Summary: Györ triumphant for a sixth time; Oftedal named MVP

• finals day at the EHF FINAL4 Women
• Györi Audi ETO KC beat SG BBM Bietigheim 30:24 to clinch their sixth title
• Esbjerg finish third with a 37:33 victory over Metz
• on Saturday: Györ reached their seventh EHF FINAL4 final after defeating Esbjerg 24:23, while Bietigheim became the first German finalists by beating Metz 36:29
• read the final preview and find out how to follow the EHF FINAL4
• watch the official live show from 14:00 CEST on the Home of Handball YouTube channel and Instagram
• follow the official EHF Champions League socials on Instagram , X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook
• all photos © Kolektiff Images

SUNDAY 2 JUNE

21:20

Coverage of the EHF FINAL4 Women is wrapping up now, but there'll be lots of follow-up in the coming days - analysis of the performances, and plenty more clips and photos to share on our social media channels. In the meantime, Györ will continue to celebrate well into the night.

We leave you with a look at the stellar career of MVP Stine Oftedal, which is drawing to a close - only the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to come. 

21:08

There has been so much respect shown by the teams to each other this weekend - that's proper sportsmanship.

20:59

Backstage, the players are having their photos taken with the trophy. There's a lot of excited screaming and exclamations of "wow, it's heavy!"

20:35

Raw emotion from the court earlier on - put your sound on!

20:20

Missed any of the game, want to know the key facts, or just relive the best bits? We have you covered with the highlights and match review!

20:13

Reaction from first-time champion Ana Gros!

20:00

For the last time, the live show is now live with a wrap-up of the final. Join the team for reaction from players and their expert analysis.

19:48

Anna Vyakhireva of Vipers Kristiansand is confirmed as the top scorer of the season with 113 goals, despite Nora Mørk's 13 goals in the 3/4 placement match bringing her very close (110 goals).

And Stine Oftedal is named EHF FINAL4 Women 2024 MVP on her last club appearance, after yet another strong showing across the weekend. Her teammates throw her in the air in celebration.

19:43

A deserving SG BBM Bietigheim step up to receive their silver medals.

19:39

After celebrations with their fans, Györ and the arena are now singing their song together. It's deeply moving and a moment of reflection after the craziness of the match.

19:31 | FULL-TIME GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 30:24 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Györ are your 2024 EHF FINAL4 Women champions, taking home their sixth EHF Champions League Women title. 

It was a brave effort by Bietigheim but they were outplayed from the start by a confident, efficient show from the record champions, who send off their star Stine Oftedal in style. Silje Solberg was particularly impressive, playing almost all the game and ending with 15 saves (41.7 per cent).

19:27 | 57:30 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 28:23 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

The clock is ticking and Bietigheim's time is pretty much out, it's just for Györ and their impressive squad to see this through. The crowd are on their feet.

19:22 | 53:50 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 25:21 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Inger Smits scores into an empty net and brings the gap back to five goals, with just over six minutes to play, and then Veronika Mala adds another one to make it four goals. Any sort of comeback now would be extraordinary, but you have to admire Bietigheim's persistence.

19:16

Thanks to everyone who's turned up to watch the game live - we have a crowd of 18,500 here in Budapest, creating this amazing atmosphere!

19:15 | 48:15 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 23:18 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Sarah Nørklit is in goal now for Bietigheim and started with a stop, but Silje Solberg's up to 11 saves now (40 per cent) and looks imperious between the Györ posts. 

Bietigheim are still fighting, though, and the gap is not widening much. Per Johansson uses a timeout.

19:09 | 43:27 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 21:16 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

It's been a very low-scoring period, and a bit scrappy. Jakob Vestergaard takes the opportunity for a timeout, making it brief and to-the-point while his counterpart talks for much longer.

19:05 | 40:00 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 21:15 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Bietigheim's body language is tired. They are trying incredibly hard against tough opponents, but minute by minute Györ's victory looks more assured and they are keeping the tempo high in attack and defence, helping Silje Solberg to keep on saving.

18:59 | 35:00 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 19:13 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Five minutes into the second half and while Bietigheim started quite well, Györ are keeping the pressure on and Silje Solberg is having a very good day in goal, matching the performance of her teammate Sandra Toft yesterday.

18:54

This is Györ's game to lose. How much energy have Bietigheim got left, and can they improve their defence?

18:48

Five minutes of the break to go ...

