Update: Women’s handball – CSM Bucharest defeat Rostov on Don 31-30 to win Champions League bronze medals

Romanian women’s handball champions, CSM Bucharest, won the match for positions 3-4 and the bronze medals in the Women’s Handball Champions League on Sunday, after defeating 31-30 (19-14) the Russian team Rostov on Don in Budapest.

CSM Bucharest win the bronze medals for the second year in a row, after winning the trophy and the gold medals in 2016.

At the awards ceremony, the medals were handed by Bozidar Djurkovic, chairman of the EHF Competition Commission, and by Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General.

Champions League top scorer, Cristina Neagu (photo), was awarded by EHF marketing chief Jan Gubi Wichmann. Neagu scored 110 goals during this edition of the competition.

Gyor won the Champions League final 27-26 against Vardar, after extra time and retains the trophy conquered last year. It is for the fourth time that the Hungarian club triumphs in this competition, each time having Martin Ambros as coach after the 2013, 2014 and 2017 editions.

CSM Bucharest were defeated on Saturday by Gyori Audi ETO KC 26-20 (12-10) in the first semi-final of the Champions League final four tournament in Budapest and failed to qualify on the final round of the competition.

Hosts Gyor dominated a match during which the Romanian champions seemed not to find their rhythm, failing to score in the first half during the first ten minutes, and then hitting the opponents’’ post at least five times.

Gyor led 3-0 and CSM closed the gap in the 25^th minute to 8-9, but it was 12-10 for the hosts at halftime.

In the second half, Gyor led 15-12 and 16-13 but CSM Bucharest succeeded to level the score in the 42^nd minute, 16-16. But the CSM’s players kept on failing to score, registering (again) 10 minutes without goal. Gyor kept playing better and scoring, reaching 22-17 in the 55^th minute. The last five minutes had no history, the final score being 26-20.

For CSM Bucharest it was the third final four tournament, with the trophy won in 2016.

In the other semi-final, Vardar Skopje defeated Rostov on Don 25-19 (10-7).

CSM Bucharest will play on Sunday, at 16.15h, against Rostov on Don for positions 3-4.

Teams:

CSM Bucureşti: Paula Ungureanu, Jelena Grubisic – Aneta Udriştioiu, Marit Malm Frafjord, Isabelle Gullden (1 goal), Iulia Curea (1), Cristina Neagu (6), Sabina Rosengren Jacobsen, Line Anna Ryborg Joergensen (1), Camille Ayglon Saurina, Oana Manea (4), Amanda Kurtovic (4), Gnonsiane Niombla, Nathalie Hagman, Majda Mehmedovic (3). Coach: Per Andre Johansson.

Gyor: Kari Aalvik Grimsboe, Eva Kiss – Anne Mette Hansen, Anita Gorbicz (5), Stine Bredal Oftedal (5), Eduarda Amorim Taleska (4), Anja Althaus (1), Cornelia Nycke Groot (7), Yvette Broch (2), Bernadett Bodi (2), Mireya Gonzalez Alvarez. Coach: Ambros Martin.

file photo