Gummersbach win German derby; Portuguese teams earn home victories

HC Kriens-Luzern earned a 36:29 victory against Limoges Handball and edged towards the quarter-finals, while FC Porto beat FENIX Toulouse by the same margin of seven goals, 35:28.

Another Portuguese side, Sport Lisboa e Benfica, also won at home, but in a tighter fight — 33:31 against GOG. VfL Gummerbach beat MT Melsungen 29:26 in the German derby.

The teams will meet again in one week for the reverse fixtures, with the aggregate winners progressing to the quarter-finals, joining directly qualified Montpellier, Bidasoa Irun, THW Kiel and Flensburg.

PLAY-OFFS, FIRST LEG

HC Kriens-Luzern (SUI) vs Limoges Handball (FRA) 36:29 (17:14)

Both teams had reached the knockout stage of the EHF European League Men for the first time ever — and it was Kriens-Luzern who took a step towards the quarter-finals, as a seven-goal victory in the first leg gives them a good chance to earn an aggregate win over Limoges. The French side opened scoring, but they led just once more throughout the game, at 11:10 in the 21st minute. The Swiss team were overall dominant and relied on the two top scorers of the competition in attack, as Luca Sigrist and Marin Šipic scored 11 and eight goals, respectively. Kriens-Luzern led by three goals at the break, 17:14, and opened the second half with a 4:0 run, which further increased the gap. Limoges tried to hit back, but the hosts could not be stopped as they went on to clinch one of the two biggest wins of the day.

VfL Gummersbach (GER) vs MT Melsungen (GER) 29:26 (15:13)

The all-German tie is still very open following Gummersbach's three-goal win on the home court. The hosts took early control of the game, and they pulled clear at 12:8 with 10 minutes to play in the first half. Although Melsungen made many technical errors and lost many balls, Nebojsa Simic's saves kept the visitors in the game. Gummersbach led by two goals at half-time, 15:13, but their rivals drew level at 16:16 shortly after the restart. Right back Dainis Kristopans scored seven goals, and Simic made 14 saves, yet Melsungen could not avoid a defeat. Left back Miro Schluroff netted 10 times for the home side, finishing as top scorer of the game, and Gummersbach ultimately took the victory.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) vs GOG (DEN) 33:31 (17:15)

Benfica enjoyed a perfect start to the game, opening a 4:0 lead before Frederik Tilsted scored GOG's first goal of the match in the sixth minute. However, the visitors gradually found their rhythm in attack and cut the deficit to 10:8 midway through the first half. Spurred by good defence and Belone Moreira's goals, the Portuguese side then had a 4:1 run to pull clear at 14:9, yet GOG bounced back and enjoyed a 4:0 partial to reduce the gap again. GOG still trailed by two goals at the break, but drew level soon after the restart and then went in front for the first time in the 36th minute, 21:20. The Danish team were dominant in the next 10 minutes, yet Benfica turned the tide again, as a 4:0 run between minutes 44 and 52 handed them a 29:26 lead, and they went on to win by two goals.

FC Porto (POR) vs FENIX Toulouse (FRA) 35:28 (16:16)

Goals from Bakary Diallo and Erwin Feuchtmann lifted Toulouse to a 5:2 lead early in the game before Porto enjoyed a 8:1 run to take the initiative. With 10 minutes to play in the opening half, the home side were in front 13:9, but Toulouse had a good spell before the break, and Feuchtmann drew level just four seconds before the half-time buzzer. The game was still close early in the second half, but after the 40th minute, the Portuguese team had more energy left and they started to pull clear. Left back Pedro Veitia was the top scorer of the match with eight goals, as his team ultimately won by seven, giving Toulouse a difficult task as they aim to take revenge in the second leg on 1 April.