Györ survive the MOTW to progress to EHF FINAL4

QUARTER-FINALS

MOTW: Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Vipers Kristiansand 24:26 (15:17)
Györi Audi ETO KC win 54:49 on aggregate

• a masterclass from goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, who had 17 saves and a 71 per cent saving efficiency after 42 minutes, brought Vipers back into the discussion for a berth in the EHF FINAL4, as the reigning champions led by five goals, 21:16
• however, Györ made the most out of their 30:23 win in the first leg, controlling the gap in the second half, despite having a low shooting efficiency of only 48 per cent
• Vipers are the first reigning champions to fail to make it to the EHF FINAL4 since Györ, who won the title back in the 2013/14 season and then missed out on the next final tournament ending up eliminated by Vardar in the next season's quarter-finals
• Hungarians lost their second home match of the season which happened for the first time since the 2008/09 season when they finished as runners-up
• former Györ right winger Jana Knedlikova, who won the EHF Champions League Women in the last six editions, was Vipers’ top scorer, with seven goals, while right back Anna Vyakhireva added six goals to take her overall tally to 113 goals this season

Bittersweet win for Vipers

Györ’s line player Kari Brattset Dale told eurohandball.com earlier this week that this season has been a “roller-coaster” for her side and this match only hardened that stance, with the Hungarian powerhouse failing to replicate their flawless performance from the first leg, when they won by seven goals, 30:23.

That win surely made Györ lose some focus, as Vipers threw off the Match of the Week with a 4:0 unanswered run, which surely made Györ’s coach Per Johansson scratch his head, as Vipers are by no means a team which should be left in that position, no matter their woes throughout this season, in which they lost nine EHF CLW matches. 

The second home loss of the season for Györi Audi ETO KC is yet another warning sign for the Hungarian powerhouse before the EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, as they were once again challenged by a side which had nothing to lose and their attacking form is definitely one to watch.

As for Vipers, a challenging season both on and off the court ended with a bittersweet win, as their three-season domination is over. Yet with that grit and determination, the next season cannot come early enough, with the Norwegian powerhouse ready to prove that they still belong among the best.