RRI Sports Club

Florin Orban, 17.10.2018, 11:56

The international handball season is in full swing. Romanian clubs
are playing both in the Champions League group stages and the EHF Cup
qualifiers. Romania also has a men’s side, CSM Bucharest, playing in the
Challenge Cup, but they won’t play until November, in Round 3. Until then,
let’s focus on the ongoing competitions. In men’s handball, Romanian champions Dinamo
Bucharest rank first in Champions League Group D, with four wins and one
defeat. Last weekend, Dinamo defeated the Polish side Wisla Plock at home,
24-21. They will play their next match on 3rd of November, in
Poland, against Wisla.

In the EHF Cup, which has not reached its third qualifying round,
Romania has only one side left: Dobrogea Sud Constanta, who made it this far
after defeating the Czech side Talent Robstav Plzen on 6th and 7th
of October, 28-21 and 29-23, respectively. Both matches were held in Romania. Steaua
Bucharest, however, were eliminated by the Israeli side Maccabi Rishon LeZion.
Last Friday, Steaua lost 27-23 away, after winning their home match 25-23.

In women’s handball, CSM Bucharest lost to the German side
Bietigheim 30-28 in an away match as part of the Champions League. The Romanian
champions are now second in Group D with 2 points, the same as the third-placed
side, Ferencvaros Budapest. Bietigheim top the group with 3 points.

In the EHF Cup, Magura Cisnadie have already made it to the third
qualifying round. They defeated Slavia Prague last Friday, 28-25, and again on
Sunday, 29-20, both matches being played in Cisnadie. SCM Ramnicu Valcea are
very close to qualifying after defeating the Turkish side Kastamonu at home,
35-26. Finally, the third Romanian side in the second qualifying round, Handbal
Club Zalau, drew at home 25-all against Borussia Dortmund. Both Valcea and
Zalau will be playing their return matches on Sunday, 21st of
October. Defending champions SCM Craiova go straight into the third qualifying
round.