CSM Bucuresti advance after thrilling draw

Emerging force CSM Bucuresti progressed to the Women’s EHF Champions League Main Round after a captivating share of the spoils with defending champions Buducnost in the Montenegrin capital.

GROUP D
Buducnost (MNE) vs CSM Bucuresti (ROU) 23:23 (12:13)

Having breezed past their Romanian rivals away in the previous round, Buducnost must have expected an easier match on home court but were instead given an almighty scare by CSM Bucuresti.

It was clear from the start that the visitors would be a much tougher prospect this time, as they overturned an early 2:1 deficit into a 4:2 advantage and led throughout the captivating tie before the home side snatched a barely-deserved draw.

Swedish centre back Isabelle Gulden and Brazilian left wing Franca da Silva gave Buducnost a roasting in a fast and furious first half, the former scoring six goals and the latter adding four as the home side showed uncharacteristic chinks in their defensive armour.

Backs Cristina Neagu and Katarina Bulatovic kept the home side afloat with three goals each in the opening period, but the game seemed to slip away from Buducnost after the break.

With the free-flowing contest getting physical with bruising tackles aplenty at both ends, Bucuresti gained the upper hand as Line Jorgensen found her range and propelled the visitors into a 20:17 lead.

Neagu was stifled in the second half as CSM’s inspired Croatian goalkeeper Jelena Grubisic saved several penalties in addition to a flurry of other sitters, but Bulatovic fired on all cylinders for the home side.

Buducnost drew level at 20:20 but the visitors kept nosing ahead in a dramatic finish before the home team’s coach Dragan Adzic called a time out with 59 seconds left on the clock, with his team trailing 23:22.

Ana Rodrigues Belo, who scored Bucuresti’s final goal, then picked up a suspension for a foul on Bulatovic and the home side converted the penalty to force the final equaliser.

The visitors failed to get a shot on target in their last possession, much to the relief of a passionate home crowd who held their breath in a frantic finish.

Bulatovic led all scorers with eight goals, while Neagu added four and pivot Dragana Cvijic chipped in with three for Buducnost. Gulden finished with seven for Bucuresti, Jorgensen netted five and Da Silva amassed four.

The result left Buducnost top of the group with seven points ahead of Bucuresti with five and Sävehof with four, Polish side MKS Selgros Lublin out of contention after failing to collect any points from their four games.