09.12.2020, 11:00
Sensational comeback as Motor shock Nantes

GROUP B REVIEW: Zaporozhye keep their clean record at HBC and are close to a play-off ticket after turning the match around

What a night in Nantes! For 54 minutes, the hosts were ahead against Motor Zaporozhye, but finally a strike from Barys Pukhouski made the Ukrainian side jump for joy, as they won their third away match at HBC. While Nantes are still waiting for their first point at home after this thriller, Motor have taken their third away victory in a row and are on course for the play-offs with eight points as things stand.

GROUP B

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs. HC Motor (UKR) 31:32 (18:18) 

• After losing at home against Barca and Veszprem, Nantes remain on zero home points after three home matches. Motor have won three away games.
• Motor remain unbeaten against HBC – in five matches they have taken two draws at home and won all three away matches. 
• Nantes were ahead 10:5 and 12:7, before Motor reduced the gap goal-by-goal and levelled the score right before the break. 
• In the second half, the biggest lead was two goals, with Nantes often taking the lead, before Motor equalized. 
• Motor turned the match from 28:30 to take their first lead at 31:20 in minute 55. Finally, Barys Pukhouski scored the winning goal in the 58th. 
• Viacheslau Bokhan (7 goals for Motor) and Kiril Lazarov (6 for HBC) were the top scorers. 

Motor and their away thrillers 

It should always be the smallest possible margin, otherwise Motor have no fun at away matches - this seems to be the motto for the Ukrainian champions this season! All their three away victories ended by the smallest of differences +1 – 24:23 after a clear deficit at Zagreb, 32:31 after a tough clash at Celje and now the same result at Nantes, also after turning the match around in the final stages. Their only home victory was a tiny bit clearer – 31:29 against Celje! But thanks to this series, Motor are six points ahead of Celje, eight ahead of Zagreb and even four ahead of Nantes. 

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen