QUARTER-FINALS, LEG 1
Dijon progress on aggregate (58:40) in the tie
Top scorers: Stine Lønborg 7/10 (JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball); Dunja Tabak 6/11 (HC Lokomotiva Zagreb)
- Silvio Ivandija's squad held a four-goal lead (7:11) in the 22nd minute, but Dijon managed to narrow down the difference (12:13) until the half-time break
- Tea Pijevic was instrumental in the first half, as Zagreb's goalkeeper made eight saves and noted 40 per cent of save efficiency, stopping many of Dijon's fast breaks
- Claire Vautier played an important role for Dijon with the left back being rock solid in the defensive line
- Stine Lønborg stole the goalscoring show, but her teammates, Nina Dury and Maureen Gayet, scored four goals each and were lethal from the wings
- Manuella Dos Reis made eight saves between Dijon's sticks and noted 34 per cent of save efficiency
Dijon end Zagreb's perfect away record in the EHF European League
A tale of two halves, as HC Lokomotiva Zagreb dominated throughout the opening 30 minutes and displayed desire as well as quality to get back into the tie and eventually mount a comeback, while JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball showed ruthless spirit in the second half to finish the job.
With the Croatian runners-up boasting a flawless record (3/3) on the road this season, it was evident that Silvio Ivandija's squad fancied its chances of extending their run in the opening 30 minutes, led by the brilliant Tea Pijevic in goal, but last year's bronze medallists consolidated their ranks after the half-time break and were determined to make their fans happy. With that being said, Dijon displayed an impressive performance in the second half, especially in defence by limiting Zagreb to only seven goals scored and proved their EHF Finals credentials once again, celebrating a deserved victory.
