Away goals send Lada to the next round

A 29:23 win at home was almost not being enough for last season’s losing Cup Winners’ Cup finalist, Handball Club Lada, as the Russian side visited Norway for the return match against Vipers Kristiansand.

After 15:15 at half time and a narrow Norwegian 24:23 lead nine minutes into the second half, the home team dominated the rest of the match and won by exactly the six goals they had lost with in the first match – 32:26. However, as Vipers had only scored 23 goals away, Lada were still ready for qualification round 3.

Norway will still be represented in the next round, though. This was already a given thing before this round, as Byasen Trondheim and Tertnes Bergen were meeting in a Norwegian derby.

Having won 33:27 at home, Byasen were the favourites to proceed and they lived up to their standard by winning the return match as well.
29:26 for Byasen were the final digits in Haukelandshallen in Bergen Sunday night.

Germany and Denmark got all their teams through to the third and final qualification round.

SG BBM Bietigheim were virtually through after their 37:24 win at home against ASC Corona 2010 Brasov. Although, this did not make the German side relax in the return match in Romania. Once again, Bietigheim took the win with the score of 23:19 this time.

“Our defence was very strong and only allowed 19 goals against us. Our goalkeepers were also very good once again,” added Bietigheim coach, Martin Albertsen.

TuS Metzingen are following Bietigheim to the next round. Having won 30:22 at home against DHK Banik Most, the German team were victorious in the return match in the Czech Republic 29:25.

“Our game actually functioned better than in the first match. All players were able to contribute today and we are happy to have reached the next round,” centre back Anna Loerper told Metzingen’s website.

VfL Oldenburg are completing the German trio in the third round. The North German team had a 29:22 lead with them to France for their second meeting with Fleury Loiret Handball and thus, they could afford the 26:23 defeat in the Palais des Sports in Orleans. Fleury were close to booking the ticket for the next round after all, leading 14:8 at half time and with eight goals in the second half. Led on by German international, Ange Geschke, Oldenburg managed to minimise the deficit enough to get through.

Denmark will also have full representation in the deciding qualification round.

Last season’s Cup Winners’ Cup winners, TTH Holstebro, are already there and last weekend, Randers HK qualified. This weekend, Nykøbing Falster Håndboldklub and Viborg HK joined them.

Nykøbing Falster just needed to finish the job after winning 35:29 in Poland against Pogon Baltica Szczecin. The European debutants made no doubt in their home game either, as the 10 goals from left wing, Lærke Nolsø, contributed to their 33:28 win.

Viborg HK had a six goal lead with them from their away match, having won 29:23 in Prague against DHC Slavia Praha, but the green ladies did not leave it at that. Former Danish international, Ann Grethe Nørgaard, scored 11 goals, as Viborg won as big as 36:22 at home.