04.05.2014, 09:10
Battle of giants in the final

FINAL PREVIEW: Győr take on Buducnost in the final of MVM EHF Final4, the defending champions may have had more time to rest and prepare but finals are not decided merely by physical strength and stamina.

Battle of giants in the final

The fierce rivalry between the two European powerhouses is yet to be taken a step further as Győri Audi ETO KC are taking on Buducnost in the last game of MVM EHF FINAL4. The Hungarian side might be a touch ahead but odds will not mean a thing when the finest of European handball take the court at 17:00 hrs on Sunday.

Shorter time to recover

Buducnost were happy to have trounced Vardar after a 70 minute battle but no doubt Győr were more than happy to see their antagonists burn an enermous amount of energy on their way to the final. The Montengrin outfit would have had less time to rest anyway but the extra-time vs Vardar saw them pretty much drain the tank.

Győr on the other hand even had a chance to save some fuel for Sunday though beating Midtjylland was no walk in the park either. The Hungarian team were far from their peak performance as the Danish side caused them some problems but it is yet to be seen how much can they accomplish of the improvement necessary to beat their bitter rivals.

Clash of walls

While Buducnost made it very difficult for themselves in the second half vs Vardar, the way the team from Podgorica defended in the first half gave Győr a lot to think about. Their wall moved perfectly in line with the outstanding Clara Woltering and if they can repeat that in the final we are likely to see a goal-shy clash for the trophy.

At times Győr was equally massive against Midtjylland but at times – especially when coach Martin started rotating when he felt the game was in hand – the back line was shakier than it was expected. But as far as attacking capabilities are concerned the defending champions have nothing to worry about as they almost doubled the number of goals Buducnost scored in 60 minutes.

Two years ago they met in the final, which Buducnost won. Last year Győr wasted Buducnost in the Main Round. This year they already had two outings, which both ended in draws. On Sunday it cannot be a draw.

For the throne

Cristina Neagu was tired but happy after the game vs. Vardar. "We believe in our chance to win tomorrow, we will play 100 %, also when the hall will be full of Györ fans."

Clara Woltering, who had a fair share of glory in the semi final agreed. “I think they are the strongest in the world. Still, I think we have a chance if we play our best," said the German goalkeeper before the final.

Heidi Löke had said she wanted to win regardless of the opponent, and after the semi-final she added: "No matter who wins, we are going to meet a very strong opponent. We have to prepare and regenerate until tomorrow.”

Anita Görbicz was happy Győr reached the final but naturally wants more. “I’m really happy that we have finally made it to the final. It was a very hard game but we are satisfied with the outcome. We will show how much we want this, and it is our ambition to win tomorrow.”

TEXT: Bence Martha / br