Nykøbing claim last ticket to Graz
Nykøbing Falster Håndbold are the fourth and final participants at the EHF Finals Women 2023 after beating SCM Ramnicu Valcea, 38:29, in their reverse quarter-final fixture of the EHF European League Women 2022/23.
The Romanian side came to Denmark with a three-goal lead, but they were left powerless in the second half as Nykøbing stretched their lead with every passing minute to seal a six-goal aggregate victory.
QUARTER-FINAL, SECOND LEG
Nykøbing Falster Håndbold (DEN) vs SCM Ramnicu Valcea (ROU) 38:29 (17:14)
Nykøbing Falster Håndbold won 67:61 on aggregate
Nykøbing performed strongly in defence from the first whistle and took an early lead in the game (6:2). After some initial problems, Ramnicu Valcea finally found a solution in the attack, as Iryna Glibko and Jovana Kovacevic led the way to a level score midway through the first half (8:8). The pace remained the same until the last moments of the first half, as Nykøbing took advantage of their opponents' mistakes.
The home side thoroughly dominated the second half, leaving Valcea helpless. Cecilie Greve ended the match with eight saves at a 40 per cent efficiency, which was 60 per cent at its highest point. Again, only Glibko and Kovacevic were able to break the pattern after seven minutes without a goal, the duo scoring 19 out of 29 Valcea's goals. Nykøbing reached a double-figure lead in the 40th minute with a goal from their top scorer Elma Halilcevic, who scored a total of nine goals.
The draw for the semi-final pairings of the EHF Finals Women will be drawn on Tuesday 28 March at 4pm in Graz, Austria.
We played really good. Our defence was great and we played well in the attack. The final tournament is going to be a big thing for the team.
They play very effectively, and we didn't find our usual level. It is as it is, and it is my responsibility as coach.