18:40 | HALF-TIME GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 17:12 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Just before the break, a glimmer of hope for Bietigheim with a penalty, better attacking and better defending, helping Gabriela Moreschi to make a save. But really this game is all about Györ, who are showing why they have been in the EHF FINAL4 final more times than any other team - they know how to play on this biggest of stages. 

Here's EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu with his thoughts:

"Györ are definitely heading to their sixth trophy in history. They have controlled the match, prompting a quick team timeout from Jakob Vestergaard, Bietigheim’s coach, after only four minutes. And the gap only grew bigger from that moment, with Györ constantly finding ways to punish Bietigheim, especially from the wings, where they had five goals.

"It is more about the depth of Györ rather than anything else. When Stine Oftedal comes out, Bruna Paula de Almeida is back on the court. When Estelle Nze Minko is resting, then Veronica Kristiansen enters the fray. Or when Kari Brattset Dale needs a moment of rest, Linn Blohm is there. This is almost impossible to stop by Bietigheim, especially as their goalkeeper, Gabriela Moreschi, did not shine."

18:32 | 25:48 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 16:10 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Per Johansson takes a timeout, a moment for everyone to breathe. Bietigheim are probably pleased about the break too, as Györ are making them work hard for every goal.

18:30 | 24:01 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 15:9 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Csenge Fodor scores a beauty of a shot, Xenia Smits hits the post, and Viktória Gyori Lukács completes a great set of passes for Györ, and the Hungarian team are up by six.

18:26 | 20:54 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 13:8 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Bruna de Paula finds the way past her compatriot Gabriela Moreschi for her first goal. The speed at which Györ are scoring is impressive. However, Bietigheim are staying just four goals behind in general.

18:22 | 15:26 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 9:5 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

The gap remains four goals as Inger Smits smashes a rocket past Silje Solberg. However, Bietigheim need much more discipline in defence to help Gabriela Moreschi and stop conceding penalties, as this is costing them dearly.

18:15 | 10:44 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 6:2 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Everything is going Györ's way - they are forcing the pace and playing physically and fast, while Bietigheim have not yet found their rhythm. 

18:09 | 05:42 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 3:2 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

Bietigheim are making too many mistakes and have lost the ball in their attack too many times already. A couple of good Gabriela Moreschi saves is keeping them in it, but their attacks are taking a long time against a stiff Györ defence.

18:05 | 03:11 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC 3:1 SG BBM BIEITGHEIM

The record champions have made an excellent, fast start, not giving Bietigheim many chances. Per Johansson has started with Silje Solberg between the posts, resting Sandra Toft who was so good yesterday.

18:02

Györ attack first; we're underway.

18:00

OK, strap yourselves in for the biggest match of the women's club handball year. 

Györi Audi ETO KC vs SG BBM Bieitgheim starts in a few moments.

17:54

Bietigheim are here for their first EHF FINAL4 final!

17:51

Györ arrive on court and the noise is deafening.

17:40

Two Brazilians could have a key impact on this EHF FINAL4 - Bruna de Paula and Gabriela Moreschi. Both played very well yesterday!

17:34

Right, the final is approaching very fast, and here are the most important things you need to know about it:

• Györ are in the final of the EHF Champions League Women for the 10th time in history, having won five titles and lost the last act four times
• Bietigheim are the first German team ever to secure a place in the last act of the EHF Champions League Women, having lost only one of their last five matches in the knockout phase of the competition
• Györ’s coach, Per Johansson, has never been in the final of the European premium competition, while Bietigheim’s coach, Jakob Vestergaard, won with Viborg HK in 2009 and 2010
• Bietigheim have lost eight matches so far this season, becoming the first team to ever seal the finals berth with this number of losses, while Györ have conceded four losses to date
• Bietigheim’s goalkeeper, Gabriela Moreschi, has the largest number of saves in the competition this season, 210, with an overall saving efficiency of 32.2 per cent
• Györ have won all the four mutual matches played between the two sides, including two wins in the group phase this season: 34:26 in Bietigheim and 31:29 on their home court
• since the introduction of the current format of the EHF FINAL4, Györ have played six finals, winning four and losing only two

17:08

Before we go into build-up for the final (Bietigheim are already on court), here's the highlights of the 3/4 placement match and the match review. 

16:54

Head over to Instagram or YouTube for the post-match live show and pre-final build-up!

