Balatonfüredi KSE take first points against eliminated La Rioja

There was nothing at stake today in Veszprem in this Men’s EHF Cup Group A clash, apart from the two points and both teams’ will to add to points to their total. For Balatonfüredi KSE, a win would have been their first points in the group phase this season, having lost all four of their previous games.

Despite this, the game was a thriller, with the Hungarian side enjoying a four-goal advantage early in the game before the gap was quickly closed by their Spanish visitors. The difference in the end was entirely about details, and Balatonfüredi KSE controlled enough of them to enjoy their first taste of success at this stage..

• After Saint-Raphael beat Berlin yesterday, the two teams had no chance going into this match to progress to the quarter-finals
• Balatonfüredi KSE enjoyed their first win of the season in the Group Phase
• Best scorer of the game was Dominik Mathe for the hosts, while Vanja Ilic netted eight times for the visitors

GROUP A
Balatonfüredi KSE (HUN) vs Logronõ La Rioja (ESP) 35:34 (15:16)

Despite having no chance to qualify for the knock-out stage of the competition, both teams gave their maximum in this afternoon clash to add two points to their tally.

In the first half, neither team were able to outscore the other, even though Balatonfüredi KSE took a short-lasting four-goals advantage after 13 minutes.

But the visitors’ attack soon resolved its problems with Miguel Sanchez Migallon scoring twice to put his team level again with seven minutes to play before the break. With a seven-metre goal, he even gave La Rioja the opportunity to go back to the dressing room leading by one, 16:15.

The two teams remained head-to-head for the whole of the second half, with neither defence able to make enough stops to take an advantage.

Dominik Mathe and Zoltan Szita were the hosts’ main offensive assets, scoring a combined 12 in the second half to carry their team and place it one goal ahead with a few seconds to play.

The hosts scared themselves, losing a ball with 10 seconds to play, but La Rioja were unable to score a goal, letting their opponents take the first two points of their Men’s EHF Cup Group Phase journey.