11.11.2018, 07:08
Barça clear at top of Group A after win in Skopje

GROUP A REVIEW: Spanish champions flex their muscles and wrestle two points from Vardar at home for the first time this season

Barça clear at top of Group A after win in Skopje

In the clash of the leaders between HC Vardar and Barça Lassa, the visitors never felt too threatened as they broke away right from the beginning.

With a four-goals advantage after only a few minutes played, it felt like Vardar never had a chance.

Tonight, Barcelona are leaders of VELUX EHF Champions League Group A with 12 points, two ahead of Vardar, Rhein-Neckar Löwen and Kielce.

• Barça take the group lead thanks to their sixth win in a row
• First home defeat of the season for Vardar
• top scorer of the game was Barcelona’s Dika Mem with eight goals while Timur Dibirov netted six times for the hosts

GROUP A
HC Vardar (MKD) vs Barça Lassa (ESP) 26:30 (9:13)

The visitors dominated the first half thanks to a strong defence and a spotless performance by goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas.

The Spanish keeper collected seven saves in the first thirty minutes to give his team the opportunity to break away from the start, which they took advantage of, holding a four-goal lead after seven minutes, 5:1.

Despite Vardar’s best efforts to stay in touch, Barcelona kept their rhythm throughout the first half, with Casper Mortensen proving to be efficient on the left wing.

Ludovic Fabregas gave the visitors their biggest lead of the game at 13:7, before two Vardar goals from Dainis Kristopans and Rogerio Moraes kept the Macedonian club’s hopes alive at the break.

Barcelona started the second half as well as they did in the first. With a strong defence, the visitors quickly took the opportunity to take back their six-goal advantage through an empty net goal from Gilberto Duarte.

Christian Dissinger made a solid start to his Vardar career when introduced, but Vardar could not resist Barcelona’s power. French backs Timothey N’Guessan and Dika Mem were firing on all cylinders, the latter scoring eight.

Despite reducing the gap from seven to four goals in the final stages, Vardar were forced to see the two points go for the first time at home this season.

TEXT: Kevin Domas / cor