Rocasa claim commanding win in Iberian derby

The two-time Challenge Cup winners Rocasa Gran Canaria made a big step towards round 3. In the first-leg match of an all-Iberian derby, the Spanish side enjoyed a commanding home win against A.R.C.Alpendorada from Portugal, 33:22.

• Rocasa's Katarina Pavlovic contributed to her team's big win by scoring 12 goals from 12 attempts
• as many as ten teams are already through to the next stage following the weekend games; nine of them won double-headers
• returning on the European stage after a three-year absence, WHC Vardar won the first leg at KHF Prishtina, 39:35
• the tie HRK Grude (BIH) vs Sokol Pisek (CZE) was also scheduled as a double-header, but the Czech side progressed to round 3 after a 38:27 win in the first leg, as Grude had to travel back to Bosnia Herzegovina due to Covid-19 issues
• nine more double-headers, plus six second-leg encounters, will be played from 22 to 24 October

Kristanstad through after narrow win

The closest fight in a double-header was seen in the Slovenian town of Ajdovscina, where the local side ZRK Mlinotest Ajdocscina hosted Sweden's Kristianstad Handboll.

After a 26:26 draw on Thursday, Kristianstad claimed a narrow 20:19 in a low-scoring game the next day, which allowed them to reach round 3.