Györ hand CSM worst ever loss, Vipers extend winnng streak

It seems that the winter break did not phase out Vipers Kristiansand, who are looking stronger than ever, after defeating Krim Ljubljana, 25:24.

A good performance from goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, three players scoring five goals, a balanced attack and the experience to close out the game were enough for the Norwegian champions to win their first ever main round match.

With Amanda Kurtovic and Cristina Neagu sidelined, CSM Bucuresti looked vulnerable and had little chance to do something against Györ.

The Hungarian side picked up where they left off in the group phase, as their attack fired on all cylinders and jumped to a flawless 36:27 win.

It was the worst-ever loss for CSM in the European premium competition, one goal worse than the 33:25 one against the same opponent three years ago.

• Györ extended their lead in the group to ten points, while CSM were leapfrogged by Vipers, both teams being tied with six points
• In her maiden game in the European top competition for the Hungarian side, Crina Pintea was Györ’s best scorer, with nine goals
• Vipers tied CSM Bucuresti for the second place in the group, while Krim is fourth
• Henny Reistad, Silje Waade and Emilie Arntzen scored five goals apiece for Vipers

GROUP 2

RK Krim Mercator (SLO) vs Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) 24:25 (8:10)

It took Krim more than ten minutes to score their first goal, as Tjasa Stanko finally managed to put the ball past Katrine Lunde.

But it was already 4:0 for Vipers, who built on their good start to the game until the end.

Sure, there were moments when Krim got the better of the Norwegian squad, taking a 5:2 run in the first minutes of the second half to take a maiden lead in the 37th minute, 13:12.

The hosts only led once more, as back Emilie Arntzen was flawless in the second half, assisted perfectly by Mathilde Kristensen, who scored all four of her goals in the last 20 minutes.

As Krim desperately tried to salvage a point, they fell short by the slightest of margins, as Tjasa Stanko had an off night, with only four goals scored from 13 shots.

The win, their fourth in a row in the premier european competition, sees Vipers climb to the second place and tying CSM Bucuresti with six points, as Krim’s place in the quarter-finals in now in doubt, as they linger in fourth place, with three points.

Gjekstad Ole Gustav said after the match that "these two points are very important" and despite the win was left frustrated, "I am not happy with the way we were playing."

The losing coach, Uros Bregar, seemed oddly more content and could see his team's progress, "Whole game I was trying to find the right setup. I am happy that the team is slowly assembling."

Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs CSM Bucuresti (ROU) 36:27 (22:15)

The gulf between the two teams was there to be seen after only ten minutes, as Györ jumped to an 8:3 lead, thanks to an amazing attack. As the Hungarian side boasted an 88% shot efficiency, CSM could only manage a meagre 40%, which definitely hampered their chances.

With a non-existing defence and huge mistakes in attack, CSM had little to no chance, as their missing of Amanda Kurtovic and Cristina Neagu proved too much for playmaker Andrea Lekic to cope with.

But the real difference maker was Crina Pintea. Györ’s Romanian line player, who only came in this January, was impossible to stop, in her first ever appearance in the European premium competition.

Scoring six goals with her first six shots in the first half, despite being brought in after 16 minutes, helped Györ take an astonishing 22:15 lead at the break.

With CSM heading directly to their worst ever defensive performance in the Women’s EHF Champions League, a relentless Györ never stopped.

Pintea, playmaker Nycke Groot and left wing Csenge Fodor scored goal after goal, as the gap grew to ten goals, 29:19, with 15 minutes to go, with CSM struggling to find an easy way to goal.

It could have been worse for CSM if not for goalkeeper Jelena Grubisic, but in the end there was nothing much the Romanian side could do to weather the storm.

The nine-goal defeat, 36:27, was as well humiliating, but also a wake-up call for CSM, who are now third in the group, tied with Vipers Kristiansand with six points.

Leaders Györ will face FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria in an 100% Hungarian derby, while CSM can get back to their winning ways on their home court against Krim.