Bidasoa only home winners in group D

GROUP D

HC Motor (UKR) vs. Füchse Berlin (GER) 27:38 (10:19)

Two-time EHF Cup winners Füchse Berlin started their campaign successfully with a clear victory in their first ever meeting with Motor. Funnily enough, former Motor goalkeeper Viktor Kireev was Berlin’s hero with 16 saves – besides Montenegrin wing Milos Vujovic, who scored nine goals, as did Ihor Turchenko, who netted the same number for Motor. With the score 15:7, Berlin had full control of the match, but the Ukrainian champions, who play their home matches in Düsseldorf, never gave up and showed great morale. At the 19:10 half-time score, the winners were not in question anymore, the only negative moment for Berlin was the injury to young line player Maxim Orlov.

Jaron Siewert, Füchse Berlin coach: I am happy that a Ukrainian team can take part in this competition, they gave all tonight.

HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs. Skanderborg-Aarhus (DEN) 27:30 (12:16)

Danish coach Lars Walther did not take any points in his first European League match with his new club Pelister Eurofarm against his countrymen, European Cup debutants Skanderborg-Aarhus. The major keys for turning a 5:8 deficit into a 16:12 half-time lead for the visitors were goalkeeper Salah Boutaf, who saved 9 of 21 shots in the first 30 minutes, and Faroese striker Hakun West Av Teigum, who scored seven of his 11 goals before the break. But in the second half, the newly formed Bitola-based team struck back and managed to reduce the gap from 20:25 to 26:27 in minute 55 thanks to an improved defensive performance. Finally, a 3:0 run for 30:26 decided the most thrilling match of group D tonight. Sebastian Henneberg and Oussama Hosny were Eurofarm’s best strikers with five goals each.

Nick Rasmunssen, Skandeborg Aarhus coach: Fantastic match for our team. We started very bad, but after that our reaction was perfect and we played a perfect match.

Bidasoa Irun (ESP) vs. Aguas Santas Milaneza (POR) 35:26 (16:13)

From the 6:3 in minute 13, Bidasoa Irun were constantly ahead in a one-sided encounter. A strong period from David Garcia Rivera paved the way for Irun’s first clear advantage at 12:7. And when experienced line player Julen Aguinagalde netted to make it 22:16 in minute 36, the hosts were on the way to victory against the group phase debutants. In minute 54, Irun extended the gap to ten goals for the first time at 33:23 in their first ever match against Aguas Santas Milaneza. Garcia, Azier Nieto and Inaki Cavero netted six times each for the victory, Joao Pedro Vinhas scored five times for the Portuguese side.

Jacobo Cuétara, Bidasoa Irun coach: It is very important to start this phase with two points, we played against a great team that we like very much, very well worked and that plays very well as a team.