19.09.2014, 12:20
Last team for Group B to be found in Kragujevac

GROUP 2 PREVIEW: In Serbia, four teams will be battling for one group phase ticket for the Women's EHF Champions League.

Last team for Group B to be found in Kragujevac

On Sunday evening, Buducnost, Thüringer HC and WHC Vardar SCBT will know the fourth and last team of their group in the Women's EHF Champions League. In Kragujevac, the Sport Centar Mladost “Jezero” will be the venue of Group 2 of the qualification tournament, in which FC Midtjylland from Denmark, Byasen Trondheim from Norway, HC Podravka Vegeta from Croatia and the hosts WHC Radnicki Kragujevac will be fighting out the last ticket for Group B of the Group Matches among them.

The semi-finals will take place on Saturday, and the final as well as the match for the third place are being played on Sunday. All matches apart from the third place game will be shown live and free of charge on www.ehfTV.com.

Qualification Group 2
Byasen Trondheim (NOR) vs HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO)
Saturday, 20 September at 17.00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

Podravka Vegeta, Champions League winners back in 1996, are chasing new glory, while Norway's almost eternal number two are trying to reach the Champions League for the first time since 2012. However, it is a Byasen team who have said goodbye to several players compared to last season, who is entering the courts in Serbia.

“Our goal is at least to reach the final of this qualification group. However, we realise that it will be difficult against the Podravka team with several Croatian internationals. And even if we get past them, we will probably be up against FC Midtjylland who reached the semi-final last season, and who even appear stronger this season. However, we are looking forward to the challenge,” Byasen's Danish head coach Claus Mogensen told ehfCL.com.

FC Midtjylland (DEN) vs WHC Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB)
Saturday, 20 September at 19.30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

Last season, FC Midtjylland reached the Women's EHF FINAL4, and this Saturday evening they will start the attempt to copy that achievement.

However, last season's number two in Denmark should not expect an easy task in this semi-final against the hosts who consist of a mixture of experience and youth, and who will probably be able to count on considerable support from the standings.

“We have had a good pre-season and we are capable of springing a surprise. We have been drawn into a tough group, but I have faith in these girls. If we prepare well, anything is possible,” said Radnicki Kragujevac coach Aleksandar Radosavljevic.

FC Midtjylland are prepared for an enthusiastic home crowd.

“I think we should simply leave everything around us out of our heads and just focus on our own game. We depend on each other, but if we all perform and our best level, I see our chances as being really good,” FCM line player Sabine Pedersen told ehfCL.com.

Midtjylland will be handicapped in their attempt to reach the group phase, though, as right back Line Jørgensen has sustained a knee injury which has called for immediate surgery. At the moment it is unknown how long the 24-year-old Danish international will be sidelined.

Match for 3/4 place
Sunday,  21 September at 17.00 hrs local time

The losers of the two semi-finals Saturday meet in the match for the third and fourth place.

Final
Sunday 21 September at 19.30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV.com

The winners of the semi-finals meet in the deciding match for the group phase berth.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br