17:40
''I feel like we fought hard today but we simply failed to make that final step and win points. We can definitely do better than this, and I'm sure we'll show it in the matches ahead!'', said Jana Knedlikova after the game.
Irma Schjött was obviously very happy with the game: ''Of course we are very happy with the way we played here today in the first round, and with this win over Vipers in the end. I am happy about my performance but this was a team win and we'll surely all enjoy it now!''
17:35 FULL-TIME
An absolute masterclass performance from Irma Schjött who finished the game with 20 saves eventually taking a well-deserved MOTW MVP title helped Ikast secure a win over Vipers! That way, last season's EHF ELW winners have managed to defeat reigning EHF CLW champs in the first round. Is there a better proof that an exciting season is ahead of us?
Nine goals from Chloe Valentini, and 13 saves for Hatadou Sako as Metz secure an easy road win in Hungary. Antje Angela Malestein finished the game with nine goals for FTC but that was not enough for the Hungarian team to endanger Metz today.
17:26
Save number 17 from Irma Schjött, and a goal number one from Marketa Jerabkova help Ikast widen the gap to four with only five minutes left on the clock in Denmark. Vipers have to start reducing the gap, and they have to do it now in case they want to secure at least a point in the first round!
17:18
What a day for Stine Ruscetta Skogrand so far! She's 5/5 and Ikast have a five-goal lead going into the final 12 minutes of the encounter. Will we see a surprise in the first encounter of this season's EHF CLW?
17:13
Simone Cathrine Petersen punishes Vipers' offensive mistake in transition making it +4 (22:18) for Ikast again! Irma Schjött has 12 saves and the hosts are in a really good position with nothing but the final quarter of the game left.
17:05
We're ten minutes into the second half, and the hosts are back in front in Denmark (17:15). Vipers Kristiansand in the chasing role again! Meanwhile Metz has +10 in Hungary as Chloe Valentini shines with 8/8.
16:55
Second half is under way!
16:40 HALF-TIME
16:37
Tuva Ulsaker Hove scores her first of the day to level the game at 12:12 in Denmark with just under a minute and a half to go in the first. After leading by as much as six goals in the earlier stage of the first half, Ikast slowed down allowing Vipers to get back into this one. An interesting second half is surely ahead of us!
16:33
With under five minutes to go in the first, Metz extends the gap to six goals in Hungary (11:17). Seven saves for Camille Depuiset who has managed to stop just under 40% of shots heading her way being the key factor in her team's splendid first-half performance.
16:27
With only ten minutes left until the half-time buzzer, Ikast leads 10:8. Anne Mette Hansen is, on the other hand, leading Metz in Hungary with five goals. Currently, French team is 10:14 ahead.
16:22
Making sure Irma Schjött is not the only goalkeeper we're talking about in this match is Katrine Lunde, and all that in her nineteenth EHF CLW season. Just wow!
16:16
A dreamy start of the match continues for coach Kasper Christensen and his team as Ikast widens the gap to six goals (8:2) just 12 minutes into the encounter. It looks like Vipers can't find a way through home-team defense, and when they eventually do incredible Irma Schjött is here to turn them down - even from the seven-meter line!
16:11
Solid defensive display early on helps Ikast extend the gap to four (6:2) with nine minutes on the clock. Four saves from Irma Schjött, two goals from Stine Ruscetta Skogrand.
16:05
Skogrand and Hougaard score one each as Ikast overtakes the lead at 3:2. Meanwhile, Metz leads FTC 0:3 in Hungary with Camille Depuiset starting the match incredibly well with four early saves.
16:00
The games are under way! Lisa Tchaptchet Defo opens the scoring in Denmark as Vipers takes a 0:1 lead.
15:52
''We're working hard every day, aiming for the goal we've set for ourselves and that is to, primarily of course, get better every single day. Girls are looking ready for the task ahead'', concluded Tomas Hlavaty, Vipers head coach ahead of the trip to Herning.
On the other hand, Kasper Christensen - head coach of the home team in this one said: ''Vipers are an absolute world-class team with some of the best players in women's handball like Katrine Lunde and Anna Vyakhireva. Meeting the three-time EHF CLW winners at home in the first round is a dream for us.'' It will surely be interesting to see whether Christensen and his players have what it takes to endanger the reigning champions in the first round, and make it a dream their fans would surely have a hard time trying to forget!
15:45
With only 15 minutes left until the opening whistle in Denmark and Hungary, take a minute to check out our Dare to Rise campaign video that is surely going to get your blood flowing, and set the tone for what's only minutes away now!
15:38
16 teams, 8 games, round 1, season 2023/2024. Visual with all the starting times is here!
15:30
Welcome to the live coverage of the first round of the EHF Champions League Women group stage! We've got two exciting days ahead with the competition starting with some top-class games between the teams you surely already know a lot about!
To keep you up-to-date, we've prepared a round preview where you'll find out everything you need to know about the eight encounters we'll be focusing on today and tomorrow. We've also talked to Markéta Jeřábková ahead of the MOTW of round one in which Vipers will head to Denmark to play Ikast. As if that wasn't enough, we've also prepared a piece about the most experienced players in our this season's campaign, led by who else than the incredible Montenegrin star player Jovanka Radicevic!
