Dortmund and Siófok secure quarter-final places

GROUP A
Molde Elite (NOR) vs BV Borussia 09 Dortmund (GER) 24:32 (8:17)

Borussia Dortmund again scored more than 30 goals as they beat Molde and secured a place in the quarter-finals. After a 2:0 opening by the home team, Dortmund caught up and the two sides were level until the 16th minute. Dortmund then enjoyed a 9:0 run, a gap that was decisive for the final result, as Molde did not score during the rest of the first half.

11 out of 12 court players netted for the German side in the match, with Dana Bleckmann leading the way with eight goals. Molde had a strong second half but could not make a shift and had to accept their fifth defeat in the competition. Mathilde Berner Rømer made 11 saves and was Molde's brightest player in the match.

Siófok KC (HUN) vs ES Besancon Feminin (FRA) 20:18 (12:9)

Both teams scored the fewest goals in their history in the EHF European League, but Siófok ultimately secured their quarter-final spot – leaving Besancon disappointed. Siófok were in front in the first half, mostly after a good performance by Marina Rajcic between the posts. Rajcic had a 40 per cent save efficiency in the first half, and while Besancon had problems in attack, Nikoletta Papp and Dejana Milosavljevic were impeccable for Siófok.

Besancon trailed for most of the match, but when Kiara Tshimanga netted to equalise at 16:16 midway through the second half, it gave another exciting boost to the game. Camille Aoustin, an important player for Besancon, received a direct red card one minute before the final whistle, and Milosavljevic converted the resulting penalty to give Siófok a 20:18 win.

GROUP C
Nykøbing Falster Håndbold (DEN) vs DVSC Schaeffler (HUN) 34:22 (14:10)

Nykøbing Falster kept their quarter-final dream alive after taking revenge over DVSC Schaeffler for a narrow defeat in the first round of the group phase. Goalkeeper Cecilie Greve had an out-of-this-world performance between the posts with 17 saves at a 49 per cent save rate. When a goalkeeper has those statistics, it is almost impossible for the team to lose.

Nykøbing started strongly and took a five-goal lead midway through the first half. In the first 10 minutes of the second half, everything fell apart for the Hungarian side when Nikita Van der Vliet and Elma Halilcevic gave the home team their first double-digit lead. Gréta Kácsor once again shone for her team and had an eight-goal outing.

GROUP D
SCM Ramnicu Valcea (ROU) vs Paris 92 (FRA) 30:28 (12:12)

SCM Ramnicu Valcea leapfrogged Paris 92 in the group standings after celebrating their second win in group D. Valeca were the first side to gain the lead, but Paris 92 soon found their way through the opponents' defence before grabbing an equaliser in the 10th minute, 4:4. However, Iryna Glibko netted two straight goals and helped the Romanian side gain a significant three-goal lead, 9:6, in the 19th minute.

Déborah Lassource shone for the French side and ensured that the team bounced back into the game. As Paris 92's lack of shooting efficiency left them goalless in the opening minutes of the second half, Asma's Elghaoui's steal put Valcea in front by two. Valcea maintained a two-goal lead until the final whistle, despite all of the French side's good efforts, particularly from their goalkeepers, as Glibko and Elghaoui delivered once again.

Photos ©: @imageplusro – ImagePlus (Valcea), Jon Forberg (Molde), Nykøbing Falster Håndbold and Siófok KC