16:47 | FULL-TIME TEAM ESBJERG 37:33 METZ HANDBALL

Esbjerg finally win a match at the EHF FINAL4 on the sixth time of asking, and give their coach Jesper Jensen a nice consolation prize as he leaves the club. That was also the last Esbjerg game for Kristine Breistøl, who joins Györ next season, and Julie Boe Jacobsen, who goes to Molde Elite in Norway. Esbjerg held strong in the closing stages and out-defended Metz. Henny Reistad finishes with 13 goals from 16 shots, while Nora Mørk also scored 13 times including all her team's penalties.

Metz miss out on a medal but should go home proud of a strong season. Alina Grijseels was their top scorer with 10 goals, in her last game in the yellow jersey before joining CSM Bucuresti. It was also the last Metz match for Kristina Jörgensen and Hatadou Sako, both joining Györ alongside Breistøl, and Louise Burgaard, joining Odense. 

16:39

Metz are still fighting, but time is running out.

16:33 | 53:16 TEAM ESBJERG 33:30 METZ HANDBALL

Emmanuel Mayonnade uses his last timeout, but things are looking good for Esbjerg. Metz have conceded way too many penalties - nine, all scored by Nora Mørk - and the Danish side are doing enough to hang on to the lead.

16:29 | 50:58 TEAM ESBJERG 31:29 METZ HANDBALL

Henny Reistad scores her 12th goal of the match - only two in the second half - but Esbjerg are continuing to cling to a slender lead. 

Alina Grijseels is also having an excellent game to see out her year in France, with nine goals now (including penalties). The German centre back is off to join CSM Bucuresti next season.

16:20 | 46:00 TEAM ESBJERG 27:26 METZ HANDBALL

The fatigue is showing now and mistakes are creeping into both teams' play.

16:13 | 41:36 TEAM ESBJERG 26:24 METZ HANDBALL

Two goals in 15 seconds for Sanna Solberg-Isaksen force Emmanuel Mayonnade into a timeout. This game is so finely poised!

16:11 | 40:02 TEAM ESBJERG 24:24 METZ HANDBALL

Metz are conceding more penalties than their opponents, and Nora Mørk has just scored another to put Esbjerg level once more after Metz took a two-goal lead. Still 20 minutes to go, and still nothing in it.

16:08

Spotted: Telekom Veszprém and France star Ludovic Fabregas:

16:03 | 33:00 TEAM ESBJERG 20:20 METZ HANDBALL

Three minutes into the second half and we're back to a level game after Esbjerg scored twice to get things going again. Nora Mørk is now part of the attack, after spending the first half largely on the bench apart from penalty scoring.

16:00

Thirty minutes to decide who wins the bronze medals.

15:52

The whole game has basically been like this so far. Expect more of the same after the break.

15:46 | HALF-TIME TEAM ESBJERG 18:18 METZ HANDBALL

Esbjerg keep edging ahead and then Metz close up again, and it's super-close at the break in this entertaining placement match. But it really has been all about Henny Reistad, who's now up to 10 goals from 12 shots. If she continues like this Isabelle Gulldén's record of 15 goals in one EHF FINAL4 game could be under threat. Alina Grijseels is also doing well, scoring three penalties and three field goals for a total of six.

EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu says:

"The 3/4 placement match in the EHF FINAL4 usually delivers plenty of goals and this is exactly what is happening this afternoon in Budapest, with a fast-paced, high-octane match, which kept everybody on the edge of their seats.

"Credit goes to Henny Reistad, who improved her overall tally to 74 goals in the EHF FINAL4 in 10 matches, and who jumped to second place in the top goal scorer standings this season, with 104 goals. She needs only nine to tie Anna Vyakhireva in first place – is this doable?"

15:32 | 21:40 TEAM ESBJERG 14:12 METZ HANDBALL

The lead keeps changing here. Henny Reistad is still scoring, but others are now getting in on the action too. In goal, Hatadou Sako is having a better outing than yesterday, having made four saves so far, but she's not able to stop Reistad & Co.

15:24 | 16:00 TEAM ESBJERG 9:9 METZ HANDBALL

Esbjerg turn over the ball and Alina Grijseels gets it up the court and scores, equalising for Metz after a good period that have seen them find ways past the Esbjerg defence.

15:20

We will write about another player at some point, honest.

15:16 | 10:05 TEAM ESBJERG 8:5 METZ HANDBALL

Henny Reistad is now up to 100 goals in this Champions League season, chasing Sarah Bouktit up the top 10 scorers list. She's also up to 71 in her five EHF FINAL4 appearances.

15:10 | 07:00 TEAM ESBJERG 4:4 METZ HANDBALL

This is the Henny Reistad show! She's scored all four of Esbjerg's goals so far.

