05.05.2017, 12:00
Two clubs with proud tradition, ready for final clashes

FINAL, FIRST LEG PREVIEW: HC Lokomotiva Zagreb and H 65 Höörs HK have impressive histories in different EHF European Cup competitions as they prepare to face each other in the final of the Women’s Challenge Cup.

Two clubs with proud tradition, ready for final clashes

Two clubs with proud traditions in different European Cup competitions will meet in the two-legged final of the Women’s Challenge Cup over the next two weekends. While HC Lokomotiva Zagreb were in the Women’s EHF Champions League as recently as two years ago, H 65 Höörs HK won this same competition back in 2014, beating Issy Paris Hand (FRA) on away goals (42:42).

This Sunday (7 May), the two teams meet in the Croatian capital for the first leg of the final in a match live on ehfTV.com.

FINAL, FIRST LEG

HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) vs H 65 Höörs HK (SWE)
Sunday 7 May, 16.00 hrs (local time), live on ehfTV.com

Two years after playing Group Matches in the Women’s EHF Champions League, Lokomotiva Zagreb are aiming for success in the Women’s Challenge Cup.

While their 2014/15 campaign in Europe’s elite club competition ended without a win (four losses and two draws in their six games), the team from Croatia’s capital have had a successful season already.

In the competition this season, the team - with just one non-Croatian player - Bosnian right back Edima Demic – they have had little trouble, first with Portuguese side CS Madeira or Turkish Ardesen GSK in the first two rounds, before they sent ruling champions Rocasa Gran Canaria ACE from Spain out by two goals on aggregate in the quarter-final.

After a narrow one goal win at home against Virto/Quintus, Lokomotiva won big (27:16) in the Netherlands in the return match of the semi-final to book their final spot.

Höör, who won the Challenge Cup in 2014 and reached the quarter-finals last year, sent Spanish side Prosetecnisa Bm Zuaso out in Round 3, before Macedonian side HC Vardar SCJS were eliminated in the Last 16.

Another Spanish team, Mecalia Atletico Guardes, were sent out at the quarter-final stage by the Swedish team, to whom Czech DHC Sokol Poruba were no match in the semi-final.

Höör coach Ola Månsson is warning his players against being too impressed by the fact that their opponents in the final were in the Champions League two years ago, with their two draws coming against another Swedish side, IK Savehof.

“I am aware that the current Lokomotiva team is not the same that played in the Champions League two years ago,” he said to the club website. “Since then, they have been building a new team with talented young players but they still eliminated Gran Canaria, the Spanish top team who won the tournament last year.”

Photo: www.h65.se

TEXT: Peter Bruun/amc