Györ down Podravka in MOTW; Metz open title defence with win

• strong second-half performance helped CSM to turn the tide at Krim, eventually cruising to a 37:29 win

• Krim extended their winless run in the EHF Champions League Women to 10 matches

• Henny Reistad's 10 goals and Katharina Filter's 43 per cent saving efficiency powered Esbjerg to a 33:24 win over Dortmund

• Metz also won by nine goals, 32:23 at Storhamar, as their goalkeeper Sabrina Novotná stopped 15 balls for a 42 per cent save rate

• the Match of the Week was the closest game of the day, as Györ defeated Podravka by three goals, 26:23

• player of the Match Tjasa Stanko became Györ's leading scorer, netting five of her eight goals from the penalty shots

GROUP A 

RK Krim OTP Group Mercator vs CSM Bucuresti 29:37 (19:17)

H-2-H: 3-1-13
Top scorers: Nina Zulic 9/13 (RK Krim OTP Group Mercator); Valeriia Maslova 7/10 (CSM Bucuresti) 

In October 2025, Krim took their last victory in the EHF Champions League Women, beating CSM 31:27 at home. Now the Slovenian side wanted to repeat the feat and end their winless run, and they seemed to be on the right track in the opening half. Centre back Nina Zulic netted eight of her nine goals before the break, helping her team to a two-goal lead, 19:17. The renewed СSM were unable to find their rhythm for a long time, but powered by Tyra Axner, they managed a 5:1 run early in the second half, which handed them a 23:21 lead. The Romanian team improved their defence, with their goalkeepers making some crucial saves, and the visitors did not lose their momentum afterwards. While Valeriia Maslova became CSM's top scorer, another Russian player, Daria Dmitrieva, netted six goals against Krim, where she used to play in the past, and she also contributed a lot to the Romanian team's eight-goal win.

BV Borussia Dortmund vs Team Esbjerg 24:33 (9:17)

H-2-H: 0-0-5
Key players: Mareike Thomaier 4/7 (BV Borussia Dortmund); Henny Reistad 10/10 (Team Esbjerg)

The Danish champions Esbjerg started their eighth straight and ninth overall season in the continental top flight with a comfortable win, as they were dominant throughout the entire match at Dortmund. The attacking trio of Henny Reistad, Rikke Iversen and Live Rushfeldt Deila had an early impact, helping the visitors to a 9:3 lead midway through the first half. Dortmund's new head coach Kay Rothenpieler asked for a timeout, but his team continued to struggle in attack, as they were restricted to just nine goals before the break. Katharina Filter, notably a German, did well against a team from her home country, finishing the match with 12 saves and a 43 per cent save rate. After the break, Dortmund improved their attack thanks to playing seven-versus-six but as Reistad continued to shine, Esbjerg firmly kept the game under their control and celebrated a nine-goal win.  

GROUP B

Storhamar Håndball Elite vs Metz Handball 23:32 (10:17)

H-2-H: 0-1-6
Key players: Sanne Løkka Hagen 5/9 (Storhamar Håndball Elite),  Lucie Granier 6/7, Anna Albek 6/9, Lylou Borg 6/10 (Metz Handball) 

Seen as the favourites, reigning champions Metz took early control of the game, but they were unable to pull clear by more than two goals in the opening 10 minutes. However, then Anna Albek's goals lifted the French side to a strong 4:0 run, handing them a 10:5 lead midway through the first half. Their defence did a good job, and Sabrina Novotná boasted a 44 per cent save efficiency before the break, as Metz went on to dominate and extend their lead to seven goals after 30 minutes. The French side opened the second half with a 4:0 run, denying Storhamar a single goal before the 38th minute and creating an 11-goal gap. After that, they somewhat relaxed their approach, but Metz's victory was never in danger, and they won by nine goals in the end.

MOTW: HC Podravka vs Györi Audi ETO KC 23:26 (11:15)

H-2-H: 0-0-11
Key players: Tina Barišic 6/6, Katarina Pandža 6/10 (HC Podravka), Tjaša Stanko 8/12 (Gyčri Audi ETO KC
Player of the Match: Tjaša Stanko (Györi Audi ETO KC)

Podravka opened a 2:0 lead early in the match before Tjaša Stanko scored Györ's first goal four and a half minutes into the game. Led by Katarina Pandža, who netted six times before the break, the home side continued to fight hard, but Gyčr gradually took the match under their control. Stanko, who had played at Podravka in the 2019/20 season, did well against her former team, netting seven goals in the opening half, including five from the penalty line. After 20 minutes, Sarah Bouktit entered the court, making her EHF Champions League debut for the Hungarian powerhouse, and while she did not score in the first half, her team created a four-goal cushion at the break. After the restart, Per Johansson's team were still superior, as they led 21:13 in the 41st minute. Goalkeepers Lucija Bešen and Anica Gudelj kept Podravka in the game, saving a couple of penalties and contributing to a 3:0 run. The home team finished the match with a 70 per cent shooting efficiency, compared to Gyčr's below-par 52 per cent, but Podravka had as many as 22 turnovers, which prevented them from making a full comeback. And while they put the pressure on their rivals until the end, it was the Hungarian heavyweights who claimed two points.