24.03.2021, 06:00
From 1 to 2,204: the numbers before the quarter-final

FACTS AND FIGURES: All you need to know before the quarter-final of the European League Women throw-off

Over the next two weekends, the quarter-final matches of the inaugural EHF European League Women season will be played.

After 48 group matches, the eight best teams have proceeded to the next phase - including one former EHF Champions League winner and three other EHF club competition winners.

The quarter-final will determine the four teams competing at the EHF European League Finals on 8/9 May.

Here are the most important and interesting facts and figures on the group phase and the eight teams still part of the competition.

1 quarter-final pairing pits two clubs from the same country against each other: Romanian sides HC Dunarea Braila and CS Minaur Baia Mare.

1 coach of the eight quarter-finalists also works as a national team coach: Alexej Alexeev, who coaches Lada and Russia.

1 quarter-finalist have proceeded all the way through both qualification rounds and the group phase: Braila.

1 former EHF Champions League top scorer is part of the group phase: Siófok’s Andrea Kobetic (Penezic) scored 102 times for Vardar in 2014/15, sharing the top scorer title with Cristina Neagu.

2 quarter-finalists reached the EHF Cup semi-finals last season: Siófok and Lada.

2 former CSM Bucuresti coaches missed qualification for the quarter-finals: Lublin’s Kim Rasmussen, who won the CL title with CSM in 2016, and Kastamonu’s Helle Thomsen.

2 group matches included 70 or more goals.

3 clubs from three different countries won the EHF Cup in 2017-18-19, all all three countries are also represented in the 2020/21 quarter-final: Rostov (RUS), Craiova (ROU) and Siófok (HUN).

3 group matches ended in a draw.

3 quarter-finalists also played in the quarter-finals of the EHF Cup last season: Siófok, Herning-Ikast and Lada.

3 EHF EURO 2020 medallists are playing in the quarter-finals: Norway’s gold medallist Stine Skogrand (Herning), and Croatian bronze medallists Katarina Jezic (Siófok) and Ana Debelic (Astrakhanochka), who was the All-star line player.

4 quarter-finalists have won EHF competitions in the past: Zvezda (Champions League 2008, EHF Cup 2007), Lada (Cup Winners Cup 2002, EHF Cup 2012 and 2014), Herning-Ikast (EHF Cup 2001 and CWC 2004 as Ikast-Bording and EHF Cup 2011 and CWC 2015 as FC Midtjylland) and Siófok (EHF Cup 2019).

4 nations are represented by the four group winners: Denmark, France, Romania and Hungary - all three Russian teams that progressed, finished second.

5 group matches that were played, ended with a goal difference of 10 or more

5 nations are represented in the quarter-final: Russia (3 teams), Romania (2), France, Denmark and Hungary (each 1).

11 points in six matches were earned by Siófok, the only unbeaten team in the group phase; Baia Mare and Herning-Ikast were defeated each once.

12 knockout matches are coming up: eight quarter-finals and four duels at the finals tournament.

13 goals marked the biggest winning margin in the group match, when Baia Mare won 40:27 against Storhamar.

14 matches that were played in the group phase ended in a win for the away team.

15 matches in the group phase saw 60 or more goals scored.

21 matches that were played in the group phase ended in a win for the home team.

40 was the lowest number of goals in a group match, when Kastamonu and Lublin tied 20:20.

46 goals were scored in the group phase by Norwegian Kastamonu right back Amanda Kurtovic (on loan from Györ), who leads the top scorer list.

60 matches have already been played in the European League: 22 qualification matches and 38 group matches.

77 marked the highest amount of goals in a group match, when Thüringer HC beat Storhamar 41:36.

83 was the highest number of goals in any European League Women match in this season, when Vac (HUN) defeated Banik Most (CZE) 42:41 in qualification.

198 group phase goals were scored by Herning-Ikast, followed by Siófok (181) and Braila (170).

2,204 goals were scored in the 38 group matches, which means an average of 58.0 per match.

Group matches with the most goals:
77 - Thüringer HC vs Storhamar 41:36
70 - Zvezda vs Herning-Ikast 31:39
68 - Herning-Ikast vs Vac 39:29
68 - Braila vs Kuban 36:32

Group matches with the fewest goals:
40 - Kastamonu vs Lublin 20:20
46 - Nantes vs Lublin 25:21
48 - Herning-Ikast vs Paris 25:23

Biggest winnings margin in group phase:
+13: Storhamar vs Baia Mare (27:40)
+12: Vac vs Herning-Ikast (26:38)
+11: Fleury vs Siofok (24:35)

Most points in group phase:
11 - Siófok
10 - Baia Mare
10 - Herning-Ikast

Most goals in group phase:
198 - Herning-Ikast
181 - Siófok
170 - Dunarea Braila

Top scorers group phase:
46 goals: Amanda Kurtovic (Kastamonu)
36 goals: Bruna de Paula (Nantes)
36 goals: Tamara Horacek (Siófok)

Overall top scorers (incl. qualification):
46 goals: Amanda Kurtovic (Kastamonu)
44 goals: Bruna de Paula (Nantes)
44 goals: Aneta Udristioiu (Braila)
43 goals: Marina Dmitrovic Braila)

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen