Grozav lifts Rapid to outstanding win against Krim

PLAY-OFFS, SECOND LEG
CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU) vs Krim Mercator Ljubljana (SLO) 30:24 (12:8)
CS Rapid Bucuresti won 54:53 on aggregate 

• in their 300th match in the EHF Champions League Women, Krim were disappointing in attack, where they lost out on a berth in the quarter-finals, with a 6:2 run for Rapid in the middle of the second half being crucial
• centre back Estavana Polman, who was a mid-winter signing for Rapid, had her best outing of the season against Krim. Polman scored the first two goals of the game to lead the charge and finished with eight goals
• Sorina Grozav, who finished the match with six goals, scored Rapid’s last four goals and was truly clutch in crunch time
• Krim’s main undoing was their attacking efficiency, with plenty of misses and 14 turnovers driving it down to a meagre 32 per cent, which enabled Rapid to take control of the match and dictate the tempo
• Rapid will now face reigning champions Vipers Kristiansand in the quarter-finals of the EHF Champions League Women, a difficult proposition for any side in the Europe's premier competition

Fan support lifts Rapid past Krim

In their 300th match in the EHF Champions League Women, Krim Mercator Ljubljana were facing Rapid in a pivotal clash, with the Romanian champions playing only for the 16th time in Europe's premier competition.

Backed by over 5,000 fans, which delivered a sold-out arena in Bucharest, with the tickets available being sold one month before the match, Rapid had a roller-coaster of a game, but the fiesta was on in the Polivalenta Arena, as Kim Rasmussen sealed his first European win as Rapid’s coach.

Rapid’s back line was enormous, with Estavana Polman and Sorina Grozav – 14 goals between them – running the show, but the fans’ support was also a huge part of the game that saw Rapid seal their first quarter-final berth.

Photo credit: Sabin Malisevschi