Veszprém cause Szeged’s biggest-ever home defeat
In the last two years, OTP Bank-PICK Szeged had beaten Telekom Veszprém twice in the final series of the Hungarian league, but their arch rivals struck back on the international stage.
The final score of 23:36 after 7:21 a half-time score was Szeged’s biggest home defeat in their Machineseeker EHF Champions League history, even bigger than the 29:41 loss against Aalborg in the group phase of this season – and definitely this one hurts much more. Veszprém can already plan for their 21st Champions League quarter-final in their history, in which they would face Industria Kielce.
PLAY-OFFS, FIRST LEG
OTP Bank-PICK Szeged vs Telekom Veszprém HC (HUN) 23:36 (7:21)
- Szeged’s seven goals in the first half was the lowest score of the current Champions League season for a single team in the first half; previously, it was nine goals for Orlen Wisla Plock against Veszprém (9:17)
- Szeged had an attacking efficiency of only 16 per cent in the first half and needed 11 minutes to score their first goal, while Veszprém scored from 63 per cent of all their attacks before the break and goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales saved 46 per cent of all Szeged shots
- Gasper Marguc scored eight goals from nine attempts before the break, but Veszprém’s 21 goals was not the highest half-time score of the season – they set that record in Paris in round 14 (24:19)
- after the break, the hosts managed to improve, but the margin was constantly in the double figures and the biggest gap was 15 goals
- Marguc was the top scorer with 11 goals from 12 attempts, while Bogdan Radivojevic netted six times for Szeged
Perfect international premiere for Nedim Remili
In February, Nedim Remili and his club Industria Kielce went separate ways, and the French Olympic and world champion joined Veszprém. The left-hander, an All-star Team member and silver medallist at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship, is filling the gap left by Egyptian Yahia Omar, who is out for months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in December.
As Remili had played group phase matches in the Champions League for Kielce he was unable to play for Veszprém in the competition until the knockout phase – but he made a good debut, scoring four goals. Should all go to plan for Veszprém in the second leg, Remili will face his former Kielce teammates in the quarter-finals.
Veszprém deserved the victory, that's no question. We had problems in attack, we were far from the goal, but we didn't manage to find the line players either. Our defence also did not reach the expected level. We would like to thank our fans for filling up the stands, and we would like to apologise for the performance.
This match was the best I have ever seen at the club, either as a coach or as a player. We were strong as a team. I didn't expect such a great performance, but maybe no-one did.
