15.10.2022, 05:35
Historic Kastamonu end losing streak by beating Lokomotiva

GROUP B REVIEW: Azenaide Danila José Carlos leads the Turkish side to a first ever Women's EHF Champions League win, beating Lokomotiva

Round 5 of group B was opened by the clash of the two bottom teams, dreaming of a first-ever win in the EHF Champions League Women. Lokomotiva's inexperienced team continued to have trouble in attack – no surprise given they have the least effective attack in the competition. Kastamonu took advantage of good defence and breakthroughs for a lead at half-time and kept it until the final whistle, giving the Turkish side their first ever EHF Champions League celebration.

Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK (TUR) - HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) 26:23 (16:11)

• it was a slow, nervous start from both teams – it took almost three minutes for the first goal
• Lokomotiva had a one-goal lead after 10 minutes, however, due to many technical faults, they allowed the home team to gain a significant lead a few moments later (11:8)
• The Croatian side almost made a comeback, until goalkeeper Yaren Berfe Göker came to the rescue with consecutive saves, ending the first half at 55 per cent save efficiency (6/11)
• the numbers said it all: Kastamonu had 64 per cent shot efficiency, compared to Lokomotiva's 48 per cent in the first half, and, in the end, the home team dropped to 57 per cent, while the Croatian team increased to 51 per cent shot efficiency
• Kastamonu's biggest lead was by seven goals, an advantage that burst in the last five minutes of the match as Lokomotiva reduced the deficit
• Azenaide Danila José Carlos led the way with her nine goals for Kastamonu; while Mia Tupek, Ana Malec and Stela Posavec were most effective with five goals each for the visitors

Losing streak comes to an end

Kastamonu Belediyesi finally made it. The Turkish champions wrote club's history in Round 5 of the EHF Champions League Women by grabbing their first ever win. In the 2021/22 season, their first one in the top-tier competition, Kastamonu lost all 14 matches with a goal difference of 349:462. After adding new key players to the mix with new head coach Dane Claus Mogensen, Kastamonu hoped the 2022/23 season will be different. 

After four rounds the Turkish side had lost all four games, extending their losing streak across the two seasons to 18, the longest in the competition's history.

However, light at the end of the tunnel came with a good performance against a young Lokomotiva side as Azenaide Danila José Carlos was strong in attack and Yaren Berfe Göker ended the night with 13 saves out of 29 attempts to crown a historic win in front of their home fans.

TEXT: EHF / Danijela Vekić