MATCH REVIEW: Braga’s Liberty Seguros win the first leg of the Men’s Challenge Cup Final
Liberty Seguros take an important step
Liberty Seguros ABC/UMinho took an important step toward winning the Men’s Challenge Cup on Sunday. The Portuguese side won the first leg of the final at home against Handball club Odorhei.
Men’s Challenge Cup Final, Leg 1
Liberty Seguros ABC/UMinho (POR) vs Handball club Odorhei (ROU) 32:28 (18:14)
While Odorhei are playing in their first European final, Liberty Seguros have had the experience of playing a European final twice before – the EHF Champions League Final in 1994 and the Challenge Cup Final in 2005.
The Portuguese team, formerly known as ABC Braga, did not win either of their previous finals, but their defeat of Odorhei on Sunday evening means Liberty Seguros have a good chance of doing better in their third attempt.
2,150 spectators in Pavilhao Flavio Sa Leite in Braga saw the home team create a four-goal lead by the end of the first half.
The last 30 minutes ended equal, but the lead the hosts held at the half-time break proved crucial.
The win means Liberty take a four-goal lead with them into the return match in Romania next Sunday.
Sunday’s match was dominated by both sides’ left backs – Joao Pinto scored seven goals for the home team, while Hunor Barnabas Konya was the highest-scoring player for the visitors, also with seven.
Konya’s teammate on the right wing, Andrei Mihalcea, also recorded seven goals in the match.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / cg