Summary: Brest take MOTW; CSM win big
Round 6 of the DELO EHF Champions League had plenty of big performances with both groups now looking tight at the top.
Here is a recap of the weekend's action...
- Brest beat Odense in MOTW (31:24) giving them their first win in four matches
- CSM have little problems seeing off Bietigheim in group A winning 32:22
- Sunday saw goalkeepers, Grubisic (CSM) saving 14 & Toft (Brest) stopping 15 shots
- on Saturday, FTC defeated Krim 32:25 before Metz beat Esbjerg 31:29 in two group A games
- recap our blog from Friday and Saturday, while Sunday's action is just below
SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER
18:41
We will conclude our coverage with the group standings.
In group A we have a new group leader with CSM taking the top spot for the moment. Vipers will meet Metz in a very important tie in the next round, while Rostov will have their work cut out when they host Esbjerg.
While in group B we have only a single point between the top four teams, but not forgetting that CSKA and Györ both have a game in hand. CSKA will host Odense in the big clash of the next round in group B.
18:18
Now have your say! When you look back over the weekend who had the strongest outing?
Result: SG BBM Bietigheim 22:32 CSM Bucuresti
EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu had a close eye on the game:
"It was an excellent collective performance from CSM, but the Romanian side has to give props to another goalkeeping masterclass from Jelena Grubisic. The Croatian shot stopper, one of the veterans of the team, had an outstanding outing, saving 14 shots for an amazing 45.1 per cent efficiency."
Read the full report HERE.
Head coach of CSM, Adrian Vasile, spoke after the match: "I am extremely satisfied with this win. We have a lot of respect for Bietigheim. Our defense won this match today."
MOTW RESULT: Odense Handbold 24:31 Brest Bretagne Handball
Ana Gros picked up Player of the Match with her 14(!) goals, that's her second award in this season alone after she picked one up in round 3.
Gros spoke after the match: "In the last games we didn't perform so well so it was important to get back some good energy and bring some good energy into the team. I am really happy with how we played."
Head coach of Odense, Ulrik Kirkely was humble in defeat:
“I think that there was a clear gap between the two teams. For me it was the team spirit and the fight that made the difference. In the end, we also have to respect that Brest is a fantastic team and was much better than us today.”
17:25
A textbook definition of a top corner shot by Elizabeth Omoregie!
17:15
Incredible to think that Odense came into the game today with the best defence in group B and the second-best attack below Györ. It really hasn't been the best day at the office with little evidence of either of these facts.
Brest's game has been built from the back out with Toft saving 14 shots already, backing up the air-tight defence and the likes of Ana Gros at the other end netting 13, amazing outing. 29:20 to Brest with 9 minutes left.
17:06
Team time-out for Odense, the hosts slip far behind once again. Brest lead 26:17 thanks to more good work from Toft in goal and Gros is now up to 12 goals. They are really flying today with everything looking almost effortless at times, while Odense really are struggling with their shot selection.
16:56
Meanwhile over on the other live match of today, we see Dembele of CSM pulling off this highlight reel finish, not bad at all!
HALF-TIME SCORES
MOTW: Odense Handbold 12:16 Brest Bretagne Handball
Odense have done well to have pulled it back to four goals from being eight down when it was 12:4. Ana Gros is showing us again why she is one of the top goal scorers in the Europe with nine goals in the first half!
SG BBM Bietigheim 10:14 CSM Bucuresti
16:27
Finally, a bit more urgency from the Danish hosts, Hagesø nets two nice goals in a row to pull it back to 14:9 before Ana Gros nets a seven-meter to restore the six-goal gap.
16:19
Odense's attack looks very laboured and predictable and Brest are really punishing them at the other end as they have opened up an eight-goal gap for 12:4! Couldn't have gone any better for the French side, they really want their first win over the Danish side today.
16:14
Very impressive start here for Brest, they are looking for sharp in defense and Toft is still coming up with the good in between the sticks. 8:4 for Brest after 12 minutes.
16:07
Sandra Toft having a stormer in the opening minutes, pulling off some great saves for Brest! The French side are 5:2 up after seven minutes.
