18.11.2017, 10:40
Seven teams ready for the group phase

DAY REVIEW: The first seven teams are ready for the group phase of the Women's EHF Cup after the games in the third qualification round on Saturday.

Seven teams ready for the group phase

A total of 12 teams will reach the group phase of the Women's EHF Cup from the qualifiers, while another four will join from the Women's EHF Champions League Group Matches.

On Saturday, we found out who seven of the 12 teams will be, following games in the qualification tournament.

The last group phase participants will be found on Sunday.

Two Norwegian sides make it to the group phase

Norway is sure to have at least two teams in the group phase.

Vipers Kristiansand will join the tournament after being sent out of the Women's EHF Champions League Saturday, and Byasen Handball Elite are also among the 16 best teams after their second win in succession against HC Gomel.

Gomel seemed to have a rather good chance after limiting the away defeat in the first match in Norway to 32:28, and after an equal first half, the Belarusian champions could still hope to proceed, as they were leading 14:12.

After a similar even start to the second half, Byasen took a convincing lead in the last 20 minutes. They were six goals, up before winning 27:22.

Kobenhavn overcome DKKA Dunaujvaros KA

Another team who seemed to have a good chance before their home game were DKKA Dunaujvaros KA.

The Hungarian side, who won the tournament in 2016, were only down 22:21 after their away game against Kobenhavn Haandbold, and as the return match remained equal most of the time, the result could still go either way, it seemed.

Towards the end, however, Kobenhavn turned out to be the better team after all, and after being five goals up a couple of time, the Danish visitors won 23:20 and were ready for the group phase.

A narrow win at home not enough for Podravka

The other Danish team who were playing on Saturday, Viborg HK, were almost certain to make it to the group phase, after winning 32:17 at home against HC Podravka Vegeta.

Podravka might find a little consolation in the fact that they actually won the second leg at home 21:20, but the Croatian champions were never even close to turning the tie in their favour.

Two convincing wins for H. C. Zalau

H. C. Zalau also had at least on foot in the next round after their clear 30:22 win away against Hypo Niederösterreich.

In the second leg on home ground, the Romanian team left no doubt either.

After leading all the way, they booked another clear win, 29:21 this time.

The Swedish champions narrowly qualify

H 65 Höörs HK are also through to the group phase.

The team who won the Swedish championship for the first time in history last season, qualified in a thriller against 2016 finalists TusSies Metzingen.

The first leg in Sweden ended 24:24, and this should have given Metzingen an edge.

However, in the return match in the Öschhalle in Metzingen Saturday night, Höör managed to earn a narrow 29:28 win and proceed to the next stage.

The result means that Germany will be without representation for the rest of the EHF Cup, unless Thüringer HC fail to qualify for the main round in the Champions League on Sunday.

A mixed affair for French teams

Qualification Round 3 turned into a mixed affair for French handball.

After losing 30:22 in Russia against Handball Club Lada, E. S. Besancon Feminin were never even close to turn the tables on home ground on Saturday night.

After leading 19:16 at half time, Lada won again, this time by half as much as in the first leg, as final score was 36:32 for the Russian visitors at the final buzzer.

However, the other French team in the last qualification round, Issy Paris Hand, took some kind of revenge.

Paris were trailing by 10 goals against HC ÉRD after losing 31:21 in Hungary last weekend.

At home, though, the team from the French capital managed to win 31:20, which was exactly enough to reach the group phase through a one goal win on aggregate.

In the group phase, Brest Bretagne Handball, who finished fourth in their group in the Champions League, will join Paris as France's representatives in the EHF Cup.

TEXT: Peter Bruun/kc