Handball Champions League – Szeged qualify for quarter-finals after first-half-scare

MOL-Pick Szeged defeated Bjerringbro-Silkeborg in their sold-out arena on Sunday to claim a place in the VELUX EHF Champions League Quarter-finals, where they will face French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain.

• In the wake of their 26:24 away win in the first leg, MOL-Pick Szeged beat Bjerringbro-Silkeborg by a clear nine-goal margin and finish with an aggregate 59:48 victory
• After a strong first half from BSV, Szeged turn the game around in the second half to advance to the last eight for the fourth time in their history
• Stas Skube, Sergei Gorbok and Jonas Källman score a cumulative 21 goals, while Sebastian Skube and Nikolaj Markussen top score for the Danish team
• Silkeborg score 16 goals in the first half but were restricted to only eight after the break

LAST 16, SECOND LEG

MOL-Pick Szeged (HUN) vs Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (DEN) 33:24 (14:16)

The Danish players were not talking to the wind when they promised to put up a fight in Szeged, starting with the same strength they did at home. The only question was whether Bjerringbro could maintain the tempo for the entire game, not only for 40 minutes.

Déjà vu in the first half

Stas Skube opened scoring after some brilliant individual efforts but the opening period was controlled by the visitors, who quickly put together a three-goal lead. Szeged coach Juan Carlos Pastor was forced to take his first time-out as early as the 10th minute, but despite goals from Sergei Gorbok, who was on fire from the first minute, the home side were trailing the visitors.

It was the first leg’s first half all over again: Sebastian Skube and Nikolaj Markussen kept Silkeborg in front as Szeged could not get a grip on their opponents’ aggressive approach throughout the first 30 minutes.

Markussen scored from an overtime free throw to give the Danish side a two-goal advantage and draw the teams level on aggregate at half-time.