TATRAN Presov first to book EHF European Cup Last 16 place

• BSV Bern marked their comeback to European club competition with a 33:29 first leg win against FTC-Green Collect, while RK Metaloplastika Elixir Sabac celebrated a 31:29 win in the first leg against BK-46 on their return in the European fold
• FH Hafnarfjordur, CS Minaur Baia Mare, CS Steaua Bucuresti, RK Sloboda and RK Vogošca recorded dominant home wins in the first legs against Sezoens Achilles Bocholt, HC Dinamo Pancevo, HC Linz AG, Spor Toto SK and SKKP Handball Brno, respectively 
• Olympiacos SFP grasped a dramatic last-second win (27:26) against MRK Trogir on the trip to Croatia. Ivan Sliskovic scored the winner, and the left back was also the match’s top scorer
• Austrian sides Bregenz Handball and Förthof UHK Krems both secured home wins in the first legs against Runar Sandefjord and IBV Vestmannaeyjar, respectively
• MRK Krka beat HC Vise BM 31:27 away ahead of next week’s home second leg. Young goalkeeper Žan Rauh had an excellent performance for the visitors, making 14 saves (34.2 per cent)
• last season's quarter-finalists HCB Karvina travel back to Slovakia with a one-goal lead after a 28:27 away win against Rukometni Klub Leotar in the first leg in Trebinje. The visitors' left back, Dominik Solak, put in an impressive performance by scoring nine goals

Icelanders freeze HC Motor's unbeaten record

Valur's second half comeback ended HC Motor’s 12-match winning run in the European Cup and the Ukrainian Superleague, winning 35:31 in Michalovce. Even though the Ukrainian club held a four-goal lead at one point in the first half, the visitors successfully mounted a comeback after the break. The talented playmaker Benedikt Gunnar Óskarsson scored eight of his 11 goals for the visitors in the second half, which proved crucial to secure a win ahead of the return leg next week. Valur are undefeated in the EHF European Cup Men this season with five wins from five matches across the opening three rounds of the competition.

Main photo © VZ