The 36:35 loss in the first leg against Odense meant that Vipers Kristiansand were underdogs in the return match for a quarter-finals berth in the DELO EHF Champions League.

With a depleted side due to injuries, the Norwegian powerhouse stayed true to their roots, deployed their usual fast handball and sealed a crucial 30:26 win that helped them seal a ticket between the top eight teams in the European premium competition.

PLAY-OFF, SECOND LEG
Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) 26:30 (14:19)
First leg: 36:35, Vipers won 65:62 on aggregate

• with nine saves in the first 30 minutes of the game, Norwegian goalkeeper Kristine Lunde helped Vipers build a 19:14 lead at the break
• replacing injured Nora Mørk in the right back position, Linn Jorum Sulland had a superb first half, scoring seven times, as Vipers boasted a 76 per cent attacking efficiency in the first half
• led by Brazilian right wing Jessica Quintino and Dutch left back Lois Abbingh, Odense started to cut into Vipers’ gap in the second half, with a 7:2 run that saw the Norwegian side only one goal ahead, 24:23
• with a meagre 47 per cent attacking efficiency, Odense scored only twice in the last eight minutes to see their quarter-finals dream up in tatters, as Vipers secured a crucial 29:26 win
• Vipers will face Russian powerhouse Rostov-Don in the quarter-finals, a replay of their mutual encounter in the group phase, where Rostov took a narrow 24:23 win

Lunde saves 18 to put Vipers through

After winning the first leg 36:35, and having led throughout most of the game, Odense were the favourites to proceed to the quarter-final of the DELO EHF Champions League for the second time in two seasons.

But Vipers’ experience proved invaluable, as well as having a great goalkeeper between the posts. Katrine Lunde saved 18 shots and dazzled Odense’s attack, with the Danish side’s three losses to end the group phase confirming their dip of form as of late.

Vipers progressed to the quarter-finals of the European premium competition for the second time in the last three seasons, having gone all the way to the DELO EHF FINAL4 in Budapest two seasons ago.