15:06 | 02:53 TEAM ESBJERG 2:2 METZ HANDBALL

So in this game we have the top scorer of this season remaining in the competition, Metz line player Sarah Bouktit, and the all-time top scorer of the EHF FINAL4 Women, Henny Reistad of Esbjerg. Both were targeted heavily in their semi-finals and didn't score much by their own high standards, but today Reistad's already found the net twice and Bouktit once. 

15:01

The match is throwing off. Follow it on the live ticker here.

14:52

Here come the teams!

14:49

The lead performer in the opening show is demonstrating incredible control and flexibility as he balances on three tiny posts, surrounded by dancers in gold performing to the soundtrack from the Dune movies. It's very impressive!

14:43

The players are leaving the court and we'll soon be treated to the fabulous opening show. Make sure you're settled down ready to watch all today's action!

14:35

Esbjerg and Metz know each other well, as they were in the same group earlier in the season. They both won at home, 29:27 for Esbjerg and 36:31 for Metz. They also met here two years ago at the same stage, the 3/4 placement match, when Metz won 32:26. While a number of players have moved on since then, several others remain with the clubs and Esbjerg will be eager to avenge the defeat and send their coach Jesper Jensen out on a high. 

Another fact for this one is that Metz line player Sarah Bouktit is one of five players to score in triple digits this season. After the semi-final Bouktit has reached 100 goals, but trails Vipers right back Anna Vykahireva by 13 in the top goal scorer standings.

14:28

If you're not already watching, tune into the pre-match live show!

14:15

Here's the Metz players nominated by Emmanuel Mayonnade for today's placement match - no changes from the semi-final:

14:10

We've reached the arena, and the fans are starting to fill the place up. Esbjerg are early on court to start their warm-up and have been treated to Metz' supporters warming up their own voices. Metz themselves have also just arrived.

13:25

Four coaches have been spending the morning deciding on tactics for today's last games - and it's the last game with Esbjerg for Jesper Jensen. But who will be celebrating later?

13:10

Did you know there are 12 countries represented by the players who will take to the court for the EHF FINAL4 final this evening? They are (in no particular order): Hungary, Germany, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, Slovenia, France and Poland!

12:35

Speaking of Stine Oftedal, she will certainly receive a rapturous welcome from the crowd later on as she makes her last appearance for Györ. Here are her best moments from yesterday.

12:22

Györ have announced tonight's squad. Right wing Emilie Hovden comes in in place of goalkeeper Rinka Duijndam - the Hungarian team play with two goalkeepers this evening, instead of three as yesterday. 

This is the last game in Györ colours for Stine Oftedal and Yvette Broch, both retiring; Ana Gros, who is returning to Krim; Silje Solberg, who is also going home, to join Vipers; Line Haugsted, moving to Esbjerg; and Nadine Szollosi-Schatzl, who is joining Moyra-Budaörs. It also turns out that yesterday was Duijndam's last game for Györ before she joins CS Rapid Bucuresti next season.

12:00

Follow us on X to find out some of the key facts and stats from yesterday's games!

11:40

The fans were out in force yesterday to support their teams - here are some of our favourite photos. We're looking forward to seeing and hearing how loud the support will be later on!

11:00

When Bietigheim got to their locker room yesterday they discovered this wonderful drawing pinned to the wall. 

The story behind it is equally lovely: when Bietigheim were playing Odense in the quarter-finals the team's assistant coach and physical trainer did a similar drawing as motivation for the team. It worked - so they did it again for the semi-final yesterday. And clearly, it worked again!

10:30

Welcome to the live blog again for the final day of the EHF FINAL4 Women 2024! Last night's semi-finals set up a historic final, with Györi Audi ETO KC playing for their sixth EHF Champions League title, while SG BBM Bieitgheim are the first German team to get this far.

Let's start today's coverage with the preview of the final and also the 3/4 placement match between Team Esbjerg and Metz Handball!

SATURDAY 1 JUNE

20:30

The last words for the night go to Karolina Kudlacz-Gloc, summing up all the emotions. What a day!

Join us again tomorrow morning for the build-up as we find out which team will become EHF Champions League Women champions for 2023/24.

20:10

The highlights of the second semi-final are here. In the arena, the Bietigheim fans are still here celebrating with their team as individual players come back to see them.

19:55

Gabriela Moreschi has just reappeared in front of the fans, who give her a wild cheer and chant her name.

19:50

Here are the match reviews from those thrilling semi-finals. Two historic victories set up a tantalising final between the record champions and the first German team to ever make it this far in the EHF Champions League Women.

