Both semi-final ties are still open

Both semi-finals in the Women´s Cup Winners´ Cup are still relatively open, after the first leg in both ties ended with four goal wins for the home teams this weekend.

When Issy Paris Hand received Team Tvis Holstebro in the second leg of the EHF Cup quarter-final last year, the French team won 32:20. Unfortunately, this was not enough to proceed in the tournament, as Holstebro had won 40:27 at home.

When the two teams met again this Sunday, now in the first leg of the semi-final of the Cup Winners´ Cup, the match became considerably more equal, but with a 24:20 win, Issy do have an edge before travelling to Denmark next weekend.

Before the match, Holstebro coach Peter Krautmeyer stated that his team´s tactics would depend a lot on whether Stine Bredal Oftedal was fit for Issy. The 24-year-old Norwegian world champion played her part as a playmaker on the French team.

The first half was even, with the goalkeepers, Armelle Attingre for Issy and future Issy keeper, Silje Solberg then playing for Holstebro, were able to keep a low score with brilliant performances. After both teams had been leading two goals a few times, the first half ended 12:11 for the visitors, but through a fine second half, Issy pulled ahead by five goals several times before finally winning by four.

Following the first leg time between the two former Women´s EHF Champions League participants, things are also still pretty open between Handball Club Lada and RK Krim Mercator.

In front of 2700 spectators in the Sportkomplex USK in Togliatti, Lada won 28:24 after Krim was leading 14:13 at half-time. Lada had a strong spell after the break, leading by six goals at 24:18, but Krim managed to narrow down the distance a bit before the final buzzer and keep their chances in the return match next Saturday at home very much alive.

Left wing, Tamara Mavsar from Krim, was the highest scoring player in the match with nine goals. Playmaker Daria Dmitrieva and left wing Daria Samokhina scored six each for Lada.