SCM Ramnicu Valcea beat Vác to reach quarter-finals
Iryna Glibko and Asma Elghaoui led SCM Ramnicu Valcea to an important win over Praktiker-Vác and secured second spot in group C.
Ikast Håndbold cruised to yet another victory, remaining the only unbeaten team in the group phase.
Paris 92, despite being eliminated from the competition, put on a good performance and inflicted the first defeat on Thüringer. On their farewell to the European season, Besancon never faltered and beat winless Molde.
GROUP A
ES Besancon Feminin (FRA) vs Molde Elite (NOR) 35:32 (18:17)
Both sides said farewell to the EHF European league Women 2022/23 season with Besancon ending it on a high and in third place, leaving Molde without a point. The home side started off strongly with a 4:1 lead and were holding onto it thanks to Ivana Dežic and their top scorer this season Clarisse Mairot.
Molde turned the tide midway through the first half and got their hands on their first lead of the game but soon Besancon rebounded with a four-goal run and secured a win.
Despite an 11-goal outing by the Obaidli sisters, Mona and Sherin, Molde could not keep up with the home side. Tonje Haug Lerstad with a 35% save efficiency additionally helped Besancon to end on a high.
We wanted to have the same number of points as last year in the EHF European League, except that we are eliminated. Tonight we won but we are unfortunately eliminated, it's special. We are back to winning, with smiles on our faces and that makes me happy. I am proud of the strength of my group!
GROUP B
Ikast Håndbold (DEN) vs Fana (NOR) 29:23 (11:9)
Ikast extended their winning streak to six and as the group winner are now eyeing up the BV Borussia 09 Dortmund vs Siófok KC match tomorrow to find out their quarter-final opponents.
The Norwegian debutants celebrated only one win this season - in round 3 against Neptunes de Nantes, finishing in last position in the group. Olivia Lykke Nygaard was a crucial part of Fana's team - 16 saves at 38% save efficiency against Ikast put her among the top three goalkeepers in the competition. Ikast's top scorer Ingvild Kristiansen Bakkerud leads the way with 27 goals but she was not in the squad for the clash against Fana, just like goalkeeper Jessica Ryde.
We play in a lot of different constellations which we haven't used as much time on at training, so it will stutter at times, but I think we did perform well and I'm happy to see a good defensive effort today
GROUP D
Praktiker-Vác (HUN) vs SCM Ramnicu Valcea (ROU) 26:28 (13:13)
In a nail-biting finish, Ramnicu Valcea claimed the win and second spot in the group, thus confirming the final ranking in group D and Vác as the bottom side. The Romanian outfit did not have a glorious start, but after snatching a 6:5 lead, they never backed down despite Vác's efforts to narrow the gap.
In the thrilling finish, they even stopped Nathalie Schatzl from grabbing an equaliser which would have put the spotlight on the Paris 92 vs Thüringer match. Vác's centre back Csenge Kuczora ends her European path as - for now - the group's top scorer with 46 goals while Valcea awaits to see who will be crowned as the top team in group C for the quarter-final clash.
I'm so happy. It was a hard game. Finally we won and it's perfect for us. Our fans were here with us so we performed really well with their help. It was magical.
Paris 92 (FRA) vs Thüringer HC (GER) 26:25 (13:14)
Thüringer finish atop the group despite suffering their first defeat of the season. Looking towards the quarter-finals, they will meet the second-ranked team in group C. Today's opponents, Paris 92, already knew they will finish as the third team in the group after Valcea beat Vác, but got their revenge for a 24:28 defeat in round 1 and ended the European season well.
Paris' Déborah Lassource was her team's top scorer with seven goals, bringing her tally to 32 at the end of the European season while Thüringer's Annika Lott netted four times and will continue in the competition on 40 goals so far.
We lost today, but still we can go with our heads up because we qualified as a side of number one and we earned the right to play comfortably today and with no pressure.
