QUARTER-FINALS, SECOND LEG
First leg result: 36:35; Brest won 72:65 on aggregate
H2H: 2-0-0
Top scorers: Anna Vyakhireva 8/10 (Brest Bretagne Handball); Danila So Delgado 9/14 (Gloria Bistrita)
- Brest will play in the EHF FINAL4 for the second time in history, after finishing as runners-up in 2021
- led by Danila So Delgado, Bistrita were ahead for much of the first half, with their advantage reaching three goals at 11:8 and 12:9, respectively
- however, a string of saves by Floriane André helped Brest end the first half with a strong 5:1 surge, securing a narrow lead at the break
- in the second half, the French side fully took control of the game, scoring 22 times and cruising to a six-goal victory
- So Delgado, who ranks second in the tournament's scoring chart, increased her tally to 121 goals, but just like top scorer Henny Reistad from Esbjerg, she will not continue in the competition
- Brest will find out their semi-final opponents during the draw for the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 2026 on Monday 27 April, at 15:00 CEST, live on the Home of Handball YouTube channel and EHFTV
Offence was key for the French side
Before this match, Brest boasted the most efficient attack in the tournament, scoring 34.1 goals per game on average. In both encounters against Bistrita, they actually surpassed this number to score 36 goals each time, which helped them secure qualification for the final weekend.
The start of the second-leg match did not look very promising in this regard, as the French club netted just nine times in 20 minutes. However, they began to show their true firepower as the match progressed, while Bistrita started to lose their rhythm. Anna Vyakhireva led by example, scoring both from open play and the seven-metre line, while Méline Nocandy, Ana Gros and Onacia Ondono also did fantastic jobs on the court.
Bistrita failed to follow CSMs example to become the second Romanian side at the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 2026, but they should also be credited for their performance. Carlos Viver's team wrote history, reaching the quarter-finals in only their second season in the top flight, so they should be proud of their campaign.
I’m really happy. Personally, it’s still a bit hard to fully realise what just happened. It was a very good match tonight, with an amazing atmosphere. Honestly, it was a great night. We brought a lot of aggression and intensity, especially in defence.
Congratulations to Brest. They had a fantastic second half and were clearly the better team after the break. Defensively, they were very strong and made things really difficult for us. I also want to congratulate my team, we’ve had a great season overall and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved.