19:42

Join the live show for post-match analysis of that extraordinary semi-final.

19:34 | FULL-TIME METZ HANDBALL 29:36 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

And there you have it. On their first time in Budapest, Bietigheim shrug off any nerves and defy everyone who suggested they would be underdogs. From finishing sixth in the group phase, they will be EHF FINAL4 finalists and will face Györ tomorrow in the final.

It was a remarkable team performance led by Gabriela Moreschi in goal and captain Xenia Smits, the game's top scorer with nine goals. 

Metz, for a third time, fail to win their semi-final and will play Team Esbjerg for third place.

19:28 | 25:30 METZ HANDBALL 27:32 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Bietigheim have pretty much won this now unless they collapse entirely - and Jakob Vestergaard still has a timeout to play with, while Emmanuel Mayonnade has used all of his. What a performance from the debutant side.

19:18 | 48:30 METZ HANDBALL 23:28 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Bietigheim look like they believe they can do this now - they've extended the lead and are playing fluently and well. And they have this woman in goal.

19:13 | 45:00 METZ HANDBALL 21:24 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Bietigheim have taken a two-goal lead and are hanging grimly on to it, helped hugely by Gabriela Moreschi. Metz' defence is getting a little desperate. 

Camille Depuiset is now in the Metz goal, with Hatadou Sako having stepped back with six saves (23 per cent).

Bietigheim make it three goals with a penalty. Can they win this on their first EHF FINAL4 appearance?

19:06 | 40:26 METZ HANDBALL 20:21 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Emmanuel Mayonnade calls a timeout as Bietigheim regain a slender lead. It's going well for the German side right now, with Gabriela Moreschi starting to save once more. 

19:03 | 37:39 METZ HANDBALL 20:19 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

After a penalty throw by Karolina Kudlacz-Gloc that just sneaked past Hatadou Sako, another spot of luck for Bietigheim after they steal the ball back from Metz. The French side remain narrowly ahead but things could change any moment.

18:58 | 33:00 METZ HANDBALL 17:16 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

The pace has remained high in the first minutes of the second half, and currently the gap remains at one goal - although Metz did start with a goal, putting them up by two briefly.

18:54

We're off with the second half and the second spot in the final to play for.

18:50

The atmosphere in here is so good!

18:40 | HALF-TIME METZ HANDBALL 15:14 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

What an intriguing first half! It started very slow as the teams explored each other's strengths and weaknesses, before exploding into a string of goals, some of them absolutely beautiful - Jenny Behrend's first shot for 14:14 found a gap from a crazy angle. The half finished with a direct free throw for Bietigheim, which Xenia Smits missed.

EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu thinks:

"This has been a true roller-coaster of a match, with six, yes, six lead changes! The two sides traded goals, turnovers and goalkeeper saves, but after 30 minutes, Metz Handball are ahead, edging Bietigheim by the slightest of margins, mostly due to having a better attacking efficiency, 37 per cent, to Bietigheim’s 33 per cent.

"Bietigheim made too many mistakes – nine turnovers – but they are still in the match and with their penchant for surprises, things will surely be interesting in the second half. What’s clear is that goalkeeper Gabriela Moreschi needs to keep up the rhythm – she saved eight shots for a 34 per cent efficiency."

18:32 | 25:49 METZ HANDBALL 12:13 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

The pace has suddenly picked up and we've had a flurry of end-to-end action, with goals and saves galore. Gabriela Moreschi is winning the goalkeeper battle, but Hatadou Sako just made her second stop and an improvement in her performance could swing things Metz' way.

18:29 | 22:25 METZ HANDBALL 10:10 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

It's still pretty much level here, with Bietigheim playing extremely well in their first match at this level. 

18:23 | 18:55 METZ HANDBALL 8:7 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Metz pulled ahead, but Bietigheim have come back with some excellent play. Sarah Bouktit, the top scorer left in the competition, just scored her first goal of the game to give Les Dragonnes a slight lead, and Jakob Vestergaard has now called a timeout. He's profiting from a miss by Chloé Valentini from a Bietigheim turnover, and the debutants have a chance to level the game again.

18:19

Two penalties taken so far in this game, and two penalty saves made!

18:16 | 12:28 METZ HANDBALL 4:4 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Looks like we're on for another low-scoring game. Both goalkeepers are in good form and both teams' defences are working hard. Metz are currently down a player and Bietigheim finally score into the empty net on the third time of asking, after two previous misses.

