Day review 2: Nantes celebrate against Löwen, Cuenca's win sends Gorenje through

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Group A: HBC Nantes (FRA) vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) 32:25 (14:11)

Boosted by the great atmosphere in XXL Nantes Arena, Nantes got their revenge against Löwen and by winning the reverse fixture finished atop of the group. Thanks to some breathtaking Viktor Hallgrímsson's saves Nantes were the first side to gain significant lead, stretching it to 11:6 mid first half. As the Lions were struggling, only Juri Knorr seemed to find a scoring solution but stopped in the second half. The second half brought a better German game with the right back Niclas Kirkeløkke cutting Nantes' lead to one (15:16) but nothing could prepare Löwen for Aymeric Minne's show. From the 45th to 55th minute center back took every opportunity and scored seven goals for a decisive nine-goal lead. Both sides are coming into the main round with two points where they will play against TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, with four points, and Górnik Zabrze who are starting with zero. 

Huge statement win by @HBCNantes tonight over Rhein Neckar-Löwen; the French side take two more points to the main round after their 32:25 win, bravo! 🙌 #ehfel #elm #allin pic.twitter.com/g5bWSprAuJ

— EHF European League (@ehfel_official) December 5, 2023

Group H: Sporting CP (POR) vs CSM Constanta (ROU) 34:28 (21:16)

Despite losing at the end of the group phase, Constanta remained at the top of the group. Sporting had a blistering start to the game taking the most out of Constanta's mistakes. It took them only eight minutes to set an eight-goal lead. Sporting's top scorer Francisco Costa was ruthless and scored with ease. Constanta did make a small comeback near the end of the first half narrowing the gap to 16:19 but could not hold it for a longer period. After a high-scoring first half, Sporting were constantly ahead and not even Mikalai Aliokhin's eight goals could save Constanta. With this win, Sporting are joining Constanta in the next round with two points each where they will meet with Dinamo Bucuresti and Füchse Berlin. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

• Górnik Zabrze were close to winning but TSV Hannover-Burgdorf's 6-0 run in the last ten minutes turned the tide and pushed German side to the main round with four points while Zabrze will face a tough challenge with zero
• in a do-or-die match, Scout Winterthur failed to deliver; they needed a win to become the last main round participant but instead, REBI Balonmano Cuenca produced their best performance and with a 28:24 win sent Gorenje Velenje to the main round
• MSK Povazska Bystrica said their farewell to their first-ever European League season with a historic 31:27 win against Skjern Handbold with the help of Lubomir Duris who scored seven and added nine assists to his count
• with everything set already before this duel, Nexe's only goal was to finish group matches with the win and top spot in the group, which they succeeded after right wing Fahrudin Melic and left wing Manuel Strlek both scored six in a 34:30 win
• Elverum got their hands on their third win this season after beating Kadetten Schaffhausen 31:27 at home; however, it did not mean much as they were out of the main round race even ahead of this game
• the young Füchse team stepped up a gear in the second half and remained perfect after beating Izvidjac 34:23 as 21-year-old Nils Lichtlein wore the captain's armband for the first time; young Filip Odak finished Izvidjac's European season with ten goals