Defending champions on the verge of flying out
The reigning winners of the Men's EHF Cup, Füchse Berlin are in danger of being sent out of the tournament this season even before the group phase.
12 goals from Serbian centre back Petar Nenadic were not enough for Füchse to win the first leg of their Round 3 tie against Chambery Savoie Handball.
In front of 2,000 spectators in the Sportcentrum of Berlin, the French visitors held Füchse to a 31:31 draw which obviously gives Chambery a good chance in the return match.
“We played well, especially in the first half, but then we started to make too many mistakes.
“However, it may be good for us that we are forced to win the return match in a week,” Füchse coach Erlingur Richardsson told Füchse's website.
While Füchse may be on their way out of the tournament, another German team is practically in the group phase.
Frisch Auf Göppingen won their first leg in Poland as clearly as 39:29 against Górnik Zabrze, and there seems to be no way, the Bundesliga team can lose that lead at home on Wednesday.
The third German team in the competition, SC Magdeburg also have a good chance to proceed to the group phase, although their 42:27 home win against Csurgói KK definitely leaves the Hungarians with the chance at home.
With 12 goals, Danish international Michael Damgaard made a fine contribution to the Magdeburg win in front of 3,527 spectators.
If Csurgo have a fair chance of advancing to the group phase, the chance is absolutely not smaller for the other Hungarian team, Grundfoss Tatabanya.
A 28:28 draw in Sweden against Ystads IF gives Tatabanya the edge before the return match next Sunday.
Ystad were missing their probably greatest start, Kim Andersson due to a back injury, and the team from Southern Sweden will hope to have their experienced right back fit for the trip to Hungary.
It was a good weekend for Denmark, who is on the way to get three teams in the group phase for the first time in history.
Bjerringbro-Silkeborg are close to the group phase after their 31:28 win away against Talent M.A.T. Plzen onn Sunday morning.
The visitors were missing Danish international Mads Christiansen, while former international Michael Knudsen was rested on the bench, but still Bjerringbro-Silkeborg got eight goals ahead, before the Czech champions reduced the gap to three goals at the end.
“We have put ourselves in a good position, and I do not feel that our overall win is in danger. However, we will have to approach the second match with the same attitude as we did today,” left wing Stefan Hundstrup told Bjerringbro-Silkeborg's official website.
Aalborg Handball seem to have at least as big a chance to reach the group phase as their country-men from Bjerringbro-Silkeborg.
Aalborg won the first leg at home against St. Otmar St. Gallen as clearly as 30:20 in front of 2,552 spectators in the Jutlander Bank Arena of Aalborg, and the Danish team, who reached the Last 16 of the VELUX EHF Champions League the previous two years, are clear favourites for the aggregate win ahead of the second leg in Switzerland Saturday.
Late Sunday, Team Tvis Holstebro completed the Danish triumph by winning 29:25 away against Rk Gorenje Velenje who sent the Danish team out in the quarter-final last season.
“We played in a controlled way with our good defence as our base,” said Holstebro coach Patrick Westerholm who saw right back Peter Balling score 11 goals.
Find the overview of all first leg results of the Men's EHF Cup Qualification Round 3 here
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / br