Turchenko steers Motor to the Last 16

GROUP D

Aguas Santas Milaneza (POR) vs Füchse Berlin (GER) 23:29 (10:17)

Füchse Berlin finished the group phase, like they had started it: victorious. In the third season of the EHF European League, Berlin were the first side ever to win all ten group matches. Previously, SC Magdeburg (2020/21 and 2021/22) and Wisla Plock (2021/22) held the record with nine victories from ten matches. Host Aguas Santas remain on four points and had already been eliminated from the Last 16 before. Berlin had a flying 11:5 start, then were decisively ahead by seven goals at the break and were never endangered. Best scorers were Fabian Wiede and Milos Vujovic with each five goals for Berlin and Joao Pedro Morais with four for Aguas Santas. Berlin will face Danish side Skjern in the Last 16.

Bidasoa Irun (ESP) vs Skanderborg-Aarhus (DEN) 29:26 (16:12)

After three straight group phase defeats, Bidasoa Irun returned to winning ways, and confirmed their third position in the group and took revenge for the 38:27 defeat in the first duel. The match had been without relevance for the visitors, as they had already secured the second position and will face Granollers from Spain. Ten years, after becoming world champion on home ground, line player veteran Julen Aguinagalde was the key to success for the Spanish side, netting an overall of six goals. Boosted by ten saves of their goalkeeper Jakub Skrzyniarz, Irun pulled ahead to 11:6, but Skanderborg-Aarhus hit back, levelled the result at 18:18, but did not manage to get ahead. A 5:1 run for the 23:19 finally was the key for Irun’s fourth group phase victory. Jonathan Mollerup was best scorer of the hosts by six strikes and finished the group phase on 48 goals. Irun will come up against Sporting CP in the Last 16.

HC Eurofarm Pelister (MKD) vs HC Motor (UKR) 25:27 (13:15)

Even the support of a huge crowd in their famous arena in Bitola could not help HC Eurofarm Pelister to clinch their berth for the Last 16. The downswing continued for the team of Lars Walther who did not win any match since 29 November, when they had taken the 33:30 away victory in Düsseldorf against Motor. In contrast and after taking only one point from the first five group matches, HC Motor improved brilliantly in the “second half” of the group phase and took two victories in their last two matches to book their ticket for the knock-out stage - now they will face group C winners Nexe. It was a real thriller, decided only in the last two minutes. Five seconds before the end, Zakhar Denysov made the Ukrainian champions jump for joy, securing the two points with the last strike. A draw would have been enough for the hosts, who had levelled the result for the last time at 19:19 in minute 41. But Motor’s advance had never been bigger than two goals in the last ten minutes. Again Ihor Turchenko was Motor’s best scorer with seven goals and became top scorer of the group phase with incredible 85 goals in ten matches.