SUMMARY: Storhamar join Gloria in fight for the title

• Gloria secure their place in the final after a 37:26 win against Braila
• Storhamar Handball Elite reach the final for the first time after their 28:27 victory over Neptunes Nantes
• read the semi-finals preview ahead of the matches on Saturday and find out how you can follow the EHF Finals Women 2024
• matches are live on EHFTV (geo-restrictions may apply)
• last tickets are available here
• photos copyright Kolektiff Images
• Iulia Burnei reporting live from Graz

SATURDAY 11 MAY

21:04

That's all from us today! We've had plenty of action in today's semi-finals, but we expect even more on Sunday! We'll return tomorrow at 12:00 CEST with the live coverage of the build-up, the placement match and the final. Enjoy your night!

20:49

The feeling of reaching the final of the EHF European League Women 2023/24!

20:10

The players and coaches from the second semi-final joined the press conference to talk about the match.

19:58

Storhamar kept their cool in the last minutes and turned the match around to secure a spot in the final. Read what our EHF journalist Danijela Vekić has to say about the second semi-final.

19:30 | FULL TIME

STORHAMAR HANDBALL ELITE VS NEPTUNES NANTES 28:27 (12:16)

Not a match for the faint-hearted! Neptunes Nantes were in control until the last 10 minutes of the game, when a series of mistakes on their side helped Storhamar level the game to 27:27, then lead the match for the first time at 28:27 and secure their spot in the final!

19:26

The tension is palpable, with two minutes to go and two teams ready to give their all in these final moments. Wait! Neptunes lost the ball, which gave Storhamar the opportunity to get the score to 27:27!

19:22

In the stands, however, we're witnessing an interesting moment between Storhamar and Gloria's fans, as the two groups have now merged and cheer together. Proof that handball brings people closer!

19:21

Time out for Neptunes, as the Norwegians have gotten dangerously close (26:25). Only five minutes until the end of the match, can Storhamar win this match?

19:17

There's been a few minutes with no goal on either side, but Storhamar managed to break the rhythm and scored twice in a row. It's only a one-goal difference now and the game is officially back on, with seven minutes left!

19:10

Kenneth Gabrielsen calls for a time-out, as his team really struggles to get closer to the French. Storhamar needs to find solutions as soon as possible if they want to keep the hopes for the trophy alive.

19:07

Neptunes' players take their turns at scoring and here's a wonderful shot from Helene Fauske. On the Norwegian side, Anniken Obaidli is a key player in attack, having added seven more goals to her tally so far.

The current score is 25:21 for the French, 15 minutes into the second half.

18:59

It's 19:16 for Neptunes Nantes and Storhamar had the opportunity to reduce the gap to two but missed it. Another penalty throw from Tamara Horacek and the French get the score to 20:16.

18:50

Teams are back on the court and the match is about to restart. Who'll celebrate reaching the final after this half?

18:43

Both teams rely on strong squads and gifted players, but Neptunes Nantes' experience in the EHF Finals have probably helped them stay more focused. 

Meanwhile, in the arena, a few fans are enjoying some games prepared by the organizers and partners.

18:38 | HALF TIME

STORHAMAR HANDBALL ELITE VS NEPTUNES NANTES 12:16

A last-second penalty throw by Tamara Horacek helped Neptunes Nantes go into the second half with a four-goal lead. Floriane Andre has also been a great help for her team, saving five shots in crucial moments.

18:29

Less than 10 minutes left on the clock until the break and it seems like Neptunes Nantes have the upper hand so far. A more organized attack with fewer mistakes has taken them to a three-goal advantage (11:8). Marie Sajka is the best scorer of the French side at the moment with three goals.

18:21

Current top scorer Anniken Obaidli has netted three times already, out of the five goals scored by Storhamar. On their opponent's side, more teamwork is noticeable, as seven different players have scored eight goals in the first 17 minutes. 8:5 for the French for now, with Storhamar having possession.

18:13

Neptunes Nantes have started the semi-final in the best way possible! They're leading 6:4 at the moment.

18:08

Eight minutes in and both teams seem motivated. After getting to 2:2 at the beginning of the game, Neptunes managed to get the score to 4:2 after some mistakes on the Norwegian side. Storhamar lost the ball again and the French had the attack for a chance to distance themselves to three goals.

18:00

The semi-final between Storhamar and Neptunes Nantes throws off, with Storhamar starting the attack

17:48

Storhamar and Nantes have finished their warm-up and went to the dressing room to change. The Norwegian and French fans have also brought good energy to the arena and don't stop cheering.

17:35

As we're preparing for the next confrontation, here's what the players and coaches from the first semi-final had to say at the press conference.

17:15

The players from the second semi-final have entered on court and started their warm-up. Some Neptunes Nantes' fans have already arrived and are cheering, but we're still waiting for fans to arrive with 45 minutes left until the next match.

17:05

16:57

The review of the first semi-final is here!

16:30 | FULL TIME

CS GLORIA 2018 BN VS HC DUNAREA BRAILA 37:26 (20:14)

Gloria are the first finalists in this year's edition of the EHF Finals Women, after dominating the semi-final from start to finish. The players are now hugging and celebrating with the fans, hoping to write history together for the club. Cristina Laslo's nine goals today helped her reach 50 goals overall, the same as the current top scorer Anniken Obaidli.

16:25

Just four minutes until the end of this semi-final and the fans have kept their energy levels high. Both Gloria and Braila's fans are still cheering, even though the winner of this confrontation is already settled. 34:24 at the moment.

16:19

Katarina Jezic and Kristina Liscevic have scored more than half of Braila's goals combined, but unfortunately that hasn't been enough. It seems just a matter of time until Gloria can celebrate reaching the final, as it's not likely that Braila can recover from being 12 goals down (32:20), with 10 minutes left on the clock.

