QUALIFICATION ROUND 2, LEG 1:
SCM Ramnicu Valcea (ROU) vs HC DAC Dunajská Streda (SVK) 28:26 (14:11)
The dominant hosts continued their unbeaten streak on home court, which stretches all the way back to last season despite Eliška Desortová's impressive performance as the talented left back scored seven goals for Dunajská Streda and was the match's top scorer. With that being said, the Slovakian club didn't hold a lead once in the match and Valcea even took a seven-goal (23:16) in the 43rd minute, but Dunajská Streda upped their level in the final five minutes to narrow down the difference. Anniken Wollik was Valcea's top scorer with five goals by her name, but the Romanian club's coach Bent Dahl surely had a thing or two to say to his players after they squandered a comfortable lead in the finish, while the visitors will travel back to Slovakia with almost all to play for ahead of the return leg.
KPR Gminy Kobierzyce (POL) vs Armada Praxis Yalikavaspor (TUR) 36:27 (20:15)
The Polish club marked its debut in the EHF's second-tier club competition with a ruthless performance in front of the home supporters as Patrycja Koziol (9) and Mariola Wiertelak (11) combined for 20 goals in the first leg's win against the Turkish champions. Once Kobierzyce established full control over the match's result in the opening half, it was a one-way street for Yalikavaspor as the advantage only kept on growing. The experienced centre back - Yeliz Özel was the one who pulled the strings for the visitors as the 44-year-old scored nine goals, but that wasn't enough as no other teammate followed her goalscoring exploits. Kobierzyce finished the first leg on a high with three goals in the last three minutes to take their biggest lead of the match, which proved to be the final score in the end.
Fredrikstad Ballklubb (NOR) vs GC Amicitia Zürich (SUI) 33:21 (17:9)
GC Amicitia Zürich (SUI) vs Fredrikstad Ballklubb (NOR) 20:28 (9:12)
Fredrikstad win (61:41) on aggregate
The motivated hosts wanted to make the most of the first leg as they quickly rushed into a comfortable lead and didn't let Amicitia Zürich any space to even think about mounting a comeback. Jenny Sofie Sundt Utne was instrumental between the posts for Fredrikstad as the young goalkeeper recorded 14 saves and recorded a sky-high 50 per cent of save efficiency, which enabled the Norwegian club's attack to flourish on the other side of the court. Towards the end of the match, Fredrikstad's advantage even reached 14 goals (31:17), but the visitors from Switzerland narrowed it down a bit until the final whistle.
In the return leg, Fredrikstad didn't allow any surprises as another goalkeeper stole the show and Mathilde Berner Rømer made 18 saves, topping Utne's record from the first leg. Once again, Amicitia Zürich were inferior as the Gjøril Anett Johnsson Solberg-led squad displayed another quality performance and dominated throughout the match with Zara Johnsson Solberg and Hanna Blystad scoring five goals each. Fredrikstad celebrated a comfortable win in the end and secured a direct place in the EHF European League's group stage, while the visitors from Switzerland will have to wait for another chance in the EHF's club competitions.
HSG Blomberg-Lippe (GER) vs SU ZRK Crvena Zvezda (SRB) 39:24 (22:13)
The Bundesliga's club celebrated a huge win on its return in the EHF's club competitions as the Serbian champions couldn't cope with Blomberg-Lippe's fast-moving tempo throughout the match. Additionally, Steffen Birkner's squad displayed an excellent all-round performance and only a couple of outfield players didn't get on the scoresheet, while Crvena Zvezda struggled in front of the goal. The explosive left wing - Alexia Hauf scored eight goals, while Nieke Kühne and Ona Vegue I Pena closely followed her with seven goals scored each. On the other side, Teodora Majkic was Crvena Zvzeda's top scorer with five goals, but the Belgrade-based club was no match for Blomberg-Lippe and if they are to secure a place in qualification round 3, they will have to mount a monumental comeback in the return leg next week in Serbia.
Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) vs DHK Banik Most (CZE) 31:55 (15:23)
DHK Banik Most (CZE) vs Ankara Yenimahalle BSK (TUR) 44:34 (23:17)
Banik most win (99:65) on aggregate
The Czech club ran riot against the Turkish runners-up in the high-scoring first leg of the double-header in Most as DHK Banik displayed a scintillating performance to secure a colossal win and to all but book a ticket in qualification round 3 ahead of the return leg. Each and every outfield player within Banik Most's squad scored at least one goal with Adéla Stríšková leading the charts, who found the back of the net on eight different occasions. Elif Yaren Uzun was the first leg's top scorer with 11 goals by her name, but that was only a consolation prize for Yenimahalle who were tasked with a mission impossible.
