Odense snap Bietigheim’s unbeaten run

GROUP A

Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs SG BBM Bietigheim (GER) 31:24 (14:12)

• hit by injuries, with five backs out, Odense enjoyed a bright start to the game, and had a 14:12 lead at the break, on the back of a five-goal showing from back Mie Højlund
• the Danish side found a way to break SG BBM Bietigheim’s superb 64-game unbeaten run in all competitions that dated back to March 2021, and which consisted of 63 wins and a draw
• Højlund was unstoppable in the game. She scored 10 goals from 14 shots, to deliver her best performance in the competition, finishing with at least 10 goals for the first time in her career
• Bietigheim’s goalkeepers had an off day. Gabriela Dias Moreschi and Melinda Szikora, one of the top pairs in the competition, combined for only seven saves and an 18.9% saving efficiency
• after a superb start to the season, Bietigheim are no longer the best attack or the best defence, with their attacking output dropping to an average of 33.1 goals per game

Odense clinch flawless win to drop Bietigheim’s challenge

It was definitely an evening to forget for SG BBM Bietigheim, who had produced impressive performances in their previous matches this season, only to find themselves in no man’s land. It was their worst performance of the season on all metrics, as they conceded the largest number of goals, 31.

For Odense, though, this game was a display of strength and team spirit. The Danish champions are missing Larissa Nusser, Lois Abbingh, Mia Rej, Dione Housheer and Noemi Hafra, but they still sealed their second consecutive win, after the one against Brest, to create their first two-game winning streak of the season.