GROUP C REVIEW: The third and final day of the first round of matches in the group saw Metalurg squeeze past their Norwegian opponents.
Taleski inspires Metalurg to take narrow home win
In a close match with just 15 goals at half-time, Norwegian side Elverum Handball were not able to react to the aggressive approach shown by HC Metalurg and suffered a narrow 18:17 defeat in the lowest scoring match of the VELUX EHF Champions League season so far.
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Filip Taleski scores 13 as he proves his talent for Metalurg
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Darko Arsic showed a heroic performance in goal to allow Elverum very little in attack
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Rematch of last season´s group D encounter in which Metalurg prevailed at home 22:19
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Macedonians take 2:1 lead in head-to-head record against the triple Norwegian Champions
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66 year-old Croatian coach Lino Cervar for Metalurg wins battle against 32 year-old Michael Apelgren
GROUP C
Metalurg HC (MKD) vs Elverum Handball (NOR) 18:17 (8:7)
Filip Taleski steals the show
20 year-old Filip Taleski is considered one of the biggest handball talents ever born in FYR Macedonia and his 13 goals in this match proved to be the unstoppable weapon of Metalurg.
Along with the superb Darko Arsic in goal, these two were vital for Metalurg to grab a last-minute win against Elverum.
Lowest scoring game of the season
Similarly to last year’s match in Skopje, an aggressive defence on both sides was supported by reliable performances of goalkeepers which turned the encounter into a low-scoring affair. Arsic made several wonder saves to keep Metalurg in a narrow lead throughout the 60 minutes.
Up and down
Elverum were 26 goals away from reaching their 300-goal milestone in their short history in the VELUX EHF Champions League, however today their attack found it hard against well organised defence and Arsic in the goal, they managed to get into the lead in the second half, but the last moments of the game were directed by the superb Taleski and the human wall of Arsic.
TEXT:
Tomas Cuncik/amc