Summary: Odense win MOTW, Györ unbeaten, FTC take first victory
It's round 6 of the EHF Champions League Women, and SG BBM Bietigheim are hoping they can continue winning as they play Match of the Week in Odense. Györi Audi ETO and Ikast Handbold also have perfect runs to maintain, while IK Sävehof and MKS Zaglebie Lubin are both looking for their first wins.
We are facing a great team and Bietigheim have been very good this year. This is probably our best match against a good team and I am very proud of the players and the arena.
It was a tough match for us. The first half was actually OK but after the break we made too many mistakes, and I think it is because we don’t have such a big squad, but we need to be on a higher level.
We haven’t been at our best so far this Champions League campaign, but before today’s match we spoke about how big matches need big players. The first half wasn’t good enough. In the second half we were much better. We made some mistakes, but overall we were a lot more focused.
18:03
Check out all the results from the weekend.
Györ are now the only unbeaten team and top group A ahead of Bietigheim and then Odense; Ikast and Esbjerg are top of group B, ahead of Metz.
17:47
Let's see what was said after the first game by the two goalkeepers, who played such an important role in the results.
It was a tough game, but during the majority of the game we played well in defence. Before the game, we had talked a lot about the need to fight for all of the 60 minutes, and that is also what we managed to do.
From our side we struggled a lot today and made mistakes in defence as well as in attack. However, the most important thing is that we got the two points after the 60 minutes, and I think that is worth something.
17:37 | FULL-TIME
MOTW: ODENSE Håndbold 42:29 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM
Bietigheim completely ran out of steam in the second half of MOTW. Odense, helped by Maren Aardahl and Elma Halilcevic on court and Althea Reinhardt between the posts, steamrollered their opposition into an even bigger defeat than the one last year which kickstarted Bietigheim's downward spiral. Aardahl is named player of the match after her eight goals.
This is the most goals Odense have ever scored in a Champions League match!
WHC BUDUCNOST BEMAX 24:29 CSM BUCURESTI
CSM win their third game of the season despite some pressure from Buducnost, for whom this is the fifth loss. The Montenegrin side are in real danger of missing the play-offs at the moment. Both goalkeepers - Armelle Attingré and Marie Davidsen - and field players Jelena Vukcevic (seven goals) and Ivana Godec (six goals), plus CSM's Cristina Neagu, Monika Kobylinska and Vilde Ingstad (six each) made an impact today.
VIPERS KRISTIANSAND 35:37 METZ HANDBALL
After their back-to-back EHF FINAL4 victories Vipers are now in the danger zone, sitting fifth in the standings and on the same number of points as CS Rapid Bucuresti. Metz climb to third, ahead of Krim and behind Ikast and Esbjerg. There's no doubt about the match-winner - line player Sarah Bouktit was unstoppable in attack and defence and ended with 13 goals.
17:27
A good penalty by Anna Vyakhireva makes it 34:35 for Vipers against Metz - they have two minutes to save a point (or three). However a suspension for Silje Waade makes that job harder.
17:20
The defending champions are heading for another defeat; with eight minutes to play Metz lead 33:29 and Tomás Hlavatý sounds a bit frustrated as he tells his players they need to improve their defence and take each attack as it comes. With Sarah Bouktit on absolutely amazing form, Vipers have an uphill battle though.
Odense are destroying Bietigheim in MOTW - it's 37:23 now. CMS lead Buducnost 27:21.
17:09
Another timeout for Bietigheim, whose chances are rapidly slipping away as Odense stretch out to a nine-goal lead.
It's much closer elsewhere. Buducnost have got back to 19:23 against CSM, while it's 25:26 in Norway as Vipers and Metz battle for every ball. Sarah Bouktit is leading the charge for Metz with a massive nine goals so far.
17:01
Jakob Vestergaard is forced into an early second-half timeout by a six-goal deficit. "Let the ball do the work," he says. Odense, at the moment, are very much on top.
Metz have closed back up in Kristiansand and it's 21:20 there to Vipers.
16:55
Thirty minutes of handball left today - the second halves have started.
16:45
While the players have a deserved break, check out these amazing saves from MOTW so far.
16:40 | HALF-TIME
MOTW: ODENSE Håndbold 18:14 SG BBM BIETIGHEIM
Odense's lively start to MOTW has paid off, with a good half-time lead. At the moment, history is repeating and Bietigheim's run is set to be broken by the Danish side. Elma Halilcevic is probably the stand-out player with five goals.
WHC BUDUCNOST BEMAX 12:17 CSM BUCURESTI
Buducnost are being outplayed by CSM at both ends of the court. The red card to Andrijana Popovic didn't help, but generally CSM are just more effective.
VIPERS KRISTIANSAND 17:14 METZ HANDBALL
Both teams have held the lead at various points, but Vipers have been more efficient, scoring 17 times from 25 shots compared to Metz's 14 times from 27 shots. Katrine Lunde is not in today's squad but Sofie Börjesson is proving a more than able substitute, making nine saves from 23 shots (39 per cent).
16:35
A change in the goal for both teams in MOTW, with Althea Reinhardt taking over for Odense and Sarah Nørklit for Bietigheim. As a result, it's Danes at both ends!