18:09 | 06:11 METZ HANDBALL 2:2 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

This game has two of the best goalkeepers in the competition, and Hatadou Sako and Gabriela Moreschi are already showing their quality. Sako made the first penalty save of the weekend while Moreschi has stopped three shots already!

18:07 | 04:13 METZ HANDBALL 2:1 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Metz wasted no time in equalising, with Anne Mette Hansen scoring the goal, and they go 2:1 up with Louise Burgaard netting after a fairly long attack.

18:02 | 00:43 METZ HANDBALL 0:1 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM

Bietigheim throw off their first-ever EHF FINAL4 match in attack, and Kaba Gassama scores their first-ever EHF FINAL4 goal.

17:55

The key facts of the second semi-final - find the match ticker here:

• Bietigheim are in the EHF FINAL4 for the first time, as their previous best performance in the EHF Champions League Women was reaching the play-offs. The German side are the 14th team to participate in the business end of the premier European competition
• this is the third time Metz have qualified for the EHF FINAL4, after finishing fourth in the 2018/19 season and third in the 2021/22 season
• the German side has eight losses so far this season, one fewer than the other three teams participating in the EHF FINAL4 combined
• Bietigheim are the first German side to qualify for the semi-finals of the EHF Champions League Women since Walle Bremen in the 1994/95 season
• line player Sarah Bouktit is Metz’s top scorer so far in the elite European competition, with 97 goals, the sixth-highest scorer, 16 goals behind Vipers right back Anna Vyakhireva
• this will be the battle of the goalkeepers with the most saves in the competition, with Bietigheim’s Gabriela Moreschi boasting 194 saves, four more than Metz’s Hatadou Sako
• Metz are the team with the joint lowest number of losses this season – three – and with the joint largest number of wins – 13

17:50

It's introduction time for the second semi-final.

17:40

There's plenty of handball royalty here to watch the EHF FINAL4 Women - from left to right in the gallery below: 

• Marit Malm Frafjord, former Norway and Esbjerg player
• French national team coach Olivier Krumbholz
• Eduarda Amorim, Györ legend
• Valeriia Maslova, who is moving from Brest Bretagne to FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria next season
• Krim Mercator Ljubljana and Slovenia head coach Dragan Adzic

17:30

There's 30 minutes before the second semi-final throws off, so plenty of time to enjoy the highlights of the first!

17:20

Emmanuel Mayonnade is being interviewed on court while his players warm up, and as he's asked about the supporters the 600 yellow-clad Metz fans erupt in cheers. They are making lots of noise. Mayonnade says their support has been "extraordinary".

17:12

As Metz and Bietigheim arrive for their warm-ups, the first quotes from the first semi-final are arriving.

17:02

All. The. Emotion.

16:55

The live show is live again!

16:42

Here's those incredible final few seconds of the game.

16:36 | FULL-TIME TEAM ESBJERG 23:24 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Wow.

Györ turned over the ball and Esbjerg just had a chance. They raced the ball up the court, but as the buzzer went Sandra Toft made her 13th save of the game to put Györ in the final for the seventh time at the EHF FINAL4. Esbjerg are still to win a match here in Budapest.

16:33 | 59:44 TEAM ESBJERG 23:24 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

One last timeout and Györ are in possession.

16:29 | 58:18 TEAM ESBJERG 22:23 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

What an end to this match! Kristine Breistøl almost levelled things into an empty net, but missed the post. When the ball comes back to Esbjerg, Sandra Toft makes a big save of Live Rushfeldt Deila's shot. Just over 90 seconds and one goal in it.

16:24 | 54:35 TEAM ESBJERG 21:22 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

It's a one-goal game thanks to Sanna Solberg! Esbjerg have hung in there and clawed their way back into contention with five minutes to play. It's a difficult one to call.

16:23

Amalie Milling has stepped up this second half and helped Esbjerg get back into the game. 

16:19 | 50:13 TEAM ESBJERG 19:21 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Per Johansson uses a timeout as we tick into the last 10 minutes of what has been a very nervy game by both sides. It's not the best handball, with too many errors, but it's physical and passionate and you can see how much these two sides want to reach the final.

16:15 | 46:59 TEAM ESBJERG 18:20 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Esbjerg have tightened things up and as Silje Solberg makes her EHF FINAL4 2024 debut, Nora Mørk scores another penalty to make it a two-goal game. 

16:11 | 43:42 TEAM ESBJERG 16:19 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Györ have done an excellent job of stopping Henny Reistad this game, but the IHF Player of the Year has just broken through for her second goal and Esbjerg are inching back a bit. 

