CSM dominate injury-depleted Odense

GROUP A

MOTW: Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs CSM Bucuresti (ROU) 27:31 (13:16)

• Odense’s problems have been enhanced, as Mia Rej and Dione Housheer were injured this week, adding to their misery on the back line, where they had already missed Lois Abbingh and Larissa Nusser
• taking advantage of Odense’s absences, CSM cruised to a 6:0 start of the game, which saw the Danish side score their first goal only after eight minutes and 51 seconds
• Romanian star Cristina Neagu was unstoppable, delivering her best performance of the new season, with 10 goals, jumping to the ninth place in the top goal scorer standings, with 25 goals
• Neagu also scored the 24^th goal for CSM, which was their 3000^th in the history of the EHF Champions League Women, the 11^th team in history which has scored this amount of goals
• goalkeeper Marie Davidsen got the nod ahead of Laura Glaser between the posts for CSM and she really took advantage of the chance, saving 14 shots for a 36% efficiency, including three one-to-one shots in the second half
• CSM set their best-ever start in the EHF Champions League Women, without a loss in their first four matches, which bodes well with their ambitions to return to the EHF FINAL 4 for the first time since the 2018/19 season

Are CSM looking like favourites for the first time in years?

CSM have looked sharp from the start of the season, but the additions they made throughout the summer, like French trio Laura Glauser, Grace Zaadi and Kalidiatou Niakate, as well as line player Crina Pintea and right wing Marina Sudakova really paid dividends, as the Romanian side is playing some of their best-ever handball in the European top competition.

Starting with a bang, CSM never looked back, not even when Odense cut the gap to a single goal and applied some pressure in the match. But with Neagu in superb form, CSM managed to score some crucial goals and clinched their third win in four matches, staying unbeaten and jumping to the first two places in the standings.

The next match against Most will likely see their streak enhanced to five games, but two weeks later, visiting Vipers Kristiansand will surely be a game for the ages and a pivotal match in this group.

On the other hand, Odense looked shaky at best and it was all down to their missing players, which really hampered the Danish side. Credit to them for trying to steal something even if the odds were stacked against them, but they have now recorded their worst start in the competition, with three losses in four matches.