GROUP B
MOTW: Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Team Esbjerg (DEN) 29:28 (12:11)
- with 22 points, Györ secured second place in group B, which gives them a berth in the quarter-finals, while Esbjerg finished third and will face the sixth-placed team in group A in the play-offs
- Györ trailed by two goals with 10 minutes to go, 22:24, but finished the match with a 7:4 run after an excellent comeback
- Esbjerg left back Henny Ella Reistad, who reached double digits for the third time this season, became the first player to break the 100-goal milestone in the 2022/23 season. Reistad's 12-goal outing improved her overall tally to 107 goals
- Reistad, who has scored at least 100 goals for the second season in a row, hit the 400-goal milestone in the EHF Champions League by converting a penalty in the 57th minute
- back Estelle Nze Minko was named the Player of the Match of the Week, scoring four goals from six shots, while being integral to Györ’s defence, including a last-gasp steal in the final minute, which decided the game
- the Hungarian side will face the winner of the play-off tie between Odense Håndbold and Storhamar Handball Elite in the quarter-finals
Dramatic finish to end the group for Györ and Esbjerg
Saturday's clash between Györ and Esbjerg was going to decide which team from group B would join Metz Handball as quarter-finalists in this season's competition. In an game that had everything – twists and turns, magnificent performances and Amandine Leynaud coming out of retirement to replace Silje Solberg – Györ eventually took the win.
The Hungarian side avoided two home losses in a row for the first time since the 2008/09 season in Europe's premier competition, but it was not for the lack of trying from Esbjerg, who tried everything possible to wrestle away the win.
While the goalkeepers managed only 11 saves between them for the two sides, the defences still stood strong. Györ’s defence was better in the end, but the Hungarian side looked once again like they can be defeated, such is the balance in this season. Esbjerg will have to go through the play-offs if they want to progress to the EHF FINAL4 once again, but they proved they are a tough nut to crack and will try to come back even stronger in the next months.
Photos: © Aniko Kovacs
It was not an easy game, because both of the teams knew that the victory meant a lot regarding qualification in the EHF Champions League. One of the keys was our belief. We were able to win by one goal, and we could steal balls even against their seven-against-six play. We are one step closer to our goals, but nothing has changed.
