SLAGELSE GET "EASY" RIVAL

The European women’s handball champion,Danish Slagelse managed to get an "easy" rival for the quarter-finalsafter beating the Macedonian rival Kometal GP by 26-22. The last round match ingroup C determined which team will play against the Spanish side of AstrocSagunto and avoid the Slovenian Krim Mercator, which is incidentally the onlyteam left unbeaten in the Champions League. Slagelse needed to win to securethe first place in the group, and Kometal GP "run" for one point.

The first 15 minutes showedgood defense work by the guest team, and Slagelse couldn't find a way toBorisineko's goal. Kometal GP lead 2-3, 3-5 and 5-6. Then situations changeddramatically. Slagelse utilized all chances they had and managed a 6-1 series.Kometal GP did not score for 9 minutes, making many technical mistakes andplaying poorly in defense. Bojana Popovic and Carmen Lungu scored from allpositions and in 24 minutes Slagelse led by 11-6. The Slovenian Tone Tiselj,coach of Krim Mercator was in the stands watching the match live.

The Serbian national player Bojana Popovic scored 9 goals, and theRomanian Lungu five. On the Kometal GP side Olga Buyanova scored 9 goals from18 attempts, and Olena Tsygitsa six goals.

Legangerand Schmidt saved more goals than Kometal GP scored

Slagelse's goalkeepers Cecille Legangerand Rikke Schmidt were a "nightmare" for the guest players. Bothsaved a total of 23 balls more than Kometal GP scored in the game including twopenalties. The Norwegian Leganger saved 10 balls in the first half, right in aperiod when Kometal GP failed to score for 9 minutes. Her good work continuedin the second half, but Kometal GP manged to climb back to 16-13.

Then her teammate Rikke Schmidt took over and continued in the samestyle Slagelse played with a player down due to 2 min. suspensions. A series ofgood defense allowed to Slagelse to increase their lead to 21-15. When KometalGP came back to 23-21, Leganger again showed her skill. In the first game inSkopje, Leganger saved 14 balls, and Schmidt just two.

AnjaAndersen spent one half in hospital

Slagelse coach Anja Andersen spent morethan 30 minutes in hospital for a medical check after she complained of pain inher heart. 4:30 min. into the match - while giving advice to her players,Andersen fell to the ground, and held her hand on the left side of her chest.

The game was interrupted for a fewminutes, and Andersen was sent out on a stretcher. She was back in hall for thelast 30 minutes, but stayed quiet on the bench. Her assistant Brian Lyndholmcontinued to lead the team, and successfully managed to reverse the result andretain a 2-3 goals lead. “Temper“ Anderson stayed on the bench and got up justa few times to give advice to Lyndholm and to bully with referees.

Text: Goran Antevski