Paris and Viborg in quarter-final after thrillers
Issy Paris Hand are in the quarter-final of the Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup, but the French side had to work hard to send out HC Podravka Vegeta, who did not make it on from the Women’s EHF Champions Group Matches earlier this season.
Paris had won their home game 24:20, but in front of 1700 spectators in the Sport Hall Fran Galovic in Koprivnica, the Croatian champions managed to catch up with three goals out of their four-goal deficit from the first leg.
At the end, however, Podravka did not manage to close the gap completely and had to leave the European handball stage for this season.
Just like Podravka, RK Krim Mercator had to leave the Champions League this season after the group phase.
However, unlike the Croatian team, the Slovenian champions are still in Europe.
Krim were trailing by a narrow 30:29 deficit from the game in Romania against SC Municipal Craiova last weekend, but in front of 1500 spectators at home in Ljubljana, Krim managed to win 27:23 and book the quarter-final ticket.
The first leg of the Scandinavian derby between Glassverket and Viborg HK was a drama, in which Viborg won 29:28 in Norway.
The drama was repeated, when the teams met again in Denmark.
Glassverket were heading for the quarter-final, as they were leading 15:10 at half-time in Viborg Stadionhal.
However, with the enthusiastic support from the majority of the 1047 spectators, Viborg managed to get back in the game in the second half and take another one-goal win, 23:22 this time.
With no less than 11 goals, Danish international Ann Grete Norgaard played a considerable part in Viborg’s quarter-final berth.
Norway did get one team through to the last eight, though.
Vipers Kristiansand were leading 28:22 after their home match against Polish MKS Zelgros Lublin, so the Norwegian team could live with the 25:22 defeat in front of 1990 spectators in the Globus Hall in Lublin in the second leg.
Team Tvis Holstebro coach Peter Krautmeyer had warned his players ahead of the away match against Hypo Niederösterreich despite the Danish team’s 42:28 win at home in the first leg.
However, he and his team had nothing to worry about in the return game in Vienna.
The EHF Cup winners from 2013 and 2015 won another clear win, this time 35:28 after a 20:12 at half-time score.
“The Holstebro win was deserved, but still I am really content with my young team, especially in the second half, Hypo coach Feri Kovacs told his club’s website.
TEXT: Peter Bruun / bc
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