27.10.2013, 10:23
Austria back on track after win against Ukraine

ROUND REVIEW - part 3: The match in the Austrian city of Krems concluded Round 2 of the Women's EHF EURO Qualification. With two points each Austria and Ukraine rank behind Denmark in Group 1

Austria back on track after win against Ukraine

An unexpectedly clear Austrian victory against Ukraine completed Round 2 of the Women's EHF EURO 2014 Qualification.

It was the 24th of overall 72 qualification matches that will be played until the final tournament throws off in December 2014.

Rounds 3 and 4 will continue in March, followed by Rounds 5 and 6 in June.

Group 1: Austria vs. Ukraine 34:28 (18:12)

Austria have fully recovered from the clear 27:42 defeat against Denmark on Thursday and are back on track for the EHF EURO 2014 Qualification.

They now rank level with Ukraine, who had beaten Lithuania in their opening match, in Group 1 behind Denmark.

Both teams have two points in their account and the victory against the team of Leonid Ratner has opened the gate to the final tournament again for Austria which was led by current Women's EHF Champions League top scorer, Sonja Frey, on Sunday.

Adding ten goals to her tally, Frey has now already scored 18 goals in two qualification matches.

But she was not the match's top scorer because Beate Scheffknecht topped her with 13 strikes. Victoriya Borshchenko scored eight times for Ukraine.

The first half was entirely equal until the score stood at 12:12, then the hosts scored an impressive 6:0 series until the break, while Ukraine missed a series of chances.

Austria were on the right track from then onwards as they kept the distance permanently at six or seven goals and left Ukraine trailing.

The  clear result might be decisive for the final ranking in this group, as a high hurdle is now ahead of the Ukraine if they want to win the direct encounter against the team of coach Herbert Müller.

Photos: Ewald Rauscher

TEXT: Björn Pazen / ts