Szeged break Elverum’s tough resistance 

Elverum Handball did all they could to take their second group phase victory – but as in their unlucky defeat at Celje last week, the Norwegian champions left the court empty-handed against OTP Bank-Pick Szeged after losing 32:34.

Despite a fairly close second half, Szeged’s greater experience and individual skills decided the encounter. At least for 24 hours, Szeged have passed Aalborg in the ranking, being on eight points now, while Elverum remain at the bottom of group B in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League. 

GROUP B

Elverum Handball (NOR) vs Pick Szeged (HUN) 32:34 (14:19) 

• the first key to the victory was a 6:0 run for Szeged, turning the match around from 3:5 to 9:5 
• Elverum tried hard to bridge the gap, but finally Dean Bombac increased the margin to six goals for the first time right before the break for the 19:13 
• right from the re-start, the hosts were more focused and efficient in attack, taking their chances – and after a 4:0 run, the result was almost levelled at 23:24 
• the match was on the edge for several minutes, but when Szeged managed to improve in defence, they turned the turnovers into easy goals and finally decided the match at 32:27 with five minutes left to play 
• the top scorers were Mario Sostaric and Sebastian Frimmel, who each netted six times for Szeged, and Patrick Anderson, who scored seven goals for Elverum

Another team success 

It was Szeged’s second straight away victory after winning at Celje two weeks ago and it was the fourth overall victory in 10 matches. Pick underlined their rising form in those four must-win-matches against those two teams below them.

Again it was a team success, not any individual player. Six players scored four or more goals, this time topped by Mario Sostaric and Sebastian Frimmel. The Austrian wing is among those individual players who has been constantly improving in the last weeks, alongside Norwegian Kent Robin Tönessen.