GROUP A
MOTW: Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) 31:24 (18:13)
- the turning moment of the game came between the 18th and 24th minutes, when Vipers used a 6:1 run to turn the match on its head and create a four-goal lead, 15:11
- the MVP of the last season’s EHF FINAL4, Czech back Marketa Jerabkova, had a superb outing scoring nine times, being the game’s top scorer
- the second most experienced player in the competition, Katrine Lunde, who will turn 43 next March, displayed another gem of a game with 16 saves and a 42% saving efficiency
- back after an injury which saw her miss the whole season bar the opening match, Montenegrin left back Djurdjina Jaukovic was Brest’s best scorer, with six goals
- the Norwegian side are still a powerhouse on home court, losing only two games in the past two seasons in the European premium competition
No tempo lost for mighty Vipers
Vipers look more an international team than two years ago, when they secured their first-ever EHF Champions League Women title, in a final against Brest Bretagne Handball. Losing key Norwegian players like Henny Reistad or Nora Mørk definitely hurt, but the ability to regenerate and usher in new talent is nothing short of amazing.
That European talent was responsible for the win against Brest in the opening match of the new season, as Marketa Jerabkova and Jana Knedlikova, the Czech pair, combined for 16 goals, while Anna Vyakhireva had a lively start of the season. The Russian right back scored three goals in her maiden European game for her new team, after ending her sabbatical from handball.
