Montpellier win group A clash to take the lead

GROUP A

Montpellier HB (FRA) vs Frisch Auf Göppingen (GER) 35:27 (20:13)

While both teams held each other on the scoreboard for the first 10 minutes, Montpellier put their foot to the floor afterwards, never to be seen again. From 8:8 at the 13th minute, the score became 20:13 at the break, with Rémi Desbonnet making a statement between the hosts' posts. The momentum did not escape the French side in the second half, as their advantage grew to 13 goals at the 48th minute. After this win, Montpellier are now the only leaders in the group.

The stat: 10 saves might not be the performance of the season, but stopping 42 per cent of the shots aimed at him, Rémi Desbonnet clearly made the difference for Montpellier. While the French side was able to count on Charles Bolzinger in the previous games to stop the shots, this time, the former Nantes goalkeeper was clearly the man of the match for MHB.

TATRAN Presov (SVK) vs Kadetten Schaffhausen (SWI) 31:37 (14:18)

It took Schaffhausen 15 minutes to get into a rhythm. After a round of observation, the visitors, led by Joan Canellas, broke away on the scoreboard to take up to a six-goal advantage in the first half. Presov were still in the game at the half, trailing by four, but Kadetten's Odinn Thor Rikhardsson moved into second gear, helping his team retain the lead. Scoring nine, the Icelandic right wing was the man of the game for Kadetten, while Oliver Rabek netted eight times for Presov. The hosts were never able to reduce their deficit and conceded their third defeat of the season.

SL Benfica (POR) vs Fejer BAL Veszprem (HUN)

Veszprem were maybe closer than ever to taking their first points in the European League, but the Hungarian side failed on a few details in Porto. The gap was never bigger than six goals between the two sides, and 15 minutes before the final siren, the visitors were still only down by two. But Petar Djordjic and Demis Grigoras, both scoring seven, displayed all their experience after the break, helping their team to take an advantage big enough to secure the win before entering the last five minutes.