Spain and Turkey advance with two teams each

With HC Lokomotiva Zagreb, MKS Perla Lublin and Kristianstad Handball Klubb already in the quarter-finals, five tickets were still up for the grabs this weekend when the remaining matches in the Last 16 of the Women’s Challenge Cup were played.

Things turned out pretty pleasant for Spain and Turkey, who will both be represented by two teams.

Access the next round

Having won 31:26 in Sweden last weekend, a 19:19 draw at home against Boden Handball IF was enough for 2016 Challenge Cup winners Rocasa Gran Canaria to access the next round.

Gran Canaria had their trouble in their home game against the European debutants from Sweden, who were leading by two goals at some point in the second half but failed to make up the five-goal deficit from the first leg.

The other Spanish team in the Last 16, Rincon Fertilidad Malaga, had to make up for a 28:24 defeat from their visit to Lithuanian ACME-Zalgiris Kaunas a week ago. But with a 25:20 win at home, Malaga just scraped through.

Both sides from Turkey made it through

Like the Spanish teams, both sides from Turkey also made it through to the last eight.

Having won 41:27 away against Alavarium/Love Tiles from Portugal last weekend, Ardesen GSK took another big win at home.

Much the joy of the 4000 spectators in the M.Y.O. Kalapi Erdogan University, Ardesen won 34:22 after being up 18:12 at half-time.

The other Turkish representative, Zagnosspor, also had a big lead with them from their away game, and they should be happy about that as the second leg against Serbian ZORK Jagodina showed.

In the 19 Mayis Sport Hall in Trabzon, Jagodina surprised by winning 29:26 though the 10-goal difference from the first leg in Serbia (34:24) was never in danger.

Not much trouble

Virto/Quintus did not have much trouble reaching the quarter-finals in the only double header this weekend.

The Dutch team, who had the home advantage against Serbian ZRK Naisa Nis, won 35:25 on Saturday and added a 39:31 win on Sunday.