Nantes down Hannover, big win for Skjern as main round starts

• Nantes made the difference away at Hannover in the second half, thanks to Aymeric Minne and Théo Avelange Demouge each scoring 10, to hand the hosts their first European loss this season, 32:38
• Skjern Handbold delivered an impressive offensive performance hosting RK Gorenje Velenje to start the main round with the biggest win (45:31) of the early matches on Tuesday
• Kadetten Schaffhausen overcame a slow start and turned around a four-goal deficit to defeat Vojvodina, 27:24
• Füchse Berlin had to wait until the last 10 minutes to really get past CSM Constanta (32:29), as the Romanian side were leading for nearly 40 minutes

GROUP I

TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (GER) vs HBC Nantes (FRA) 32:38 (17:18)

Despite missing some important players, Nantes took the best start, making the most of their opponents’ turnovers. With Théo Avelange Demouge netting four in the first 10 minutes, the French side was soon ahead by six goals, 10:4. But after the one-sided start, the hosts came back over the next 10 minutes. With Martin Hanne making an impressive entrance, Hannover even took briefly the lead, before the two teams went back to the dressing room only separated by one goal, 18:17 to Nantes. In the second half, Nantes took the momentum again, and this time, the French side never let it go. Making the most of their quick plays, Théo Avelange Demouge stepped into the spotlight again, scoring 10 goals - like his teammate Aymeric Minne - to give his team a nine-goal advantage in minute 43; enough to secure the win as Hannover managed to close to gap to six only at the end.

GROUP II

Skjern Handbold (DEN) vs Gorenje Velenje (SLO) 45:31 (22:16)

The fans in Skjern witnessed a very one-sided game for the favourites. Displaying an impressive offensive firepower, the hosts broke away early. After 12 minutes they were up by three (9:6), but 14 minutes later, Skjern were leading by nine, 21:12. Goalkeeper Tim Winkler with his 14 saves played a huge part in his team taking the momentum, so did Senjamin Buric, netting seven in the first half alone. Things kept going Skjern’s way after the break, as the Danish side offered an offensive masterpiece. With Viktor Bergholt and Joaquim Nazaré joining the feast, both of them netting nine, the hosts gradually increased their advantage up to 14 goals at the buzzer, when Mads Bjergfelt netted his team’s final goal. Only four teams have scored more goals in a single EHF European League match than Skjern did on Tuesday.

Group III

Kadetten Schaffhausen (SUI) vs Vojvodina (SRB) 27:24 (15:13)

The first half was a very even one, with each team having the upper hand for 15 minutes. The visitors were in the lead early on, helped by their mid-season arrival Petar Djordjic, who scored four times in the first half. But Kadetten managed to turn over a four-goal deficit into a two-goal lead at the break. Improving their defence and counting on Joan Cañellas’ experience, the hosts scored six goals unanswered to go back to the dressing room leading by two (15:13). Back from the break, Schaffhausen increased their lead, this time thanks to their defence and to Kristian Pilipovic’s saves. The goalkeeper, saving 13 tonight, put the Swiss side on the right track, as it took a maximum advantage of six goals in the 50th minute. Enough to secure the two points, despite Voljvodina’s reaction in the last 10 minutes, and also enough to start the main round the perfect way.

GROUP IV

CSM Constanta (ROU) vs Füchse Berlin (GER) 29:32 (15:14)

While Berlin took the best start and an early two-goal lead, the hosts had the upper hand throughout most of the first half. Thanks to a strong defence, which put pressure on their opponents, Constanta managed to stop Füchse’s offence. And the Romanian team, on the other hand, found offensive solutions to take a lead of up to three goals until the 24th minute, before Jerry Tollbring and Lasse Andersson reduced the defending champions' deficit to just one, 15:14. Füchse’s players displayed all of their experience in the second half, with offences sharp as knives and shots that left no chance to the Romanian goalkeepers. Jerry Tollbring and Nils Lichtlein led their team after the break, with the first giving Füchse the lead in the 43rd minute and the latter scoring the last two goals. Füchse remain on top of group IV and unbeaten in the European League since the beginning of the season, but were close to having that series come to an end.

main image © 2024 Jan Guenther/TSV Hannover-Burgdorf