16:00
It's showtime for champions! Get your popcorn our and join us for throw-off of Match of the Week now on EHFTV!
MOTW: Odense Handbold vs Brest Bretagne Handball
SG BBM Bietigheim vs CSM Bucuresti
15:54
Just before throw-off why not check our Instagram story and see what the players have been up to in the run-up to the game!
15:47
The warm-ups for both ties are now live on EHFTV check them out:
MOTW: Odense Handbold vs Brest Bretagne Handball
SG BBM Bietigheim vs CSM Bucuresti
15:25
How is the form of both MOTW sides? Only two points separates them in group B with Odense in 2nd and Brest in 4th. Brest are undefeated in the French league but have struggled in the last three ties with two ties and a draw.
History is on Odense's side, with them taking two wins over Brest back in the 2018/19 season.
15:10
Have you checked out "Breakfast for Champions" yet? Anja Althaus sat down with Tess Wester and Ana Gros ahead of MOTW to talk everything from what they had for breakfast to what faces they pull when they score, check it out by clicking the image!
15:00
Let's go! With just an hour to go to Match of the Week in the DELO EHF Champions League between Odense Handbold vs Brest Bretagne Handball we throw-off the live blog once again!
Don't forget that we also have group A tie SG BBM Bietigheim vs CSM Bucuresti at the same time. Both games are live on EHFTV
20:45
Here ends our coverage of Saturday's games in round 6 of the DELO EHF Champions League. Thanks for joining us and we will gladly welcome you back right here when the live blog resumes on Sunday at 15:00 CET...
...but before that, make sure you tune in to the official ehfcl Instagram account on Sunday at noon (12:00 CET) for the Breakfast for Champions.
In the build-up to the Match of the Week between Odense and Brest, Anja Althaus speaks to two star players: Odense's Tess Wester and Brest's Ana Gros!
20:28
Two matches tonight, but a bunch of good photos in our match day gallery to flip through!
20:18
Just in: Read in our match review how a strong finish earned Metz their first ever win over Esbjerg tonight.
19:53
France 1, Denmark 0.
The team from France have won the first of our two French-Danish matches in the DELO EHF Champions League this weekend.
After we saw Metz defeating Esbjerg tonight, Odense Håndbold are hosting Brest Bretagne Handball in the Match of the Week on Sunday at 16:00 CET.
You don't want to miss that one!
19:44
Match over but never too late for an athletic goalkeeper save on the live blog.
Here you go, Hatadou Sako!
19:40
And here are the updated standings in group A after today's games.
Metz join CSM in third place, but the Romanian side have their round 6 match - against Bietigheim - still coming up on Sunday. Also, FTC's win saw them leapfrog both Krim and Esbjerg into fifth place.
19:31
Deux points!
Metz have lost half of their half-time lead (18:14) over Esbjerg but manage to keep both points in France with a 31:29 victory.
19:21
Metz and Esbjerg had to close matches some months ago in the 2019/20 main round and tonight's one is going to the wire again.
Metz just went one up (28:27) with seven minutes left on the clock.
19:07
We have prepared a little quiz for you. Do you know the correct answer?
18:48
Oh-la-la! What about this one for a cheeky finish?! Well done, Meline Nocandy!
18:35
A scoring rate of 75% in the first half helps Metz to a commanding four-goal lead over Esbjerg, 18:14.
Still all to play for in the second half of our last game of the night!
18:12
Not much separating the teams in Metz so far. No goals, at least, as the hosts and Esbjerg are at five-all after the opening 10 minutes.
18:03
Just in: Read in our match review how FTC earned a clear seven-goal home win (32:25) against Krim earlier today after both teams were still tied (23:23) in the 49th minute.
17:55
A get-well-soon message from the live blog to Metz goalkeeper Ivana Kapitanovic, who not only misses tonight's match against Esbjerg, but will be out for probably eight months after tearing the ACL in her left knee.
17:51
Metz and Esbjerg have met only twice before in the EHF Champions League - and that was as recent as last season's main round.
