Watch all games live and free here.
MKB-MVM Veszprem vs Esporte Clube Taubate 27:24 (12:12)
Esporte Clube Taubate began at full throttle while MKB-MVM Veszprem took a while to settle in, missing a few easy opportunities that would usually be certain goals. Veszprem were visibly unhappy with their start to the match, and though coach Antonio Carlos Ortega looked grim, he chose to let his players sort themselves out and called no time-outs during the first half.
Maik Santos caused trouble for the Hungarian side in goal, playing a big part in keeping the score line equal. When the score remained so in the 18th minute, Veszprem put Peter Gulyas on in place of the goalkeeper and it very nearly worked against them – they lost the ball almost immediately and Taubate threw a long-range shot that bounced off the post.
Veszprem pulled ahead by one with just over 10 minutes left in the half (8:7) and Taubate coach Marcus Olivera responded by calling a time-out. Captain of the VELUX EHF Champions League runners-up, Laszlo Nagy, stepped on the court for the first time in the game before Guilherme Oliveria scored a well-placed goal to equalise under the pressure of passive play (8:8).
Cristian Ugalde Garcia scored a fast break for his side to take the lead once more (9:8, 22nd minute), and from there it looked like Veszprem were in control. They stayed in front by one until Taubate line player Andre Ribeiro equalised on the half-time buzzer.
Santos was replaced by Luiz Nascimento in the second period, while at Veszprem’s end Roland Mikler came on and made a few saves that helped the Hungarian team pull ahead to hold a one-goal lead as the last quarter of the match began (20:19).
Mikler made a penalty save in the 49th and Aron Palmarsson converted at the other end, putting Veszprem two crucial goals in front (23:21). With five minutes on the clock Veszprem had a three-goal advantage (26:23), and they held on to that difference until the whistle.
Füchse Berlin vs Club Africain 27:24 (14:12)
The first goal of the game came in the third minute when Füchse Berlin’s Petar Nanadic (10 goals) caught the rebound off his penalty attempt against Mohamed Sfar. Club Africain line player Oussama Hosni followed soon after, before going on to contribute three goals in the first eight minutes.
Bjarki Elisson scored Berlin’s third goal just after five minutes and from that point it looked as though the game was all about the European side as they quickly pulled ahead by three goals (4:1, seventh minute). But Club Africain slowly came back to trail by one at 10 minutes (5:4) and left back Mohamed Soussi levelled the score with a ground shot a few minutes later (6:6, 14th minute).
Berlin maintained an edge, always scoring first and leaving Club Africain to equalise, until Kent Robin Tonnesen put his side two in front with 13 minutes left in the half (9:7). Idriss Drissi saved Frederik Petersen’s penalty attempt to keep the score at 10:9 in the 21st minute, and Club Africain once again equalised in the next attack (10:10).
The pattern repeated with Berlin inching in front once more, and when the half-time whistle blew they held a two-goal lead.
In the second half the German team retained control, leading by four goals at the 40-minute mark (19:15). Though Club Africain refused to back down, and closed the score line temporarily, Berlin were the better team and with ten minutes left, maintained a three-goal advantage (23:20). When Berlin were still ahead by two with less than two minutes left (26:24), the game was decided.
Read the FC Barcelona vs Al-Ahly Sports Club and Al-Sadd vs Sydney University Handball Club quarter-final match reviews here.