06.11.2022, 09:30
Champions Nærbø weather the storm to reach round 3

ROUND REVIEW: the title holders from Norway struggled at Slovenj Gradec, but showed character to advance to the next stage

The line-up for the EHF European Cup Men round 3 is complete following 18 second-leg games and six double-headers played from Friday to Sunday.

After a 29:28 home win in the first leg, the title holders Nærbø IL faced a tough test in Slovenia against RK Slovenj Gradec, but ultimately the Norwegian side snatched a 29:27 victory to go through.

• Slovenj Gradec led 24:19 midway through the second half and 27:25 nine minutes from full-time, but Nærbø shut up shop to enjoy a crucial 4:0 run in the remaining time
• unlike Slovenj Gradec, fellow Slovenian team RK Slovenje Gorenje reached the next stage, eliminating Bregenz Handball (AUT) 59:55 on aggregate
• 2021 EHF European Cup Men winners AEK Athens HK also progressed, beating Drenth Group Hurry-Up (NED) 60:47 on aggregate
• in a double-header in Plzen, Latvian side ZRHK Tenax Dobele beat Talent tym Plzenskeho kraje on Saturday, 31:28, but the Czech team took revenge 29:25 the next day to win 57:56 on aggregate
• following a 28:27 defeat at IHK Handball Helsinki last week, KH Besa Famgas from Kosovo won 35:32 at home and also reached the next stage
• round 3 matches be drawn on Tuesday (8 November) in Vienna, with the pots revealed tomorrow, and matches will be held on 3/4 and 10/11 December

Mixed fortunes for Icelandic sides

While KA lost against their Austrian rivals HC Fivers WAT Margareten in a double-header last week, two other teams from Iceland played their double-headers this weekend – and with mixed results.

IBV Vestmannaeyjar hosted Ukraine's Donbas twice and comfortably won 81:48 on aggregate. In turn, Haukar had to travel to Cyprus to face Sabbianco Anorthosis Famagusta and lost both games, 62:50 on aggregate.

TEXT: EHF / Sergey Nikolaev