In the past two seasons, Popa has scored 35 goals in the second-tier European competition, including boasting two superb home games against MKS Zaglebie Lubin, when she scored seven times, and in the first leg of the quarter-finals against Sola HK, putting six past the Norwegian team.
Now, the Romanian centre back will be back in the Energi Viborg EHF Finals, after last season’s experience, when Baia Mare came third on their home court. Brimming of confidence, Popa concedes that the Romanian team is an outsider, but the mood is upbeat.
“Few have given us a chance throughout the season, but we have constantly navigated the difficult moments and here we are, once again, in the top four teams of the competition.
“It was more difficult than last season because back then we had a better team and the pressure and expectations were huge, but we also learnt many things about such a tournament,” says Popa.
Left in disarray
Indeed, the season has been something of a roller coaster for CS Minaur Baia Mare, who needed a huge helping hand to progress to the quarter-finals, after a meagre group phase.
A painful 39:20 loss against SG BBM Bietigheim, the worst-ever for the Romanian side in European competitions, left Baia Mare in disarray, with the qualification to the next phase out of their hands.
But when MKS Zaglebie Lubin pulled out a shocking win against reigning titleholders, Les Neptunes de Nantes, 28:27, in the last match of the group, the mood shifted from desperation to confidence in Baia Mare.
Baia Mare had only five points, after winning at home against Lubin and Nantes and drawing in Poland, becoming the team with the fewest points to proceed to the next phase of the competition.
“We could not see the game, we just watched what happened on the ticker. Imagine what we felt when it froze and the result was not confirmed. Every possible thought went through our minds.
“But as the final result was confirmed, we really did not know how to react. I started crying, because it meant that we were through and it was an amazing feeling. A special elation. And it was in that moment when the strong bond between us in the team was forged,” adds Popa.
The perfect match
But the path was still uneasy for Baia Mare to navigate. In the quarter-finals, they were facing Sola HK, a team which swept their opponents in the group phase and boasted the best attack in the competition, scoring 32.6 goals per game.
Yet Baia Mare produced their best game of the season in the first leg, taking an impressive 40:32 win, which basically sealed their second consecutive berth at the final tournament.
“We really outdid ourselves for that game and it was, basically, the perfect match from us. Scoring 40 against a Norwegian team is an amazing feat and it paved the way to qualify,” says Popa.
