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All to play for in EHF European League Women qualification round 2

Filip Mishov
Filip Mishov

Exciting return legs await in the EHF European League Women qualification round 2 over the upcoming weekend as the majority of visiting teams were victorious in the first matches with only Hypo Niederösterreich securing a home win (29:27) against Önnereds HK in Austria and VfL Oldenburg convincingly winning their double-header against A.C. PAOK in Greece.

Molde Elite, Costa del Sol Malaga and HC Dunărea Brăila are going back home soil with decent advantages as they look to confirm their places in the competition's qualification round 3.

Last but not least, ŽRK Železničar and SPONO Eagles are also set to go head-to-head in Serbia for a place in the next round.

Molde Elite (NOR) vs JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball (FRA)
Saturday, 30 September, 15:00 CEST

  • the Norwegian club are looking to confirm progress to the next round after taking a six-goal lead (35:29) from the away trip to France
  • right back Celine Sivertsen will be looking for help from her teammates if the visitors are to mount a comeback in Molde, after she scored seven goals in the first leg and no other player from JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball scored more than four goals
  • playmaker Christine Alver and the left back Celina Vatne combined for 22 goals in the first leg, which was 62% of the overall goals scored by Molde Elite
  • a French derby awaits in qualification round 3 if JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball defy the odds, as Neptunes de Nantes are waiting for the final outcome of the tie to discover their opponents

HC Dunărea Brăila (ROU) vs Valur (ICE)
Saturday, 30 September, 16:00 CEST

  • the ambitious Romanian side ended Valur's three-match winning streak; HC Dunărea Brăila take a minimal one-goal lead (30:29) going into the return leg
  • the visitors are hoping for a higher save percentage from their goalkeeping duo going to Romania as both of their 'keepers, Sara Helgadóttir and Hafdís Renötudóttir, had five saves each in the first game, compared to Elena Serban's 11 saves alone
  • Mireya González Álvarez and Jelena Živković scored 13 goals combined in the away win in Iceland and they are Brăila's main attacking weapons
  • the last season's third placed team, BV Borussia Dortmund are awaiting the winner of the tie in qualification round 3

SPONO Eagles (SUI) vs ŽRK Železničar (SRB)
Saturday, 30 September, 19:00 CEST

ŽRK Železničar (SRB) vs SPONO Eagles (SUI)
Sunday, 1 October, 14:00 CEST

  • the double-header is set to take place in Indjija, Serbia with both matches played in a span of less than 24 hours
  • ŽRK Železničar are looking to replicate last season's success of reaching qualification round 3 in the competition when they were eliminated by BV Borussia Dortmund
  • the Vojvodina-based club boast one of the youngest squads in the competition with an average age of only 19, with their youngest player being just 14 years old
  • it is the Swiss side's second appearance in the EHF European League Women as they were eliminated last season in the qualification round 2 by Fana, so are aiming to go at least one step further this year
  • the winner of the tie is set to face HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) in November

Önnereds HK (SWE) vs Hypo Niederösterreich (AUT)
Sunday, 1 October, 16:00 CEST

  • the Swedish side are hoping to inspire a comeback on home soil in their first home match in the EHF's club competitions since 2008/09, when the last played in the Cup Winners' Cup
  • both defences had great support from their goalkeepers in the first match as Jenny Caroline Sandgren and Petra Blazek recorded 11 saves each and their teammates will be hoping for more of the same in the return leg
  • the former European champions, Hypo Niederösterreich, are taking a two-goal lead to Sweden and are aiming to secure a place in qualification round 3 after being eliminated by VfL Oldenburg last season in round 2
  • CSM Targu Jiu will be watching the return leg closely to find out their opponents in the next round

Costa del Sol Malaga (ESP) vs Larvik HK (NOR)
Sunday, 1 October, 18:00 CEST

  • the Malaga-based club's second half comeback in Norway after trailing by one goal at half-time sees them take a four-goal lead (35:31) back to the coast of Spain
  • only one player didn't get on the score sheet in the Spanish side's win at Larvik HK, tormenting their opponent with 35 goals and 11 different scorers finding the back of the net
  • Maja Furu Sæteren and Heidi Løke will be hoping for a helping hand from their teammates to inspire a comeback as the left back scored eight and the line player scored seven from as many shots
  • the Danish club, Kobenhavn Handbold, are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the tie as they will play the winner in the next round

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