16:09

This is one of the key reasons Györ are leading:

16:06 | 39:08 TEAM ESBJERG 13:18 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

After Ryu Eun Hee scores Györ's 18th goal, Jesper Jensen calls a timeout. The resulting attack sees Live Rushfeldt just manage to get the ball past Sandra Toft, but Esbjerg still have a fairly big gap and need to close up their defence and get more efficient in attack, quickly.

16:01 | 36:02 TEAM ESBJERG 12:17 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Nora Mørk fouls Ryu Eun Hee and is suspended for two minutes; the action earns Györ their first penalty throw of the game which Ana Gros easily scores. 

Sandra Toft has shut up shop between the posts at the other end of the court - the Dane is having a great game.

15:57 | 32:09 TEAM ESBJERG 12:14 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Shooting now towards their corner of fans, Esbjerg have made a brighter start to the second half with a 3:1 run to get them back within two of their opponents. 

15:55

The second half has just thrown off.

15:46

Perhaps it's no surprise that Györ lead, when they can pull off shots like this.

15:42 | HALF-TIME TEAM ESBJERG 9:13 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Well, after an amazing start, Esbjerg let Györ right back into the game and the record champions have a pretty comfortable four-goal lead at the break.

Here's EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu's thoughts on the first 30 minutes:

"This was not the semi-final with the lowest number of goals at half-time - that record still is 17 goals, when Buducnost and Vardar when toe-to-toe in 2014, but it was definitely a nervy match. Both Györi Audi ETO KC and Team Esbjerg had stints of over nine minutes without scoring a single goal. The Hungarian side had a 5:0 unanswered run, while Esbjerg had a 3:0 unanswered run.

But, in the end, Györ's superior depth made the difference. As Per Johansson rotated his back line, the MVM Dome in Budapest started roaring for their favourites and Sandra Toft gave them reasons to cheer, saving eight shots for a fantastic 57 per cent saving efficiency. As Györ settled in, they finished the half with a 5:1 run, which saw them open a four-goal gap at the break. But there is still all to play in the second half."

15:36 | 27:51 TEAM ESBJERG 8:11 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Bruna de Paula scores to put Györ three goals up, but shortly afterwards receives a two-minute suspension and gives Esbjerg a chance to close up the match once more - which they cannot take advantage of as Sandra Toft makes another save. The ball returns to Györ's possession.

15:33 | 25:00 TEAM ESBJERG 8:9 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

After Kari Brattset Dale puts Györ ahead by one, Jesper Jensen moves to a seven-on-six attack, but Györ force a turnover quickly and Anna Kristensen has to dash on to court. The dial is shifting slightly towards the Hungarian side right now, but neither team is performing at top level.

15:28 | 20:59 TEAM ESBJERG 7:7 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Another attack comes to nothing by both teams. If things go on this way, with defence so key, this will be a very low-scoring game. Esbjerg call a timeout.

15:24

Here's how Estelle Nze Minko sparked the Györ comeback.

15:20 | 13:02 TEAM ESBJERG 5:7 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

It's now been over eight minutes since Esbjerg scored, and Györ are now leading by two thanks largely to Estelle Nze Minko who is making her presence felt. Györ's defence has stiffened and Sandra Toft is starting to find her groove too. What can Esbjerg do?

15:18

Here's Nora Mørk's first field goal of the game to enjoy. 

15:16 | 09:54 TEAM ESBJERG 5:5 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

It's clear how much both teams want this - they are rushing things a bit too much and have missed several shots. But Györ are slowly getting back into the game and Henny Reistad has just earned the first two-minute suspension for shirt-pulling. Estelle Nze Minko levels the match.

15:09 | 04:06 TEAM ESBJERG 3:1 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Better from Györ as Ana Gros gets them on the scoreboard.

15:08 | 03:45 TEAM ESBJERG 3:0 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Per Johansson calls a very early timeout as Esbjerg go 3:0 up. Before the game, Julian Rux said the Esbjerg stats suggested their defence would be their weak point, but in these opening minutes it has been very solid and Györ's attacks have all come to nothing.

15:06 | 02:13 TEAM ESBJERG 2:0 GYÖRI AUDI ETO KC

Nora Mørk starts the scoring for Esbjerg, netting a penalty past Rinka Duijndam. Györ's counterattack fails and Mørk scores again. This is a great start for the Danish side.

15:03

Michala Møller throws off but there are only a few passes before the ball goes back to the bench for more resin. And now we're properly underway.

15:01

We are about to throw-off. Follow the match live ticker here.

