> First it was Vardar who took their most significant lead going two goals up with a searing run from Lekic to set up Radicevic with a sitter for 6:8.<br /> <br /> It took a little more than one minute for Dinamo to bring the game on level terms again, after Kochetova’s spell of brilliance (8:8) where she scored five before half-time.<br /> <br /> With the scores level up until five minutes before the whistle, Suslina made another key save in the match to set the teams apart after a third goal from Lekic (13:15).<br /> <br /> Contributions off the bench from Alena Ikhneva then Olga Chernoivanenko brought the decisive edge for Vardar as the half-time whistle approached, going in at the break with a one-goal lead – 16:15.<br /> <br /> It took less than three minutes for Dinamo to turn the game with Danshina opening the score in the second half with her first at 17:16 for Dinamo.<br /> <br /> Anja Althaus then also scored her first goal, with the German scoring her first attempt at the event to equalise at 17:17.<br /> <br /> Key moment in second half was a red card shown to the quintessential Olga Agkopian, and Dinamo were forced to eventually forfeit the narrow 19:18 lead.<br /> <br /> However, it did not prevent the Russian team from holding onto their lead until the 52nd minute, when Vardar started to come into their own helped by the numerous mistakes from the FINAL4 newcomers.<br /> <br /> The first two-goal lead in the second half came with three minutes left (25:27) as Kochetova’s seven goals did not prove enough to stop Penezic &amp; Co with this end-to-end game finishing 26:28.</p>
TEXT: Nemanja Savic / br / bc
 

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