Dramatic finish sees Krim and Vipers share spoils

• CSM Bucuresti were handed another heavy blow, conceding their third loss in four matches, in spite of Cristina Neagu’s eight goals, as the Romanian side fell to Brest, who were led by Alicia Toublanc and Valeriia Maslova with seven goals each
• DVSC Schaeffler secured their largest-ever win in the European premium competition, 27:22, against Buducnost, and improved their chances of progression to the next phase of the EHF Champions League Women
• Riding a 10-goal performance from centre back, Stine Bredal Oftedal, Györ secured their 210th win in the EHF Champions League Women, as well as starting a season in the competition with five wins for the seventh time in history
• The Player of the Match of the Week, Jovanka Radicevic, scored six goals for Krim against Vipers, to improve her overall tally in the EHF Champions League Women to 1090 goals, as the most balanced match of the round ended in a stalemate, 24:24
• Ikast Handbold scored the most goals in an EHF Champions League Women's match, 41, beating the previous record set against Viborg HK in January 2017

GROUP A

CSM Bucuresti (ROU) vs Brest Bretagne Handball (FRA) 28:30 (16:17)

The previous two matches between CSM and Brest played in Bucharest ended with one win for the French side, 30:29, and one draw, 29:29. This time around, the score was more of less the same, as Brest delivered one of their best performances of the season, to take a 30:28 win and pile the pressure on CSM. The Romanian side has lost three of their last four matches and have dropped down to fourth place. While nothing is lost for CSM, they will surely need to go back to the drawing board, as fans have requested a change of coach, due to the underwhelming performances.

DVSC Schaeffler (HUN) vs WHC Buducnost BEMAX (MNE) 27:22 (12:10)

In only their second season in the EHF Champions League Women, DVSC Schaeffler have proved they belonged in the European premium competition, with their second home win in five matches.  Their 27:22 win over Buducnost is their clearest win in history in the competition and their third overall in 11 matches. Right wing, Alexandra Töpfner was the top scorer for DVSC, with 10 goals.in  This result might prove decisive in DVSC’s quest for a play-off place, while Buducnost have yet to fd their rhythm, with four losses in five matches.

Györi Audi ETO KC (HUN) vs Odense Håndbold (DEN) 32:29 (16:12)

It took 10 saves with a 45% saving efficiency from Sandra Toft to put Györ firmly in pole-position against Odense, as Ulrik Kirkely aimed for nothing other than a win against his former side. Indeed, the fifth consecutive win for the Hungarian champions came naturally, after Györ dominated their opponents, with a flawless display from centre back Stine Bredal Oftedal, who scored 10 goals in one of her best performances over the last three seasons in the competition. Not only did Györ seal their fifth win in a row to start group play, they also extended their lead over third place Odense to four points, therefore improving their chances for a top two finish and a direct quarter-finals berth.

GROUP B

MOTW: Krim Mercator Ljubljana (SLO) vs Vipers Kristiansand (NOR) 24:24 (15:9)

In their previous 94 matches in the EHF Champions League Women, Vipers Kristiansand have scored in the single digits in the first half only three times, with the lowest number of goals being eight. This time around, hampered by Krim’s outstanding defence, the reigning champions scored only nine goals and were six goals down at the half. The second half, however, saw the game turn on its head, courtesy of a 10:1 run for the Vipers, between the 39^th and the 56^th minutes. Krim could only muster nine goals in the last 30 minutes, and with their attack collapsing, Vipers proved once again that resilience might be their top weapon. With the plethora of changes this summer, the Norwegian powerhouse's shortcomings were once again on display.  Yet Vipers still earned a point, 24:24, after a dramatic finish, which saw Krim cancel a three-goal lead for the reigning champions to snatch a point and stay second in the standings.

Ikast Handbold (DEN) vs MKS Zaglebie Lubin (POL) 41:29 (21:15)

19-year-old sensation, Julie Mathiesen Scaglione, who shined this past summer at the W19 EHF EURO 2023 for Denmark, had her best outing in the EHF Champions League Women as she scored 10 goals for Ikast Handbold in their win against MKS Zaglebie Lubin. It was the fifth win in a row for Ikast, who extended their streak in their best-ever start of a season in the European premium competition. Ikast also set a new record for the most goals scored in a single match in the EHF Champions League Women, beating the previous record set against Esbjerg, 38, in a win in January 2017. On the other hand, Lubin now have five losses in a row and the worst defence in the competition, conceding 179 total goals, an average of 35.8 goals per match.