Lada win big, Holstebro cruise into Last 16

Team Tvis Holstebro, who won the Women’s EHF Cup in the 2012/13 season and again last season, continued their quest to emulate that achievement in the Cup Winners’ Cup this season.

This weekend, the Danish team eliminated their Macedonian visitors from WHC Metalurg with an emphatic 73:40 win in a double-header in the Gråkjar Arena of Holstebro.

The first leg win of 41:20 allowed Holstebro coach Peter Krautmeyer to give match practice to some of his youngsters in the second leg, which the Danish team won 32:20.

“I liked to watch the young players having the courage to try, even though they might miss a shot here and there.

“That is the way it should be, and they really got a lot of practice today,” Peter Krautmeyer told his club’s website.

Buxtehuder SV were leading 16:13 at half-time in front of 1,500 spectators in the Schulzentrum Hansestrasse in Buxtehude against Issy Paris Hand.

However, the German home team was not able to maintain the lead in the second half, and the French visitors ended by winning 28:26, a result which obviously makes them favourites in the return match in Paris next Sunday.

An injury-stricken team from VfL Oldenburg did not stand a chance away against Handball Club Lada.

In front of 2,700 spectators in the Sportkomplex USC in Togliatti, Lada won 37:24 against their German visitors.

“Lada proved their international class today. Each and every one of their players brings new impulses.

“In order to defeat a team like that, you need experience and alternatives, we had neither today,” Oldenburg coach Leszek Krowicki told Oldenburg’s official website.

Vipers Kristiansand are well on the way to winning the all-Norwegian tie against European debutants Halden Damer Elite.

In front of 1,032 spectators in Rakkestadhallen, Kristiansand won 22:20 and are favourites to reach the Last 16 of a European Cup competition for the first time in 11 years, when the teams meet again in Aquarama of Kristiansand on Saturday afternoon.

Ardesen GSK also have a fairly good chance of reaching the next round after their relatively narrow 30:26 defeat away against Team Esbjerg.

The Turkish visitors were even leading 13:12 at half-time, before the Danish hosts managed to secure a four goal win in the last 30 minutes.

“Ardesen played really fine handball and put a good pressure on us in the first half.

“I think we were a little surprised by their pace, but we came out for the second half with much better spirit, and I was content with our way of playing, but not with our many missed opportunities,” Esbjerg coach Lars Frederiksen said.

The third Danish team in the competition Viborg HK lost at Metz Handball 24:26, which gives the former three-time EHF Champions League winners a promising position before the second leg on home court.