Fradi fought hard, but Esbjerg had a minimal advantage in the BL quarter-finals

WOMEN’S HANDBALL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
QUARTER-FINALS, 1st MATCH
FTC-RAIL CARGO HUNGARIA–TEAM ESBJERG (Denmark) 25–26 (11-13)
Erd, 2000 viewer. A: Backovic, Palackovic (Slovenes)
FTC: JUDGE BÖDE – Malestein 2 (1), Klujber 1, LEKICS 7 (2), Cvijics 3, Bölk 2, Márton G. Exchange: Janurik (goalkeeper), Edwige, Tomori, Kisfaludy 2, SIMON P. 4, HÁRSFALVI 4. Coach: Allan Heine
ESBJERGE: A. KRISTENSEN – M. Jacobsen 3, M. Möller 2, IVERSEN 3, Breistöl 1, REISTAD 10 (1), Sanna Solberg-Isaksen. Exchange: Milling (goalkeeper), N. MÖRK 6 (2), L. Rushfeldt Deila 1, Kamp. Coach: Jesper Jensen
Evolution of the result. 5th minute: 1-2. p. 9: 4–3 p. 14: 4–7 p. 19: 7–8 p. 24: 9–8 p. 28: 10–13 p. 34: 12–16 p. 39: 16–17 p. 44: 18–21 p. 50: 21–21 p. 55: 22–25
Exhibitions: 6, or 6 minutes
Seven meters long: 4/3 or 6/3
MASTER SCALE
Allan Heine: “My credit to Esbjerg.” There was a great fight on the field, we saw a high-quality match. I’m proud of the girls for never giving up, not even this time. It is a special pleasure that I could count on Andrea Lekics, Zsuzsanna Tomori and Béatrice Edwige again. I am confident that next weekend will be a similar match, with the difference that we will win with two goals.
Jesper Jensen: – It was a very exciting match, we like playing here, we always have a good atmosphere. Fradi has a long history and good players, it is an honor to be here. Such a meeting is always a great advertisement for women’s handball. Small things decided in our favor, great excitement is expected next weekend as well.

In the first part of the season, most of the fans in Ferencváros probably only hoped that their team could fight again for the final four in Budapest in April. The trio of Andrea Lekics, Béatrice Edwige, and Zsuzsanna Tomori, who missed out on their previous champions, returned to Fradi, which has shown several memorable comebacks since then, for the duel against Esbjerg. Especially if we add that the two teams have already met in the group stage, and Jesper Jensen’s students won both times.

Due to the strongest possible defensive line-up, the FTC tried to replace Tomori and Edwige at the beginning of the match (the former had to compete with the Danes’ world class, Henny Reistad), although the fast-starting Esbjerg did not always leave an opportunity for this. Thanks to Blanka Böde-Bíró’s saves, Fradi kept pace with its opponent, who, with the man advantage, kept Tomori in the right-hander. In attack, however, almost only Lekics found the antidote to the determined defense of the Danes, the guests kept the cross-scorers Emily Bölk and Katrin Klujber in check. As Reistad led Esbjerg 7-4, Allan Heine was forced to call time after 14 minutes.

The FTC, driven by the packed Érd Aréna, was given new impetus by the entry of Simon Petra. However, this did not prove to be long-lived, and in addition, Anna Kristensen performed excellently in Esbjerg’s goal (in particular, she successfully read Klujber’s shots). Six minutes before the break, the Danes made it 4-1, so there was something to analyze and discuss in the dressing room about the home side (11–13).