17.11.2016, 05:50
Sporting entering Challenge Cup with impressive roster

ROUND PREVIEW: With a number of star players in their squad, Portuguese Sporting CP are likely to intimidate any opponent in the Men’s Challenge Cup, where Round 3 begins Friday.

Sporting entering Challenge Cup with impressive roster

With players like Carlos Ruesga, Ivan Nikcevic and Janko Bozovic, Sporting CP looks like a team that mean business in the Challenge Cup this season.

Their squad will probably look intimidating to any opponent, and the first team to get a taste of Sporting’s strength are A. S. D. Romagna Handball.

The Italian side are visiting Lisbon for a double header in the Portuguese capital on Saturday and Sunday.

Throw-off on Friday night

The first ball in Round 3 will already be thrown on Friday night.

In the Hala Sportova of Tivat, Montenegrin RK Partizan 1949 have the home right in a double header against A. S. S. Spes from Cyprus.

The return match is taking place in the same venue Saturday evening.

Another double header is also starting Friday evening as in Sala, Slovakia, HKM Sala are hosting KH Kastrioti from Kosovo, with the return match to be played 23 hours later.

Four more double headers

The weekend will see three further double headers.

In Luxembourg, HB Dudelange are playing at home against Hapoed Ashdod on Saturday and Sunday. British Cambridge HC are visiting Bulgarian HC Lokomotiv Varna. And Tasova Yibo SK from Turkey receive Macedonian Riviera-SSSH-2, also on Saturday and Sunday.

A further double header is taking place Sunday and Monday. In the Palace of Sports in Zaporozhye, HC ZNTU-ZAB Zaporozhye are taking on PGU-Kartina TV Tiraspol from Macedonia Sunday and Monday evening.

It is not only double headers this weekend, though. Saturday afternoon, the Valshöllin Hlidarendi is hosting the first leg of the Nordic derby between Reykjavik-based Valur and the current number three in the Norwegian league, Haslum Handballklubb.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / ew