Plock overcome five-goal deficit to reach play-offs

Wisla Plock were close to missing out on the elimination round, trailing by five goals several times against GOG, but a magnificent finish from the Polish home team earned them an elimination round berth.

• The win sends Plock through to the elimination round, being two points ahead of GOG and having a better head to head record

• GOG were leading by five goals for parts of the second half, but were unable to hold on

• Niko Mindegia scored seven goals for Plock, Lasse Møller scored the same number of goals for GOG

GROUP D

Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) vs GOG (DEN) 27:24 (11:13)

In an amazing finish, where GOG only managed to score only two goals in the last quarter of an hour, Plock managed to turn the tide and secure their place in the elimination matches.

Led on by two brilliant playmakers, Niko Mindegia for Plock and Josef Puyol for GOG, the two teams gave each other a closely contested match. For long periods of time the lead was constantly changing hands.

Two great goals scored just seconds apart in the #PLOGOG first half! First Ziga Mlakar finishes in-flight for @SPRWisla before Emil M. Jakobsen spins his way to score another goal in this season's #veluxehfcl for #GOGsport. pic.twitter.com/qNmPapvmsS

— EHF Champions League (@ehfcl) November 23, 2019

Thanks to a stellar performance from 19-year-old goal keeper, Viktor Hallgrimsson, GOG managed to pull in front and take a two-goal lead shortly before the break.

From the start of the second half, the Danish visitors steadily extended their lead to four goals and then later to five.

How do you score from that position? Despite the defeat, Odinn Thor Rikhardsson delivered an amazing moment of behind-the-back brilliance for @gogsport. #veluxehfcl #ehfcl #PLOGOG pic.twitter.com/mptmWyEpFW

— EHF Champions League (@ehfcl) November 23, 2019

Wisla Plock's goalkeeper, Ivan Stevanovic, improved his performance and helped the home team take the lead back.

The home side then went on to score eight goals in a row and managed to turn  a 22:17 deficit into a 25:22 lead. With two minutes left on the clock the result was a forgone conclusion. 

After the match, Plock head coach Xavi Sabaté praised his team but specifically his goalkeeper, for his performance in the final 15 minutes. He said "Ivan Stevanović gave us oxygen in the last 15 minutes. When we were losing with 5 goals, during time out I told to my players, that we have to stay calm and play more risky in the defence. We proved that we are real fighters."