QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG
Odense Håndbold (DEN) vs FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria (HUN) 27:27 (14:12)
- Down by four goals with 14 minutes to go and three goals with five minutes to go, FTC scored nine of their 27 goals in the last 15 minutes to salvage a crucial draw against Odense, 27:27
- FTC stay unbeaten against Odense, after having previously won their previous two mutual matches in the 2022/23 season
- Odense’s goalkeeper, Katrine Lunde, who is the player with the largest number of EHF Champions League Women trophies, seven, made 11 saves for a 32 per cent saving efficiency
- FTC right back Valeriia Maslova scored five of her team’s last seven goals, finishing the match with six goals, the same number as right wing Angela Malestein
- this was the first draw of the season for both sides, with Odense having previously won 12 matches, same as FTC
- the second leg of this double-header is scheduled for next Saturday, when FTC aim to turn the tables and secure their spot in the EHF FINAL4
FTC boost morale with unexpected draw
Chances come and go and Odense Håndbold will surely rue their performance in the last 15 minutes of the first leg of the quarter-final against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria. The Danish side scored only four times in the fourth quarter of the match, their attacking efficiency plummeting to only 40 per cent, enabling their opponents to mount a spirited comeback.
While Helena Elver Hagesø scored eight times, and Elma Halilcevic added five goals, Odense were found lacking in the business end of the match, despite leading 26:23 after Hagesø scored her last goal with five minutes to go.
Clearly more experienced, FTC bounced back and finished the match with a 4:1 run. The 27:27 draw should make the Hungarian champions favourites for a place in the EHF FINAL4, with the upcoming second leg scheduled in Erd on Saturday.
Odense are no pushovers, but will be left scrambling in the second leg after allowing FTC to crawl back into the tie. Their chances of a maiden appearance in the EHF FINAL4 are slimmer, in what would be Ole Gustav Gjekstad’s last matches on the bench of the Danish side, before committing full-time to Norway’s women’s national team.
I think we defensively did a good match, most of the match, but we need to score more goals, be better in the fast break and in the established attack as well. Also I think we have played one of our best matches away this season in the Champions League, so we're looking forward (to next week) and I think we have a good chance, although it's away.
Of course we are not totally satisfied, because we came here for the two points, but it was a really great fight in both the attack and the defence. We are really looking forward to playing on our own court in front of our fans, I think it is gonna be an amazing show.