A month after their 31:31 draw in France, Esbjerg narrowly won the home game by a single goal, 30:29, in March 2020.
I think we are set for another close encounter tonight.
17:45
We stay in group A for our next match, as Metz Handball and Team Esbjerg are preparing for their 18:00 CEST throw-off.
Tune in to EHFTV to watch this game live -> direct link.
17:33
And what an important win it is for FTC, who move up two places - leapfrogging Krim and Esbjerg, to join fourth-place Metz on four points.
17:30
It was 23:23 in the 49th minute, but what an end to this match! FTC eased to a 32:25 win as Krim just couldn't find the net anymore.
17:16
With 10 minutes left, FTC are two up against Krim (25:23), led by eight goals from Dutch right wing Angela Malestein.
Who will take these two important points this afternoon?
16:51
Have FTC been training no-look passes this week?! Watch this beautiful attack from the first half with Katrin Klujber finishing off for the hosts.
16:39
Well, this is the expected tight clash with FTC and Krim locked at 14:14 at half-time. Click here for more match stats.
The nine previous times those teams have met since 1996, they never played to a draw. Just saying...
16:27
The magic toolkit opens early in the match! Watch this fine finish from Krim's Branka Konatar.
16:16
It is first blood to Krim as the guests from Slovenia have gone two goals up against FTC after 13 minutes.
16:02
Handle with care! For Angela Malestein, a handball is like... a butterfly on the back of her hand?
15:50
Just 10 minutes now... FTC and Krim are warming up!
You can watch the game live on EHFTV -> direct link.
15:33
Judged by their flashy Instagram post, FTC are more than ready for the Krim game...
15:26
So the round will be opened in Hungary in just over half an hour, with two teams that both won't be overly satisfied with their start in the season. Ranked seventh and sixth, FTC and Krim are eager to turn the tide as soon as possible - so why not start today?!
Both EHF Champions League regulars, the teams have played each other nine times before. Krim have the edge with five wins compared to FTC's four, but the Slovenian side have not beaten FTC since 2013...
The last time both teams met, in the 2018/19 season, FTC won both at home and away.
15:12
Those two games in group A today could be vital for all four teams involved.
Take a look at the group standings going into round 6 and we see that the four teams ranked between fourth and seventh will be all in action today.
And each of them could do with a win to improve their position in the fight for the play-off-spots, which are the ranks third through sixth.
15:00
Good afternoon, welcome back to the live blog. We are just an hour away from the start of round 6 in the DELO EHF Champions League.
Today we are fully focussing on group A, with the matches FTC vs Krim and Metz vs Esbjerg coming up at 16:00 and 18:00 CEST respectively.
17:00
We are going to leave you for today with Brest goalkeeper Sandra Toft, who is visiting her native Denmark for the Match of the Week against Odense on Sunday.
EHF journalist Kevin Domas caught up with Toft, who revealed a special friendship with one of the Odense players.
Who? Read the story here!
The live blog is back tomorrow at 15:00 CEST, one hour before the throw-off of round 6.
16:27
Let's have a quick look at the other three games this weekend:
- In group A, CSM Bucuresti are travelling to SG BBM Bietigheim with one clear goal in mind - getting the two points. The German side have lost all five matches so far, and if the guests from Romania can indeed take the win, they will become the new leaders of group A.
- The other two games in group A, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria vs RK Krim Mercator and Metz Handball vs Team Esbjerg, feature the four teams ranked between fourth and seventh, so getting a win this round might be vital in the battle for play-off spots.
15:58
Much attention in round 6 will go to the group B clash between Odense Håndbold and Brest Bretagne Handball, which has deservedly been labelled Match of the Week.
EHF journalist and EHFTV commentator Chris O'Reilly had a closer look at the game on Sunday afternoon when stars collide in Odense for Match of the Week.
15:30
Good afternoon! Just over 24 hours until round 6 of the DELO EHF Champions League throws off so let's have a look what awaits us over the weekend.
No better way to start than reading the round preview of EHF journalists Adrian Costeiu and Sergey Nikolaev with details on each of the four games.
