Sunday’s game in Stožice was quite similar to the first one in Lubin, Poland. The home girls were in the lead from the first to the last minute. Not as convincingly as on the road, but they left nothing to chance with a sovereign performance.
Tjaša Stanko, Daria Dmitrieva and Jovanka Radičević added to their outstanding defensive play in the opening minutes. Captain Barbara Lazović also scored. For 6:3 in the 10th minute. The high rhythm of the game continued. The advantage of at least two goals was always on the side of Dragan Adžić‘s squad. Even at half-time, when the scoreboard read 15:12.
Aleksandra Rosiak led the Ljubljana’s team on her return to the floor – with two consecutive goals. But a few mistakes followed, which last year’s participants in the EHF Champions League Final Four were able to take advantage of. Through Anna Tolstrup Petersen, they came within a goal in the 44th minute. It didn’t go any further than that! Fortunately for the home team. For a final score of 33:27 and a second win in a row!
The Tigresses will go for the third one on Saturday, 23 September – their opponent then being the well-known FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria. The meeting will start at 18:00, again in Arena Stožice (Ljubljana).
Dragan Adžić, head coach of RK Krim Mercator: »I am most pleased that my team was focused for all 60 minutes. Thanks to the excellent preparation for this game. The energy was really right and that makes the victory all the more deserved.«
Tamara Mavsar, player of RK Krim Mercator: »Today I was reminded of the 2022 European Women’s Handball Championship, when we played in Stožice and the atmosphere was really great. I hope that the arena will be even more full for the next home games. Above all, I hope that we will continue to play like this. This is just the beginning. But it is important that we stopped the fast counter-attacks of our rivals. We can also attribute the win to that. We were focused on ourselves and played the way we have to play from the first minute to the last.«
Team Esbjerg: Nielsen 3, Møller 4, Mørk 5, Heindahl 1, Iversen 3, Kristensen, Breistøl 6, Milling, Jacobsen 1, Solberg-Isaksen 3, Petersen 1, Jacobsen.
7-meters: Krim Mercator 7 (5), Esbjerg 3 (2).
2 minutes: Krim Mercator 2 min, Esbjerg 2 min.
