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Paris 92 and Herning-Ikast have the opportunity to take control of group A in the European Legaue Women this weekend as they meet for the first time.
With Thüringer HC’s clash against Baia Mare postponed to 6 February , only one match will be played in Group C, while two disappointed sides with high hopes will meet in Orleans, where Fleury Loiret Handball host the 2019 EHF Cup winners Siofok KC.
GROUP A
HC Zvezda (RUS) vs Vaci NKSE (HUN)
Saturday 16 January, 14:00hrs CET time, live on EHFTV
- the two teams never played against each other in European club competitions
- with eleven games played, Vac currently stand seventh in the Hungarian league, Zvezda have played two more and are currently fifth in the Russian championship
- both teams lost their first game in the group phase last week, Zvezda to Herning-Ikast (34:25), Vac to Paris 92 (34:33)
- Vac have never played against a Russian side in European competition, while Zvezda last played against a team from Hungary in 2013 in the EHF Champions League. The two games resulted in one win and one loss to FTC
Paris 92 (FRA) vs Herning-Ikast Handbold (DEN)
Saturday 16 January, 18:00hrs CET time, live on EHFTV
- both sides are currently top group A, after taking the two points last week
- the two clubs never met in an official game to date
- Paris 92 already played against a Danish side this season in the European League. They defeated Nykøbing Falster twice in the third qualification round (28:16, 28:26)
- the last time Herning-Ikast lost to a French side was in the 2015 Cup Winners’ Cup final first leg, to Fleury Loiret Handball (22:23). Since then, the Danish team won their last three games against French opposition
GROUP B
Nantes Atlantique Handball (FRA) vs Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR)
Saturday 16 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- in their first duel against Kastamonu in European club competition, Nantes are looking to earn their first points in the group phase following a 32:29 defeat at Lada
- Brazilian right back Bruna de Paula, who will move to Metz Handball after this season, scored nine goals in Togliatti
- Kastamonu opened the group phase with a home 20:20 draw against Lublin
- last season, the Turkish side won two of their three away games in the Women’s EHF Cup group phase
MKS Perla Lublin (POL) vs Handball Club Lada (RUS)
Sunday 17 January, 16:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- following a hard-fought home victory against Nantes, Lada lead the group with two points
- for Lublin, last week’s draw at Kastamonu tasted like a win, as the Polish side were down 20:16 six minutes from full-time
- in the last season’s EHF Cup group phase, Lublin claimed only one point in three home matches, while Lada won two of their three away games
- the two sides previously met in EHF Champions League qualification in the 2007/08 season, when Lada won 34:21
GROUP C
Storhamar Handball Elite (NOR) vs Astrakhanochka (RUS)
Saturday 16 January, 14:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- this could prove to be a pivotal game in the group, as the Russian side would open a four-point gap over Storhamar provided they win on Saturday
- veteran Danish left wing Ann-Grete Nørgaard will make her European debut for Storhamar after leaving DELO EHF Champions League club SCM Ramnicu Valcea this winter
- while Storhamar secured a 40:32 win in the Norwegian league against Fredrikstad, Astrakhanochka lost their Russian league game against HC Zvezda, 28:26
- In their two games against Russian opponents in European competitions, Storhamar traded away wins last season with HC Lada, winning 31:27 in Russia and losing their home game, 33:28.
GROUP D
Kuban (RUS) vs H.C. Dunarea Braila (ROU)
Sunday,12 January, 12:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- Kuban led almost during the whole game against Siófok, yet could only claim one point
- Braila never let Fleury to take the lead in the previous round and won the match
- in the domestic league, the Romanian club lost against Bistrita while the Russian side did not play since the first round of EHF European League Women.
- both sides stayed unbeaten and the winner of their clash can lead group D
Fleury Loiret Handball (FRA) vs Siófok KC (HUN)
Sunday 17 January, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- despite Oriane Ondono’s game leading eight goals, Fleury lost their opener to Braila, while Siófok’s Andrea Kobetic and Tamara Horacek combined for 18 goals as they claimed one point at home against Kuban
- the away side won confidently at their domestic league’s match against Boglári Akadémia SZISE, in the meanwhile Fleury continued their poor run as they suffered their third loss in a row, losing to fellow European League participants Nantes in the French championship
- for the French side, the upcoming bout is already a must-win test in one of the most competitive groups
- Siófok are the reigning second-tier champions, winning this competition’s predecessor, the EHF Cup
TEXT: EHF / Béla Müller
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