16:13

And it's the third time-out for Braila, second in this half. Jan Leslie is trying to give his squad directions to get past Gloria's defense. 15 minutes left and it's 29:19.

16:10

Gloria's strategy is definitely working as expected today. The players seem focused and score every time they get the chance. Here's proof of their attacking power.

16:02

We're seven minutes in and the situation hasn't changed much. Cristina Laslo is on fire and leads Gloria's attack with seven goals, as Braila are still trying to catch up. The score is currently 24:18, with Gloria in attack hoping to get the difference to seven.

15:52

Second half is starting right now. In 30 minutes we'll get to find out the first finalist of the EHF Finals Women 2024!

15:48

The support of the fans in Raiffeisen Sportpark Graz can't be overlooked! The question is — can the fans help Braila recover in the second part of the match? We'll just have to wait and see.

15:38 | HALF TIME

CS GLORIA 2018 BN VS HC DUNAREA BRAILA 20:14

Not exactly the way Braila wanted to start the match. A few mistakes from their side gave Bistrita the opportunity to increase the advantage midway through the first half and go into the break six goals ahead.

15:33

Jan Leslie's squad needs to find solutions fast, as their Romanian opponents have increased the difference to six. Renata De Arruda stands out with nine saves so far for Gloria and 42.11 per cent efficiency. Just three minutes left in this first half.

15:27

Time-out for Braila, as Gloria have just gotten the score to 13:10. Eight minutes left until half-time and Cristina Laslo and Katarina Jezic are top scorers for their teams, with 5 and 4 goals, respectively.

15:21

Braila still manage to stay close to Gloria, but haven't yet managed to reduce that two-goal gap. The score is 10:8 at the moment for Gloria, who just missed an opportunity to distance themselves to three goals.

15:12

It's a fast-paced game so far from both sides. Braila have missed some opportunities to score, also due to some blocks by Renata De Arruda. Cristina Laslo has just scored her third goal in the match, from a penalty throw, taking Gloria to a two-goal advantage (7:5).

15:05

Braila lost the ball twice at the beginning of the game, which gave Gloria the opportunity to reach 2:0 quickly, the second goal coming from Cristina Laslo's superb steal. It's 3:2 at the moment for Florentin Pera's squad, five minutes into the match.

15:00

The first semi-final is underway! Braila have first possession.

14:50

10 minutes to go and the fans are clearly enjoying the last moments before the game! They're singing, dancing and chanting the teams' names. Truly a wonderful atmosphere ahead of the first semi-final.

The players get ready to enter the arena for the opening ceremony.

14:40

Fans are slowly occupying their seats and the arena is filled with a great atmosphere. If you don't believe us, maybe these photos will convince you!

14:25

As we’re waiting for all the fans to arrive at the arena, let’s see what we can expect later this afternoon, in the second semi-final.

The Norwegians from Storhamar Handball Elite have reached their first semi-final in their European history. Last year, they were eliminated in the knockout phase of the EHF Champions League, but they’ve certainly learnt valuable lessons of performing under pressure.

Their opponents are also familiar with the expectations of matches at a high level, as the French won the title three years ago. They had to get past another Norwegian team in the quarter-finals, Sola HK, and they’ll give their all to replicate the success from before.

14:05

The countdown to the first semi-final has officially begun, with less than one hour left until the Romanian derby between CS Gloria 2018 BN and HC Dunarea Braila.

The opponents know each other very well, as they have met in domestic matches before. However, this is the first time they fight in an EHF club competition, so anything can happen when the stakes are higher. 

If you're wondering whether there's a clear favorite — it's difficult to say. This season, Gloria have managed to win every encounter with Braila, except for their match in the Romanian Cup at the end of April, which Jan Leslie's squad won 36:35 after overtime.

We'll just have to wait and see. Will Gloria keep their unbeaten streak in the EHF European League? Or will Braila get to their first final in the second-tier competition? One thing is certain — a Romanian team will be present in the final.

13:43

We are back with the live blog right from Raiffeisen Sportpark Graz. It's quiet at the moment in the arena, as the seats are still empty and the last rehearsals take place. Some players have also entered for a quick warm-up.

However, outside you can already feel a festive energy, as the fans have started to arrive and stopped for a drink before the matches. The Romanian fans truly stood out, as they have come fully equipped with t-shirts and scarves with their favorite teams.

12:50

We'll soon be heading to the arena and we'll resume the live coverage from there. Until then, take a look at the power rankings of the four finalists and find out the strengths of each participant. Who's most likely to lift the trophy on Sunday?

12:35

Our EHF journalist Danijela Vekić got the chance to speak to Neptunes Nantes' head coach Helle Thomsen, who will leave the club at the end of the season. The French not only hope to add another trophy to their collection, but also want to give Thomson a nice farewell gift.

Read what the Danish coach has to say about her team and the expectations that come from leading the more experienced squad at the EHF Finals Women 2024.

12:15

Fans are at the heart of handball and we expect a full arena this weekend! The players from all four remaining teams have a special message for you.

12:00

Welcome back everyone! It's a beautiful and sunny day here in Graz, but the tension is quickly building as we're just a few hours away from the first whistle.

A quick recap of today's schedule:

• 15:00 CEST: first semi-final between the unbeaten CS Gloria 2018 BN and their domestic rivals HC Dunarea Braila
• 18:00 CEST: second semi-final between last year's EHF Champions League participants Storhamar Handball Elite and the winners of the inaugural EHF Finals Women 2021 Neptunes Nantes

We'll give you all the latest updates here, but make sure to also check our social media pages ( Facebook , Instagram , X ) to get exclusive content.