16:29
"Play faster," says Bietigheim coach Jakob Vestergaard, adding that Odense right back Nina Dano must be marked if she's on court. It's 14:12 to Odense.
16:26
A chance missed for Bietigheim as an empty net goal goes wide. The importance of the game is not lost on the players, who are fighting hard for the ball - and both teams have players suspended at the moment as a result.
16:20
It's a red card for Andrijana Popovic of Buducnost after her hand hit Cristina Neagu's face. CSM currently lead that match 7:5. Vipers have a two-goal lead (9:7) against Metz.
In MOTW, Bietigheim have closed the gap to Odense, although Elma Halilcevic is playing superbly and is making the visitors' lives very hard.
16:10
Bietigheim, like Györ earlier, have travelled with a smallish squad of 14; the question will be whether that impacts their performance when it matters. And it might matter, as Odense have got off to a better start with a 6:3 lead after nine minutes.
15:58
It's very nearly throw-off time in Odense, Podgorica and Kristiansand!
15:40
With 20 minutes to go until the last three matches, including MOTW, you have time to grab a snack - or watch through our Instagram stories for a sneak peek from the Sydbank Arena where Odense are preparing to play Bietigheim.
I felt good today, this is Ferencváros, we showed the spirit of the team and it was good to see the players fight until the end. We supported each other on and off the court, we are on a good way now.
The feeling is extraordinary and I'm really happy for the team and also for my personal performance. We prepared for a very tough game and we are very happy because we won today.
It is hard to say it, but the better team won today. They were everywhere in defence, attack, they have fighting spirit, and I really cannot say more.
19:34 | FULL-TIME
FTC-RAIL CARGO HUNGARIA 37:36 IKAST HANDBOLD
FTC break their losing streak, and in the process, smash Ikast's long unbeaten run. They started out strong and stayed strong throughout, even as Ikast put the pressure on in the second half.
It doesn't make a difference to the standings for now, but it could prove important later on.
Katrin Klujber, with 11 goals, is the heroine of the night. Markéta Jeřábková scored nine in the end for the visitors.
19:29
After a video replay, Beatrice Edwige is given a red card for what was judged to be a high foul on Simone Petersen. It gives Ikast a small hope of closing the gap, but as we go into the last minute, they still trail by two goals.
19:22
Emma Friis nets a penalty, her eighth goal of the game. That puts her level with Markéta Jeřábková. On FTC's attack FTC are awarded a penalty and Katrin Klujber makes it look easy to score her 10th goal. With five minutes to play the home team still lead by three goals, and are just doing enough to hang on to this lead.
19:11
Timeout for FTC. The focus is on marking Markéta Jeřábková, who has put in a big shift, and FTC think she looks tired.
As play resumes Ikast adopt a seven-on-six attack - they still have three goals to make up.
19:05
FTC go five goals up and Ikast are struggling. It's not the first time this season they've been behind, but FTC are responding to every goal from the visitors with Katrin Klujber, Andrea Lekic and Emily Bölk leading the charge.
18:53
The second half starts, and in a scrap for the ball with Emma Lindqvist Zsuzsanna Tomori goes down. Lindqvist is straight on to the bench for a suspension.
18:50
Teamwork like this is one of the reasons FTC are winning right now. The second half is about to throw off.
18:37 | HALF-TIME
FTC-RAIL CARGO HUNGARIA 20:17 IKAST HANDBOLD
After a rather slow and scrappy start Ikast have woken up and are back in the match, but FTC also responded to the challenge and they do take a deserved lead into the break.
Katrin Klujber has been brilliant from the whistle, with six goals so far, while Markéta Jeřábková is Ikast's top scorer with five.
Allan Heine encourages the fans to keep up the enthusiasm as he walks off court for the half-time chat.
18:30
"Be patient in attack," says Allan Heine, as he calls a timeout for FTC. Ikast are level at 14:14 and the game is turning.
18:27
Slowly but surely, Ikast are getting themselves back into the game. Andrea Austmo has taken over in goal, and FTC's lead is now just one goal. Markéta Jeřábková is leading the charge, using all her experience.
18:21
In a mixture of Danish and English Kasper Christensen takes a timeout, telling Ikast they are getting a bit stressed and missing opportunities - but they do have opportunities. It's 10:6 to FTC.
When play resumes, Ikast lose the ball again and Katrin Klujber scores again, a long-range rocket which Irma Schjött cannot stop.
18:16
Ikast are making a few too many mistakes right now, and defensive errors give them two two-minute suspensions at once. FTC lead 9:6 with four goals by Katrin Klujber.
18:08
Katrin Klujber and Andrea Lekic have led FTC out to a perfect start: they lead 6:3 after seven minutes of play. The FTC defence is proving solid and Ikast are not having much luck getting their shots away - when they do, Blanka Böde-Bíró is waiting.
18:01
And we throw off, with FTC in possession.
17:50
Less than 10 minutes now until FTC throw off against Ikast. Ikast have been superb all season so far, but can they keep it up in Budapest? Or will FTC finally find another gear and take their first win of the season?
We're live on EHFTV to find out!
