Seven teams through to Last 16

Seven of the teams to contest the Last 16 of the Men’s Challenge Cup were found on Saturday and Sunday, while an eighth participant will follow on Monday evening when HC ZNTU-ZAB Zaporozhye and RK Mojkovac 2005 play the second leg of their double header.

Zaporozhye, who have the home advantage, are virtually in the next round already, having won the first leg 36:20 on Sunday.

Doubling the margin

SGS Ramhat Hashron HC were one of the first to qualify on Saturday. On Friday, the Israeli team won the first leg of their double header at home against Bosnian RK Konjuh Zivinice 30:25, and in the second match the following day, the hosts made everything clear by doubling that margin – 33:23.

A second double header decided on Saturday was the tie between another Bosnian team, HMRK “Zrinjski” Mostar and Georgian B.S.B. Batumi. Mostar, who had the home advantage, left no doubt in either of the matches. After winning 47:17 in the first leg, they took things a bit easier in the game on Saturday, but still did enough to win 42:32.

No trouble proceeding

Red Boys Differdange from Luxembourg had no trouble proceeding to the next stage either. In their double header at home against Bulgarian HC Dobrudja, the Red Boys made the situation clear in the first match, when they won 43:23. A 36:26 victory in the game on Saturday then confirmed their Last 16 berth.

The tie between Portuguese AM Madeira Andebol SAD and Parnassos Strovolou from Cyprus was also decided on Friday and Saturday. In reality, the outcome was known on Friday night as the hosts won the first leg on the island of Madeira as decisively as 46:12. This result reduced Saturday’s game to a formality, which Madeira won 35:20.

A close encounter

A.E.K. Athens had no trouble at home against London GD HC on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the Greek hosts won 40:16, and this clear victory was followed by a 20-goal result, 41:21, on Sunday. 

Dynamo-Victor from Russia had a closer encounter, as they beat HC Sloga Zmartforce from Serbia 37:26 on Saturday before losing 29:31 on Sunday as the visiting side clearly improved their performance – but it was not enough to claim the aggregate win for a ticket to the Last 16. 

The seventh and last team to qualify this weekend was Belgian squad HC Vise BM. In their double header at home against Moldovan side PGU-Kartina TV Tiraspol, Vise won 38:31 on Saturday and 41:32 on Sunday.