Semi-finals go down to the wire in EHF European Cup Women

• in their first-ever European season, Conservas Orbe Zendal Bm Porrino hope to make it to the final as the Spanish side carries a 31:28 advantage from the first leg into the decisive match against Hazena Kynzvart in Czechia on Saturday at 16:00 CET
• after the roller-coaster match in Porrino, Kynzvart are eager to take the next step; their last home match in the competition ended in a convincing 35:24 win, against Icelandic side Haukar
• Valur lost the first leg 25:23 at last year's runners-up MSK IUVENTA Michalovce, but have the statistics on their side ahead of the return in Iceland on Sunday at 19:30 CEST since they have won all their home matches in the competition this season by at least three goals
• Michalovce aim to become only the second team to reach the EHF European Cup Women final in two consecutive years after Costa del Sol Malaga did it in 2021 and 2022; the Slovakian side has won all but one of their away matches this season, with a 30:22 defeat against P.A.O.K. in Greece in the Last 16 the only exception
• the final will be played over two legs, on 10/11 and 17/18 May 2025

Can Hazena Kynzvart and Valur do what Rocasa Gran Canaria did three years ago?

In the history of the EHF European Cup Women, which started in the 2020/21 season, there has only been one team that managed to reach the final after losing the first leg of the semi-finals. It happened in the 2021/22 season, when eventual champions Rocasa Gran Canaria lost the first leg 20:19 to Ukrainian side Galyachanka Lviv, but improved on home court in Spain and won the decisive leg 34:27 to advance 53:47 on aggregate. This season, Hazena Kynzwart and Valur have both lost their first matches of the semi-final — by three and two goals, respectively. Can they turn things around this weekend and match the feat achieved by Gran Canaria in 2022?

images © Marek Findrik (main); BeRa Fotografia (in-text)