15.03.2015, 09:30
Baia Mare and Viborg take last quarter-final tickets

GROUP 2 MATCH REVIEWS: Both teams playing their final Women’s EHF Champions League Main Round match in Romania on Sunday were able to celebrate after Metz were knocked out.

Baia Mare and Viborg take last quarter-final tickets

After Metz Handball lost at home to Györi Audi ETO and were knocked out of the fight for a spot in the quarter-finals, both teams in Baia Mare could start celebrating, even though HCM Baia Mare defeated Viborg HK decisively.

This result meant Baia Mare and Viborg are both through to the quarter-finals of the Women's EHF Champions League, taking the last two tickets from Group 2.

Sunday’s results mean Baia Mare finish third in the group, while Viborg claim fourth place.

GROUP 2

HCM Baia Mare (ROU) vs Viborg HK (DEN) 32:22 (17:11)

Baia Mare steamrolled Viborg from the start and to lead 5:1, 6:2 and then 8:3 early on.

A time out called by Viborg coach Lars Friis Hansen after 15 minutes (8:3) seemed to help at first, as Viborg managed to reduce the distance to one goal.

But it did not take the home team long to reestablish their clear lead, which stood at six goals at half-time.

For parts of the second half, Viborg tried playing seven against six in their attack in a last attempt to turn the tables, but that only enabled Baia Mare to pull ahead further.

After Viborg abandoned their seven against six play, the home still continued to increase their lead. When the score line was at its highest, the Romanian champions were leading by 11 goals.

In the end, as the result from France became known, both teams could begin to celebrate their quarter-final berth.

Metz Handball (FRA) vs Györ Audi ETO KC (HUN) 20:27 (8:12)

Metz had their destiny in their own hands before the match in the Palais Omnisport Les Arenes.

A win would have sent the French champions to the quarter-finals regardless of the result in the game between Baia Mare and Viborg.

But Metz never really came close to securing the victory they required.

There was little at stake for Györ, who had already wrapped up second spot in Group 2, but this was not evident in their play.

The two-time Champions League winners appeared determined to close the group stage with a win and allowed Metz only one lead in the entire match, at 4:3.

Györ were soon back in front and built a five-goal lead at 10:5 - and had it not been for a wonderful performance from Laura Glauser in the Metz goal, the deficit would have been greater than four goals at half-time.

However, Norwegian international Kari Aalvik Grimsbo was equally impressive in the Hungarian goal and prevented Metz from ever coming close to reaching the quarter-finals.

Györ enjoyed complete control throughout the second half, increasing their lead to eight goals before coasting to a 27:20 success.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / cg / jh