Blomstrand helps Kobenhavn to dream start

With eight goals, Hanna Blomstrand has made a substantial contribution to Kobenhavn Handball’s great start to the Women’s EHF Champions League 2018/19 season. The Danish side leads Group B with four points after two matches.

Last weekend, the Swedish right back scored six times as the Danish champions won 36:22 away against IK Sävehof.

“It was a special feeling for me to play against a team from my own country, also because it was the first time I played against a Swedish team after I joined Kobenhavn,” Blomstrand tells ehfCL.com.

"Handball is being played much faster here in Denmark than in Sweden"

Blomstrand thinks that the fast attacking play and strong defence are the key factors behind Kobenhavn’s success.

“The main difference between the Danish and the Swedish league is the speed: handball is being played much faster here in Denmark than in Sweden,” says Blomstrand, who is in her second season with Kobenhavn after joining from HF Lugi in her native Sweden.

“The change has definitely been good for me. In general, the level is higher, and that has been good for my development as a handball player,” she says. “Furthermore, it is a great advantage to me to be able to focus entirely on playing handball and even in an environment, which is much more professional than I was used to. Finally, it is obviously great to get the chance to play the Champions League.”

Last season she was an instrumental part of Kobenhavn’s race to their first ever Danish league title. Blomstrand was the only right back in the team for most of the season as Danish international Anne Cecilie de la Cour was on maternity leave.

Now De la Cour is back, but this has not resulted in any kind of rivalry, according to Blomstrand.

“We have a great cooperation, and I actually think we supplement each other very well. She is a better shooter from the distance, while I am more of a break-through player,” says the 22-year-old international, who is one of five Swedish players in the squad of the Danish champions.

"Our fast attack and solid defence have been the keys"

Kobenhavn’s lead after two rounds has not really surprised Blomstrand.

“Our fast attack and our solid defence have been the keys in both matches,” she says, referring to the 32:28 home win against Bretagne Handball and the 36:22 away win away against Sävehof.

The next challenge to her and her teammates will be Rostov-Don. Last season’s EHF FINAL4 participants will be visiting the Brøndbyhallen in the western outskirts of Copenhagen on Saturday at 13:45 hrs local time (live on ehfTV.com).

“Of course, that will be a tough game for us, but it is also a game we are looking very much forward to. These are the matches we play and train for all season, and we will definitely do all we can to win that game, too,” Blomstrand says.

Kobenhavn will miss several regulars, like wings Line Bjørnsen and Mia Wall as well as playmaker Mia Rej, due to long-term injuries. And against Sävehof, Dutch international Kelly Dulfer sustained a shoulder injury which forced her out of Wednesday’s domestic league game at Ringkøbing, which Kobenhavn still won (25:22).

“Of course, it is a handicap to miss so many players, especially where we are playing two matches every week,” Blomstrand says. “But this is exactly where we must show that we are good at standing together. I still hope for Kelly to get fit for Saturday, but if she does not, someone else must simply take her place. No matter what, we will do everything possible to get our third successive win in the Champions League.”