In group B, Kastamonu got their first win of the group phase at home. These two points keep their hopes for a quarter-finals qualification alive.

In Group C, Russian side Astrakhanochka went back to their winning ways, after a commanding performance against CS Minaur Baia Mare.

With back Elizaveta Malashenko in superb form, putting eight goals past the Romanian side, Astrakhanochka secured a 33:27 win that helped them leapfrog Baia Mare for the first place in the group.

GROUP B

Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) vs Handball Club Lada (RUS) 29:25 (13:14)
• Kastamonu earned their first win at the group stage and climbed to second place with three
points
• Lada suffered their second defeat in a row, both away from home, and sit bottom of the group
with two points
• early in the second half, the Russian team were up 16:13, yet Kastamonu drew level within
three minutes and had control of the game afterwards
• Amanda Kurtovic did a good job for Kastamonu, scoring ten goals from ten attempts

GROUP C
Astrakhanochka (RUS) vs CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU) 33:27 (14:8)

• a 5:1 run spurred by back Karina Sabirova helped Astrakhanochka jump to a commanding 8:3 lead after 13 minutes
• Baia Mare’s scoring input in the first 30 minutes was the second-worst performance in their history in European competitions in the first half, only one goal more than the seven-goal outing against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria in the DELO EHF Champions League five seasons ago
• were it not for the seven saves from goalkeepers Filippa Idehn and Cristina Enache in the first half, Baia Mare would have been far worse off
• improving from their 38 percent attacking efficiency from the first half to 52 per cent throughout the game, Baia Mare failed to mount a comeback, with the gap ballooning to eight goals, 22:14, in the 40th minute
• with left wing Daria Samokhina scoring six of her seven goals in the second half, the Russian side secured a commanding 33:27 win
• Astrakhanochka secured their second win in the group and are now in first place with four points, while Baia Mare and Storhamar are tied in second, with two points

Defence lifts Russian side past Baia Mare

Astrakhanochka’s main problem in the first two games was their defence, conceding 55 goals against Thüringer and Storhamar. However, that improved against Baia Mare, as Astrakhanochka only started to ease their grip when they were already up by eight goals, holding Baia Mare to a percent attacking efficiency. The next game between the two sides, set to be played on 6 February, will be crucial for the future of the two sides in the competition, as all four sides in Group C have lost at least one game.