14:55

The arena is on its feet as Györ are introduced.

14:51

Now time for the teams to be introduced, starting with Team Esbjerg.

14:46

And here we go with the opening show!

14:43

The players are warmed up and leaving the court. Things will be getting underway very very soon!

14:30

Here's a reminder of some of the key facts about the first semi-final!

• Györ, having qualified for the EHF FINAL4 for the ninth time, have the largest number of wins in the final tournament, and a 75 per cent win rate, with 12 wins from 16 matches played
• the Hungarian side started the season with an 11-match winning streak, but dropped their level and lost three of the next five matches, prompting a coaching change, with Per Johansson replacing Ulrik Kirkely
• Esbjerg became the first Danish team to qualify for the EHF FINAL4 three times in a row, but are yet to win a match, losing all four played so far
• the matches at the EHF FINAL4 will be the last for Jesper Jensen as Esbjerg’s coach, after seven years spent with the Danish side
• Norwegian backs Nora Mørk (91 goals) and Henny Reistad (89), both among the top 10 scorers this season, have been Esbjerg’s top guns this season. Reistad is also the all-time top scorer of the EHF FINAL4, with 60 goals in four editions
• Györ’s goalkeepers have the best efficiency on penalties this season, stopping 14 of the 53 they have faced, 26.4 per cent - and they have brought three to the semi-final ...

14:15

Anja Althaus, Victor Tomàs, Martin Vilstrup and Bengt Kunkel are live now with the build-up to the game - stick with them throughout the afternoon and evening on YouTube or Instagram.

14:08

A bit of fun before things get going. In the arena, the teams are netering for their warm-ups!

13:48

Györ's "eighth player" - their fans - are already in extremely good voice. With well over an hour before throw-off the fans in the team's corner are singing and banging their drums already!

13:30

We've arrived at the MVM Dome and so have the teams, with Györ the first off the bus to start their preparations for the game. There's already plenty of fans here too and the atmosphere will certainly be buzzing!

12:25

We are heading to the arena for the afternoon now, so the blog will have a bit of a break for a while. 

So why not test your knowledge of the EHF FINAL4 Women in the meantime with our quiz?

12:00

The arena is almost ready to welcome the fans and the teams in just a couple of hours, but our photographers caught some of the set-up earlier on, including a sneak peek at what looks like being a magnificent opening show. There's so much work which goes on behind the scenes to make an event like the EHF FINAL4 happen, and it couldn't take place without all the people you're seeing in these shots.

11:40

We shared this yesterday, but it's important, so here we go again: how to follow the EHF FINAL4 Women!

The matches will be shown live by broadcasters around the world, and if you're based in one of these countries, that broadcaster should be your first stop if you want to watch live. If you're based in another country, head to EHFTV.

Plus, of course, there'll be clips on all our social media channels, and the live show will analyse the action before and after the games! 

11:25

Check out our X account for some key interesting facts ahead of today's games. For example, did you know that Ana Gros and Nora Mørk are two of the EHF Champions League Women all-time top scorers? They will face each other in the first semi-final.

11:10

For a number of players, this weekend will be their last chance to don their current club jerseys. There are plenty of transfers due for the next season, including several where a player is leaving one EHF FINAL4 team to join another - indeed Györ will gain players from all three of their rivals this weekend.

But there is one player in particular whose last match tomorrow night will be emotional. Stine Oftedal has announced she is retiring at the end of the summer, and the last game in the MVM Dome will be her final match in the green and white jersey she has worn for seven years. (She'll go on to finish her career at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games). 

Yesterday at the media calls, EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu asked some of Oftedal's teammates from Györ and Norway to assess her impact on the sport. There's one message which rings clear: she will be missed. Expect emotions tomorrow night.

10:45

We had some fun yesterday challenging teammates to play a handball version of tic tac toe (or noughts and crosses). Enjoy!

10:30

Good morning! It's Saturday 1 June here in Budapest and that means just one thing: it's EHF FINAL4 Women 2024 semi-finals day!

Action throws off at 15:00 CEST when Team Esbjerg take on Györi Audi ETO KC; Metz Handball vs SG BBM Bietigheim throws off at 18:00 CEST. Stay on top of everything here on the live blog and on our social media channels, and don't miss the live show beginning at 14:00 CEST on YouTube channel and Instagram.

Last night the fans' meet-and-greet at the MVM Dome got things off to the perfect start, with a brilliant atmosphere as the teams thanked all their supporters who have travelled to Budapest for the weekend.