EHF European Cup

KIF almost through, Foxes heading for redemption

Peter Bruun / cor

10 October 2016, 19:12

KIF almost through, Foxes heading for redemption

Last season, Chambery Savoie Handball eliminated Füchse Berlin in Qualification Round 3 of the Men’s EHF Cup.

This season, the French side is not likely to repeat that triumph after Füchse won 25:22 away in the first leg of the two teams’ Round 2 tie.

3,243 spectators in Le Phare in Chambery saw the home team getting the better start and a 4:1 lead.

The German visitors soon got the upper hand, however, mainly through a strong defence and a stellar performance from Silvio Heinevetter in goal.

As the first half progressed, Füchse managed to turn the three-goal deficit into a four-goal lead at 10:6, and after 11:7 at half time, the guests could focus on maintaining a three to four goal lead throughout the last 30 minutes.

“It was no great handball game, but first of all, we did very well in our defence.

“With this three-goal lead, we are in a very good position ahead of the return match,” Füchse coach Erlingur Richardsson told Füchse’s website.

After three successive years in the VELUX EHF Champions League, KIF Kolding Kobenhavn are in the EHF Cup this season and the Danish team seem determined to get far in that competition.

Sunday afternoon, 2,083 spectators in the Sydbank Arena of Kolding saw KIF defeat Czech champions M. A. T. Talent Plzen clearly, 38:23.

Playing with seven attacking players for the first part of the match, KIF went 7:1 up, then leads of 13:3 and 20:8 followed and after a 22:13 lead at half-time, the hosts cruised to a 15-goal win in the second half.

“We were obviously better than our opponents, but you often see such matches change from a 10 goal lead into only a five or six goal win.

“Fortunately, we were able to change it to 15 goals instead,” KIF veteran Lars Jorgensen said after the big win.

Swedish Alingsas HK have a very good chance to proceed to the next round after drawing 24:24 away in the Nordic derby with Icelandic Haukar.

For a long time, however, Alingsas certainly did not seem to be heading for a good away result.

Haukar were leading 15:8 at half-time and by eight goals at the beginning of the second half, before a huge comeback from the visitors secured the former Swedish champions the draw that puts them in a favourable position before the return game at home.

“Considering the deficit we came back from, I am happy with the outcome,” Alingsas coach Mikael Franzén told his club’s website.

Two teams ready for the next round

Two clubs are already in the next round after winning double headers this weekend.

After two extremely close matches in the Palace of Sport in Zaporozhye, ZTR Zaporozhye are ready for Round 3 with a one goal win on aggregate against Wacker Thun from Switzerland.

The hosts won the first leg Saturday 23:22, and this one goal difference turned out to be deciding, as the rematch on Sunday ended in a 22:22 draw.

The difference was considerably bigger in Zabrze, Poland, where Górnik Zabrze made everything clear against Fillipos Verias of Greece already in the first match in the Hala Sportowa Pogon Saturday.

A 30:17 win for the home team left extremely little doubt for the Sunday match, where Górnik were leading 14:7 already at half-time and went on to win 20:15.