EHF Cup – Group A

SL Benfica came out on top against the Germans of MT Melsungen, 29-26, in the second round of Group A of the EHF Cup.

The match, last Saturday, February 15, took place in front of a packed Luz 2 Pavilion and on Naxos Air Evolution indoor sports flooring – in full EHF Cup mode.

The first few minutes saw a very intense and balanced game with three goals for each team. But it was as the game went on that SL Benfica upped the tempo. Halfway through the first half, they were already leading by four goals (8-4).

The Germans from MT Melsungen always had some difficulties on the counter-attacks, and it was hard for them to reach the Benfica goal, with Gustavo Capdeville’s saves standing out.

At half-time the teams were level on 5 goals, with SL Benfica leading 16-11. At the start of the second half, the pace matched that of the first, with SL Benfica always very offensive and defensive, controlling the advantage and holding the lead until the end of the match.

The final score, and the team’s second win in a row, was 29-25, guaranteeing them sole top spot in Group A of the EHF Cup.

The best player on the pitch was Petar Djrdjic, with 9 goals.

On Saturday, February 22, SL Benfica host KPR Gwardia Opole.