Dijon record big win in Zagreb in first leg of quarter-finals

QUARTER-FINALS, LEG 1

HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) vs JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball (FRA) 20:30 (9:16)

Top scorers: Paula Posavec 10/11 (HC Lokomotiva Zagreb); Stine Lønborg Nørklit 13/14 (JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball)

• in a low-scoring first half, Dijon dominated from start to finish, taking their biggest advantage (+7) at the half-time break
• Paula Posavec scored five goals in the first half, while no other Zagreb player found the back of the net more than once
• Manuella Dos Reis made 11 saves and had a save efficiency of 55 per cent in the first half, finishing the match with 16 saves overall (45.7 per cent), while Antonija Mamic made 11 saves for the hosts
• the game was a lively one with 12 two-minute suspensions, six for each team
• Zagreb have not won on home court across four matches between the group phase and the quarter-finals

Dijon's steady hands and experience prove crucial in Zagreb

With the last year's bronze medallists boasting more experience of playing high-profile matches over the past year or so, Clement Alcacer's squad made full use of Zagreb's 14 misses and eight technical errors in the first half. Top scorer Stine Lønborg Nørklit orchestrated Dijon's attack and also, Nina Dury and Maureen Gayet showed steady hands to score two goals each, as their team's focus was on a much higher level than their opponents.

Zagreb's second half attempts to try and get back into the match were in vain. Dijon stayed focused to extend their advantage and take a helpful 10-goal lead into the second leg of the quarter-finals next week in France.

Photos © Antonio Mrkoci