Handball Champion League: Veszprém beat Celje in Slovenia

EHF said, in Sunday’s matches of Round 5 of the VELUX EHF Champions League four away teams finished victorious, but the biggest coup was done by a host. KIF Kolding Kobenhavn ended the Kielce series in style. Additionally Zaporozhye were winners on home court, while all Veszprem, Kiel, Aalborg and Paris set-up signs for the following reverse fixtures in the next round. After the Kielce defeat, only Veszprem and defending champions Hamburg maintained their clear record after five matches.

Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) vs. MKB-MVM Veszprém (HUN) 26:31 (14:15) – EHF reports

For 40 minutes the away match in the fortress Zlatorog Arena was a steep mountain to climb for the top ranked team of Group A, then Veszprem took their fifth victory highly dominant and in style, while Celje lacked powers to stand the powerful Hungarian match play. Cheered by hundreds of red dressed spectators, Veszprem made a huge step towards the group victory, still being ahead of Rhein Neckar Löwen by three points.

The first half was fully equal, the only time Hungarian champions managed to lead by a two-goal advance was at 14:12, but Celje immediately equalized again.

And the Slovenian runners-up, who remain on four points like Zagreb, stood strong for another ten minutes in the initial stage of the second half. When Gasper Marguc (in total seven goals) scored for the 17:19, everything seemed to be open again, but then Veszprem strengthened their defence, goalkeeper Nandor Fazekas added several brilliant saves and attack worked like a Swiss clockwork.

In only seven minutes the Hungarian side marched ahead to 25:18, boosted by the goals of their Spaniards Cristian Ugalde (best Veszprem scorer by seven strikes) and Chema Rodriguez – and virtually decided the match.

In the match against his new national team coach Vladan Matic (additionally coach of Celje), Serbian team captain Momir Ilic scored six times – but the host had the best scorer in their squad: Ivan Sliskovic (eight goals).

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Photo: kezilabda.hu

Source: http://www.eurohandball.com/