16.10.2011, 11:20
Budućnost remain undefeated

Tight win for Metz, clear victories for Dinamo and Larvik in Round 3 of the EHF Women´s Champions League.

Budućnost remain undefeated

Match day 2 continued with great excitement as French champion Metz won by a last second goal at Randers. In the direct duels of teams with maximum points, Budućnost used their home advantage against FCM. In Group B, title defender Larvik stopped the Slovenian run by crushing Krim in a one-sided affair. In the late evening match, favourite Dinamo outclassed German runner-up Buxtehuder SV and are back in CL business.

The postponed match between Hypo Niederösterreich and Győri AUDI ETO will be played on 9th November.

GROUP A

In an expected emotion-charged match the Montenegrins were able to keep and improve their tight lead till the end and kept those two important home points.

Thanks to the magnificent Trine Troelsen and Maibritt Kviesgaard, FCM leveled the game in the dying minutes. Even so, Budućnost put their heart into the deciding phase and scored three goals to give them a higher than expected victory which will be a great advantage for them in the return match.

Despite the loss, FCM looked dangerous and certainly could have won this game, had they been able to keep their quality wall in front of outstanding goalkeeper Sabine Englert, who saved with over 40% in the first period.

Budućnost showed plenty of enterprise in the second half, and with their great fighting spirit and individual player performances, Dragan Adžić´s team turned the match, to the delight of their numerous fans in the Morača Sports Centre.

Regardless of today´s result, the group winner will probably be decided in the return match in mid November, with perhaps both teams winning their upcoming two matches.

GROUP B

Krim´s ship sprang a huge leak in Scandinavia, as the Slovenians were outclassed by an efficient and superior Larvik, making the run for a Main Round spot even more tight in the group.

Krim only had a short phase of quality play at the beginning of today´s match, and after being down by 6:9 Larvik took a time out which led to a Slovenian collapse in this clash.

The Norwegians made a 7:1 run before half-time and didn´t stop their action in the second period either, where it looked like a cat and mouse game between the opponents. Larvik’s right side was highly impressive, with Amanda Kurtović and Linn Jørum Sulland, the two left-handed back-court players scoring 15 goals together. "Without much EHF CL experience I just had to take the opportunity and I´m glad it went so well today. With my team-mates we have good on-court co-operation, giving each other tips and support all the time," added a highly satisfied Kurtović.

For the Slovenians, this defeat might have came in time before they match-up with Viborg HK for very important points in two weeks in their last away duel of the group phase. Larvik will travel to Croatia where they will face a confident Podravka after their magnificent performance in Denmark.

GROUP C

With a last second goal from Svetlana Ognjenović (with 9 goals, the top scorer of the match) the French champions brought home two points from Denmark in an exciting thriller that contained all possible elements of a fantastic handball spectacle.

The away side started stronger in this match, and the Danes looked quite shocked when Sébastien Gardillou´s team established a comfortable lead of three goals.

With the entry of Susann Müller, Randers fought back bravely, the German international being responsible for explosive goals from the back-court and some nice assists to the line players.

Nevertheless Metz continued to apply high pressure in the second period, and two minutes before the end, Claudine Mendy and her colleagues looked like the winners of the duel. Then Randers gave everything, as one week earlier in Austria, to level the match.

Against Hypo, they were able to turn and win the match, but here Metz finished their last attack with a fantastic kung fu goal assisted by Ekaterina Andryushina making the away victory perfect.

The group´s other, postponed match Hypo Niederösterreich vs. Győri AUDI ETO will be played 9 November.

GROUP D

After two defeats Dinamo found the winning way and celebrated their first victory in this EHF CL season.

Despite a double handball event in Hamburg, the ladies of Buxtehude weren´t able to repeat the win of their male colleagues, Hamburger SV, who were successful in the warm-up match.

Thanks to a fresher Dinamo back-court and the outstanding Anna Sedoykina between the sticks, Victor Ryabykh´s team presented itself as the dominant side from the 20th minute onwards and established a clear lead to half-time that his players improved upon during the second period. The Germans never found the right rhythm in this duel and only resisted towards the end.

As Dinamo controlled the game clearly and led by 10 goals, there was no question about the winner. The Russians slowed their game down a little for the dying minutes and celebrated a well-deserved victory. "We were expecting a much tougher game, but I’m still very pleased that we have won with such big gap," said a satisfied Dinamo coach after the game.

Buxtehuder SV remain without points in the EHF Champions League, whilst Dinamo seem to have gathered much self-confidence before they welcome strong Oltchim on their home court in two weeks.

TEXT: Márk Hegedüs