Not much changed in the return leg as DHK Banik Most once again pulled the strings and took an eight-goal lead (20:12) ahead of the break to demonstrate their undisputed quality. However, Yenimahalle displayed an improved performance in comparison to the first leg as they didn't let the Czech club to rush into a huge double-digit lead. The young line player, Ceyda Dogan was Yenimahalle's best player and the match's top scorer with nine goals by her name, while the goalkeeper - Hanka Mucková made 15 saves for the Czech side and recorded 30 per cent of save efficiency. In the end, Banik Most celebrated another win and progress in the next qualifying round, taking them a step closer to the group stage.
Cabooter Fortes Venlo (NED) vs Vác (HUN) 22:37 (12:24)
The Dutch club's debut in the EHF European League was spoiled by Vác in Venlo as the more experienced Hungarian squad displayed an excellent performance and iron character to secure a massive 15-goal lead ahead of the return leg. The determined visitors started the match on the front foot and never looked back with their advantage reaching sky-high 17 goals (17:34) in the 50th minute or the same number of goals scored by Cabooter Fortes Venlo at that time. The young and talented left back, Luca Csíkos was the match's top scorer with 11 goals by her name, while the goalkeeper - Anna Bukovszky made nine saves between the sticks and helped her teammates to focus solely on scoring goals by recording 45 per cent of save efficiency. Venlo will travel to Hungary next week with a big deficit and if they are to end their EHF European League's journey on a high, they will need to display a much-improved performance.
JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball (FRA) vs Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT) 42:26 (19:10)
The Dijon-based club secured an immense 16-goal win in France as the former four-time EHF Champions League winners fell behind early into the first leg and never looked like getting back into the match. The young French duo - Nina Dury (9) and Lilou Pintat (7) combined for 16 goals together and didn't miss a single attempt, while Ann-Cathrin Johanna Giegerich followed their lead and Dijon's goalkeeper made 11 saves and noted 50 per cent of save efficiency, capping off a brilliant team performance for the hosts. Within the Hypo's squad, only Jovana Milovanovic was up to the task as the right wing scored eight goals, while no other of her teammates scored more than four goals and if they are to get anything from the return leg, they will need to display a completely different performance in front of their own fans in Austria next week.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) vs Super Amara Bera Bera (ESP) 28:30 (13:14)
It is fair to say that Benfica and Bera Bera played the most interesting first leg in qualification round 2 as almost nothing could separate the teams for most of the opening half. The scoreline was swinging from one side to the other with no team taking more than a couple of goals advantage, which resulted in the Spanish club holding a minimal one-goal lead at half-time. However, Bera Bera upped the tempo after the break and the deciding moment of the first leg was between the 38th and the 45th minute, a period in which Benfica failed to score a single goal and Bera Bera were already by seven goals (17:23) up at that time. But the Portuguese side weren't willing to easily give up and they restricted the visitors to only a couple of goals scored in the final ten minutes, which enabled them to narrow down the difference until the final whistle. Bera Bera did celebrate a win in the end, but they threw away an eight-goal lead, which will surely give Benfica confidence ahead of the second leg.
H 65 Höörs HK (SWE) vs HC Gjorche Petrov-WHC Skopje (MKD) 29:21 (14:11)
The Swedish club was taken by surprise early into the opening half by Gjorche Petrov as the Macedonian club took a two-goal lead on a couple of occasions and it wasn't until the 20th minute (11:7), when Höörs consolidated their ranks and took full control of the match's result. From that point on, the hosts dominated and their advantage was only growing, but the visitors from Skopje did have an attempt to mount a comeback towards the 44th minute, when Höörs's advantage was only two goals (20:18). However, the Christian Håkansson-led squad felt the danger and rushed into a goalscoring run, which denied Gjorche Petrov, and they scored only three goals in the final 15 minutes of the match. The Swedish club used that opportunity to gain their biggest lead of the match, which proved to be the final score and they will travel with a solid eight-goal lead into the return leg. Emma Nuhanovic ended the first leg as the top scorer with nine goals for the hosts.
