Buducnost extend unbeaten run with win in Bucharest

“Bucuresti made many transfers and have very good players, but they need time to gel and become a real team.”

Cristina Neagu’s words could not be more true after Buducnost had only six minutes of trouble against the Romanian champions.

The Montenegrin side cruised to a 28:22 victory in Group D, proving that CSM have a lot to learn before they could think of a FINAL4 berth.

GROUP D

CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Buducnost (MNE) 22:28 (11:15)


The newbies came up against a powerhouse and the current champions.

It could have being coined a one-sided match - a battle between the proverbial David and Goliath.

But CSM Bucuresti had no interest in playing the victim ahead of the toughest battle in their club’s history.

The Romanian champions had already beaten Buducnost twice in the last two years, albeit in friendly matches in Bucharest.

This time, however, it was different.

It was not a do-or-die game for either team, as both earned wins against MKS Selgros Lublin and IK Sävehof in the first two matches.



But a win against the title holder would have boosted Bucharest’s hopes of earning the first FINAL4 berth in their history and cemented their ambitions in the competition.

However, the hosts’ lack of international experience was there to be seen in the first half, as Buducnost exposed CSM’s defensive woes.

Missing Linnea Torstenson, the team’s MVP in defense, proved to be decisive for Bucuresti.

The Romanian side leaked 11 goals from their 9-meter line.

Mayssa Pessoa and Jelena Grubisic managed only two saves between them, while the Montenegrin powerhouse had a 75% shot efficiency, cruising to a four-goal lead (15:11) at half-time.

On the other hand, Buducnost’s aggressive defense managed to disrupt CSM’s tactical plan.

Stopping Ana Paula Rodrigues and Isabelle Gullden was the aim, as the Romanian attacks had no speed, which made them predictable.

The break changed the way Bucuresti approached the game.

More aggressive, more creative, and with four saves from Pessoa, CSM tied the game scoring with four unanswered goals (15:15) as Buducnost failed to score for seven minutes.

But Dragan Adzic proved once again why he is considered on of the game’s greatest minds.

A well-taken timeout in the 36th minute woke Buducnost up and the Montenegrin side went back to a four-goal advantage (21:17) in the 48th minute.

There was no way back for Bucuresti and they leave Round 3 with a 28:22 loss.

On Romanian soil, Cristina Neagu was Buducnost’s top scorer, with nine goals, followed closely by Katarina Bulatovic, with seven goals.

For CSM, Ana Paula Rodrigues scored five times.

Buducnost maintain their 19-game unbeaten streak, dating back to May 2014 while CSM Bucuresti lose their first-ever game in the Women’s EHF Champions League.

“We had a very good game in Bucharest.

“They are a tough opponent, we prepared for almost two months for this game and we managed to win.

"But we will have another important game against them next week,” said Cristina Neagu.



“We prepared defensively for them, but we simply could not execute the plan. They are a very tough opponent, with a very aggressive defense,” concluded CSM's Cristina Varzaru.