Nantes tie all-time record to beat Kolstad, Barça dominate MOTW

• Veszprém scored six unanswered goals in the first half to take an early six-goals advantage and breakaway on the scoreboard, leaving Dinamo without reaction (36:24)
• Füchse Berlin managed to take the two points against Plock (25:24), thanks to Dejan Milosavljev’s 12 saves and Jerry Tollbring’s last-second game winner
• Nantes delivered a perfect first half, tying the record for most goals scored in one half to outpower Kolstad (44:27)
• the French also beat its own record for most goals scored in a EHF Champions League game and biggest victory in the competition
• thanks to Player of the Match Emil Nielsen and his 17 saves, Barça won round 4’s Match of the Week against Aalborg (35:27), in a rematch of last season’s final
• with Danijel Dujshebaev scoring seven, Kielce resumed with winning ways in Magdeburg after resisting their opponents’ comeback (27:26)

GROUP A

Veszprém HB (HUN) vs Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) 36:24 (19:11)

Five minutes were enough for Veszprém to take a break that would prove to be decisive in this game. Not taking any goal between minutes 8 and 13, the Hungarian side put its foot to the pedal. Scoring six, including two by both Nédim Rémili and Mikita Vailupau, the hosts took an early six-goals lead that put them out of trouble early (10:4). Things did not improve for Dinamo when Darko Djukic took a red card after hitting Rodrigo Corrales in the face on a seven-meters throw. Veszprém still increased their advantage, and as Ludovic Fabregas scored a last goal on the buzzer, the team in red went back to the dressing room leading by eight (19:11).

Veszprém did not slow down the rhythm after the break, as Nédim Rémili proved to be in fine form. The French right-back scored two straight goals coming back on the court to help his team take its first ten-goals advantage of the evening at the 36th minute (23:13). Still with their foot to the pedal, and despite being out of danger, the hosts still kept on pushing, increasing their lead as time went by. The maximum was reached at the 53rd minute, when Hugo Descat put the hosts 16 goals ahead. The left-winger scored five goals, just one less than his compatriot Nédim Rémili, the best scorer of the game. For Dinamo, only Haniel Langaro managed to net four times.

Füchse Berlin (GER) vs Orlen Wisla Plock (POL) 25:24 (12:12)

Despite not having taken a single point since the beginning of the group phase, the visitors did more than look at their hosts in the eye in the first half. In a very defensive game, Plock’s defence clearly took the upper hand on their opponent, as Mathias Gidsel only scored once for Füchse before the break. In fact, the first part of the game was all about goalkeepers, with Berlin’s Dejan Milosavljev stopping seven shots and Viktor Hallgrimsson almost matching his performance, with seven saves.  This level game was illustrated by the last minute of the first minute, in which Felix Langhoff netted his second personal goal before Gergo Fazekas scored the equalizer on the buzzer (12:12).

Of both teams, Plock started the second half the best. Still defensively strong but with Gergo Fazekas taking on defensive responsibilities, the Polish side took a quick two-goals advantage, the first one of the evening, and even had the ball to make it three. But Dejan Milosavljev saved it to keep his team in the game. And little by little, Füchse managed to turn the situation around. With Mathias Gidsel and Mijajlo Marsenic taking things in hand, the hosts managed to get ahead at the start of the last quarter, taking a three-goals advantage for the first time at the 48th, seconds after Dawid Dawydzik was ejected from the court. But things all came down to the last second. While Tim Cokan thought he had helped his team take its first point of the season, Jerry Tollbring ruined Wisla’s hope, scoring the game-winner just three seconds before the siren to offer the German side its third win of the season.

GROUP B

SC Magdeburg (GER) vs Industria Kielce (POL) 26:27 (15:19)

While the last two rounds had proved to be difficult for Kielce, the Polish delivered a very consistent performance in the first half. Playing much better offensively than they did earlier this season, Kielce took the best start in the game. With Artsem Karalek scoring three early goals, the 2022 EHF FINAL4 finalists were ahead by three after 17 minutes (12:9), forcing SCM to take a timeout. That short break did not give the hosts the opportunity to catch up, though, as they were still struggling to contain Daniel Dujshebaev and Theo Monar. Kielce’s left back scored four in the first half, including one right before the break, to help Kielce being in command by the half-time siren (19:15).

The time in the locker room definitely benefited Magdeburg, as the German side came back with much better defensive intentions. While Sergey Hernandez made 13 saves, his teammates came back within one many times. Powered by its Icelandic duo, Gisli Kristjansson and Omar Ingi Magnusson and their combined 13 goals, the hosts reduced the gap several times to one goal. But they were never able to tie the score and to turn the situation around. Whether it was Sandro Mestric stopping their seven-meters throws or Danijel Dujshebaev scoring goals at the end of long possessions, but never did Kielce lose the lead. And after Philipp Weber missed his last attempt, Dylan Nahi scored the game winner for the visitors, offering his team his second victory of the season.

Barça (ESP) vs Aalborg Håndbold (DEN) 35:27 (16:13)

Emil Nielsen showed no mercy to his Danish compatriots in the first minutes of the game. Making four saves on five shots in the first eight minutes, Barça’s goalkeeper helped his team take the upper hand right from throw-off. In no time, the Machineseeker EHF Champions League titleholders were already ahead by four (5:1). Once Maik Machulla took his first timeout, the finalists from last season managed to prevent the gap from getting even bigger. And if it took them a while to do it, the visitors came back within one. With Fabian Norsten finally in rhythm between the posts and Marinus Monk on scoring duties, Aalborg reduced the gap with four minutes left to play before Luis Frade and Timothey N’Guessan gave the Blaugranas a little bit more air before going back to the locker room (16:13).

But what Barça had not been able to achieve in the first half, they did immediately after coming back on the court. As Emil Nielsen picked up where he left off, his teammates put their feet to the pedal, leaving the visitors without a reaction. Within ten minutes, the titleholders were ahead by eight as Aitor Arino scored his second personal goal (25:17). Things got worse for Aalborg, as their opponents’ defence did not let them any solution. Only Munk, who scored eight, had the key, but that was not enough as Barça crossed the ten-goals advantage at the 48th minute (28:18). If last season’s finalists came back within five, it was clearly not enough to threaten Barça and Emil Nielsen, who was elected Player of the Match thanks to his 17 saves.

HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Kolstad Håndbold (NOR) 44:27 (26:11)

Missing Sander Sagosen, Torbjorn Bergerud and Goran Johannessen meant the mission in Nantes was a tough one for Kolstad even before throw-off. And the first minutes saw the hosts break away on the scoreboard. Making the most of every Kolstad’s turnovers, Nantes pushed every ball. As Aymeric scored three in the first five minutes, “Le H” was already ahead by five after eight minutes (7:2). But the French side did not stop there, even though it opened its bench widely given the course of the game. Scoring fastbreak after fastbreak, Nantes steadily increased their advantage, making it 15 goals at the break and tying the record for most goals scored in one half along the way (26:11).

While one might have thought that Nantes would rest on their laurels, Nacho Biosca made sure his partners kept pushing. With his 17 saves in total, the Spanish goalkeeper helped his teammates increase their advantage to set a new record for biggest win in the club’s history. Even though Adrian Aalberg scored eight for the visitors, that was just not enough to make any kind of comeback. And with every Nantes court-player but Matej Gaber scoring at least once, the French side set two new records tonight : most goals scored in a Champions League and biggest ever victory in a Champions League. A night to truly remember, then.