Confidence in Bregenz and Holstebro before second leg

With Dinamo Bucuresti and OIF Arendal already in Round 3 after double header wins, 28 further teams fight for a ticket for the third qualification round.

Being four goals down is usually no big deal in European handball, and, therefore, Bregenz Handball are still pretty optimistic about their chance for a Round 3 berth despite their 28:24 defeat away to CSM Bucuresti in the first leg last weekend.

“The Romanians underestimated us and were not well prepared. They are obviously going to change that for the return match, but we are also going to be well prepared, and with a loud support from our fans, anything is possible,” Bregenz director Thomas Berger told his club’s website.

The gap is only one goal bigger in the tie between Team Tvis Holstebro and Sporting CP.

The Danish team is leading 36:31 ahead of the second leg in the Pavilhao Multiusos de Odivelas by Lisbon.

Still, Holstebro coach Patrick Westerholm is confident before the flight to Portugal.

“We could have won the first match by three or by eight, so five was okay, I guess.

“There is no doubt that the return match will be difficult, but we are in the best position, so I expect us to be intelligent and proceed,” Westerholm says.

There is also optimism in Norway despite Haslum Handballklubb being down 29:28 after their home game against RK Borac m:tel.

“It is definitely possible to defeat this team on away ground. The second half of our home game proved that clearly,” says Haslum coach Tom-Eirik Skarpsno before travelling to the return match in Bosnia Sunday with his team.

15 goals from Lukas Nilsson for Ystad HK in their away game against Permskie Medvedi earned the 18-year-old left back a nomination for the Swedish national team this week.

Permski Medvedi won the match 30:28, and that result gives Ystad a fine position for the return game in Sweden, if even if Nilsson does not hit the net 15 times again.

“There was really nothing that surprised us in the first match. The analysis is clear, it is all about stopping their counter attacks,” Ystad coach Sebastian Seifert told the Swedish Handball Federation’s website.

One tie is being decided in a double header this weekend.

In Hafnafjordur, Iceland, Haukar are receiving HC Zomimak-M from Serbia for two matches Friday night and Saturday afternoon.