14.11.2014, 02:40
Viborg can clinch main round berth

GROUP C PREVIEW: A draw against IK Sävehof will be enough for Viborg HK to reach the main round, while Györi Audi ETO KC cannot take it easy in Zagreb despite being sure to win the group.

Viborg can clinch main round berth

A draw in Partillebohallen near Gothenburg Sunday will be enough for Viborg HK to be sure to reach the main round of the Women's EHF Champions League, while their Swedish adversaries IK Sävehof will probably also need at least a point to keep their main round dreams alive.

Györi Audi ETO KC are already sure to win Group C, but as their opponents Sunday evening, HC Lokomotiva Zagreb may very well qualify for the main round, Györ will still need two more points they can take with them to the main round.

GROUP C
IK Sävehof (SWE) vs Viborg HK (DEN)
Sunday 16 November at 14.00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV

A draw in Partillebohallen Sunday afternoon will be enough for Viborg HK to be absolutely sure to qualify for the main round of the Women's EHF Champions League.

However, a win may still be crucial to the Danish champions in order to take as many points with them to the main round as possible, in case Sävehof also get through.

To the home team, the situation is quite critical. The 23:23 draw, Sävehof got away against HC Lokomotiva Zagreb on Sunday, may turn out to be the result that sends the Swedish champions out of the tournament.

Sävehof and Lokomotiva have two points each after draws in both their internal meetings, but as the match in Sweden on the 31 October ended 29:29, the Croatian champions will get the last main round place from the group, if neither team gets any more points.

Therefore, Sävehof are in need of more points, but it is a big question if they can get any against Viborg who won the first match at home as big as 38:25 after an even first half.

It will be a cautious, but also ambitious Viborg team who enters Partillebohallen Sunday.

“Away matches are always hard to win, but we still hope to get to the FINAL4,” their Brazilian goalkeeper Chana Masson de Souza said.

HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) vs Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN)
Sunday 16 November 18.00 hrs local time, live on ehfTV

At first sight, only the honour seems to be at stake for Györ in this match. The defending double Champions League winners are already sure to win the group, but due to the format of the tournament this season, the match is still crucial for the Hungarian top team.

The teams, who qualify for the main round, take their internal points with them from the group stage, and the way things look right now, Lokomotiva may very well follow Györ to the main round from at least third position.

Therefore, the visitors cannot afford to relax a bit in the Dom Sportova this Sunday.

Neither can the hosts, of course. Not only are the Croatian champions in a close race with Sävehof for the third position in the group. For them, every point they may take with them to the main round will also be crucial, and finally, Lokomotiva still have at least a theoretical chance to leapfrog Viborg and take the second place.

On Sunday, Lokomotiva caught up with a seven-goal deficit at home against Sävehof and get a 23:23 draw, and this is likely to have added to the players' self-confidence, but it will probably take more to defeat mighty Györ, even at home.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br