Bannour banishes Leon as Dinamo go top

Abanca Ademar Leon’s spell at the top of VELUX EHF Champions League Group D did not last very long as they were beaten and leapfrogged by Dinamo Bucuresti in a pulsating encounter on Thursday.

• Amine Bannour goes top of the competition’s scorers ranking with his season-best 11-goal haul
• Mario Lopez replied with 11 for the visitors, but it was their defence which failed to step up
• Dinamo Bucharesti extend their perfect record at home to four matches
• Romanian side now clear at the top of Group D, at least until Saturday

GROUP D
Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) vs Abanca Ademar Leon (ESP) 35:30 (18:15)

Both sides began the game brightly, playing to their strengths, and while Bucharest attempted to control the game early on, Leon stayed in touch thanks to a pair of beautiful lobbed goals by Marcio Lopez.

However, the Spanish side’s resistance did not last long and Dinamo opened up a 13:8 lead midway through the first half, with seven goals coming from right back Amine Bannour.

The majority of the home side’s goals came from using their physical superiority with a number of long range shots going uncontested.

Leon changed things up with their 5-1 defence, reducing their opponents space in the back court and it worked for a period as they reduced the deficit to a single goal, but it did not last long as Bucharest ended the half stronger to take a 18:15 lead into the dressing room.

Dinamo and Bannour picked up where they left off before the break, scoring the first goal of the second half and soon they had built up a six-goal lead, their largest of the match.

To the group leader’s credit, they never gave up, knowing that even a three-goal defeat could be of value, should direct encounters come into play at the end of this incredibly tight group.

But while Leon continued to push, they simply could not stop their hosts in defence and an in-flight goal set up by Hugo Descat for Razvan Gavriloaia, making it 34:28, was a signal that Dinamo felt the job was done.