Three double headers to open last Cup Winners’ Cup season

This weekend marks the start of the last season of the Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup.

From next season onwards, the 2015/16 season, the tournament will change into the Women’s EHF Cup in the same format, which has already been known from Men’s EHF Cup for four years.

The opening weekend of the last edition of the tournament contains three double headers and the first leg of two ties, which will be decided next week together with a further double header.

Ankara Yenimahalle BSK did not manage to qualify for the Women’s EHF Champions League group matches.
 
Two four-goal defeats against Esbjerg and Minsk in the qualification group in Romania sent the Turkish champions on to the Cup Winners’ Cup.

The opponents in two home game Saturday and Sunday (17 and 18 October) will be SSV Dornbirn Schoren.

The Austrian club reached the fourth round of the EHF Cup in the 2002/03 season, which was their best result on the international front so far.

Last season, they reached Round 3 of the Challenge Cup.

LK Zug Handball have reached Round 3 of the Cup Winners’ Cup a couple of times lately.

This weekend, the Swiss ladies will try to achieve this once again, when they take on ZRK Umag from Croatia in the Sporthalle Zug Saturday and Sunday.

Umag had their European debut last season, when they reached the third round of the Cup Winners’ Cup just like Zug.

The third and last double header this weekend is taking place in Spanish Pontevedra, where Mecalia Atletico Guardes host Bnei Hertzliya from Israel Saturday and Sunday.

The Spanish hostesses have reached Round 3 of the tournament in the previous two years, which have been their only European appearances so far, and they will obviously be determined to make it three out of three.

Despite a longer European history, Bnei Hertzliya have never been any further than the third round of any European competition. Last season, they reached Round 2 of the EHF Cup.

The two ties, which have their first leg this weekend, are Swedish Skuru IK versus Ardesen GSK from Turkey, and Westfriesland SEW from the Netherlands against WHC Metalurg from Macedonia.

For a full list of the upcoming fixtures click here.