Füchse get clear win despite shaky start

It took some time for Füchse to fight off Tatabanya in the second leg of their EHF Cup Quarter-final tie.

The Hungarian visitors managed to closely follow the home team to tie at 17:17 early in the second half, but after this, Füchse earned a clear lead.

Despite the close score for much of the game, the overall win for Füchse was never in danger, due to their 30:25 win in the first leg.

• Füchse are in their third EHF Cup Finals in four seasons
• Steffen Fäth was top-scorer for Füchse with six goals
• Adam Juhasz and Demis Cosmin Grigoras scored five goals each for Tatabanya

QUARTER-FINAL, SECOND LEG:

Füchse Berlin (GER) vs Grundfos Tatabanya KC (HUN) 28:22 (14:13)

After hosts Frisch Auf Göppingen, Füchse were the second team to qualify for the LIQUI MOLY EHF Cup Finals, as earned a clear win in their second match against Tatabanya.

However, the Bundesliga team had more trouble in the match than the final score indicates.

An optimistic Hungarian team started by getting up 2:0, and were even attacking for a 3:0 lead, before the home team finally got their engines started.

After Tatabanya took a couple of two-goal leads, Füchse finally got the upper hand, and they led by three goals several times before half-time.

Füchse finally get clear lead

However, Tatabanya came back again, and at almost four minutes into the second half, their Romanian right back Cosmin Grigoras equalised at 16:16.

The visitors also kept up until 17:17, after which Füchse got ahead of them, leading by seven goals at one point.

Despite Tatabanya’s efforts, Füchse’s 30:25 win in the first match in Hungary meant that their overall win was never truly in danger.

Steffen Fäth scored six goals for Füchse, five of which were scored in the second half, while Hans Lindberg found the net five times.

Cosmin Grigoras and Adam Juhasz scored five goals each for Tatabanya.

Post-match statements

Füchse coach Velimir Petkovic: “I do not want to talk a lot, I will just say this: In the first half we had problems. It was an attitude. I think most of my guys were not there, so we performed poorly in attack and defense. The second half was good: we only conceded eight goals. We are where we wanted, the goal is achieved. Now I have announced a new goal. Everyone knows what this means. We want to win the European trophy.”

Ignacio Plaza, line player for Füchse: “I think we can be satisfied with the result, even if it was not our best game. We have a good line and are very fit.”

Tatabanya coach Vladan Matic: “I congratulate Velimir Petkovic and Berlin, it was a great experience to have played here, it was very difficult, we were the new team, we had the new players, but we will try again next year to test Berlin.”