Viborg take Sävehof and three points with them to the main round
Viborg take Sävehof and three points with them to the main round
Viborg HK closed Women’s EHF Champions League Group C on a winning note, and ensured IK Sävehof will join them in the main round, following a 29:24 victory against HC Lokomotiva Zagreb on Sunday.
The Danish club secured second spot in the group, eliminating their opponents and confirming Sävehof’s passage to the next stage, regardless of the result of their game against group winners Györi Audi ETO KC, later on Sunday.
Viborg HK (DEN) vs HC Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) 29:24 (11:12)
It took Viborg 30 minutes to find the necessary solutions against Lokomotiva's flexible defence in Viborg Stadionhal on Sunday afternoon.
However, in the second half, the Danish champions left no doubt about the outcome, sending the Croatian Champions League debutants out of the competition.
As expected, Viborg were missing their Serbian left back Sanja Damnjanovic due to a knee problem, and the injury-hit Danish champions only had 11 players available, but in the end, this proved to be enough.
From the start, Lokomotiva had success with an aggressive defence, switching between a 5-1 formation with Katarina Jezic pushing forward in the middle, and a 5-1 formation where Sanja Rajovic would press on from the right side.
Those changing defensive formations forced the home team into a host of technical mistakes, which were key to the visitors’ ability to control the first 30 minutes.
Lokomotiva started by taking a 2:0 lead, and held a slender advantage for the rest of the first half, in front by a solitary goal at the halfway stage.
However, Viborg appeared to have spent the break trying to find solutions to the visitors' defence, as well as strengthening their own rearguard, with a tougher, more aggressive approach.
These factors allowed the hosts to seize the initiative, and four minutes and 15 seconds into the second half, veteran Rikke Skov gave Viborg their first lead in the match at 14:13.
From that point on, the home team did not look back, and as Lokomotiva failed to maintain their pace from the first half, Viborg were able to increase their lead to six goals, which was enough to see them over the line, to the delight of their coach Christian Dalmose.
Dalmose said: “It is amazing what we have achieved with so few players.
“Everyone fought and worked well, and considering the fact that many of our players have never played in the Champions League before, we can only be content by taking three points with us to the main round.”
