Gran Canaria take huge step towards first trophy

Rocasa Gran Canaria are well on the way to the first European trophy in the history of the club.

A 29:25 win away against Turkish Kastamonu in the first leg of the final of the Women’s Challenge Cup gives the Spanish side an obvious advantage ahead of the home game next weekend.

Women’s Challenge Cup Final, Leg 1

Kastamonu B. Genclik SK (TUR) vs Rocasa Gran Canaria ACE (ESP) 25:29 (9:14)

Rocasa Gran Canaria are close to their first European trophy ever after dominating the away game in Turkey.

Only briefly in the second half were Kastamonu able to but a bit of pressure on their opponents who were leading all the way.

The atmosphere was great among the 2000 spectators, but their support was not enough to save the home team from falling behind from the start.

Gran Canaria got ahead 4:1 and 7:3, and for the rest of the first half, the guests were leading by four or five goals.

In the second half, the visitors got ahead by six goals at 18:12, before a Turkish man-to-man defence on Gran Canaria playmaker Maria Suarez confused the visitors temporarily and allowed Kastamonu to reduce the deficit to one goal at 23:22.

Gran Canaria turned out to have the strongest nerves at the end, though, and managed to book a four goal win at the end.

Maria Suarez and line player Almudena Rodriguez scored eight goals each for Gran Canaria, while Romanian right wing Emilia Carbune scored seven for Kastamonu.