– We have more confidence in the second half. That’s what Vipers goalkeeper Katrine Lunde says after they win 37-26 against Hungarian FTC in Aquarama on Saturday night. It is only fifteen weeks since the two teams played the final match in the Champions League. That time Vipers won 28–24. After an even first half, the Vipers pulled off a superior victory in Aquarama. Two offensive teams on the field At the start of the match, two teams come out on the field and both get a strong offensive start. The audience is served goal after goal in the first half. But in defense it leaks at both ends. It was a half with almost no saves, and where the Vipers mostly score goals on the counter-attack. – The defense is not having a good day, and if Katrine Lunde gets her save percentage up to her normal level, the Vipers will win this match quite easily, said handball expert Peder Langfeldt after the first half. The teams followed each other closely until the end of the half. The home team made a couple of changes to try to stop the strong offensive duo of Dragana Cvijic and Emily Bölk at the FTC. And five minutes before half-time, the Vipers put in an extra gear and go into the break with 19-15 on the scoreboard. – The team that gets the defense and the goalkeeping work done will win. And Vipers have the most to go on, says Langfeldt. Katrine Lunde was better in goal in the second half. Photo: Martine S. Alvær / Vipers Saves in a counterattack In the opening of the second half, the home team pulls away further. Both the defense and Lunde close more gaps than before the break. Eventually, very little got past the Vipers’ goalkeeper. – Vipers have improved both offensively and defensively, which means that they are starting. They stepped up in the second half, says Langfeldt. Uncertainties Langfeldt believes the Vipers are one of the favorites to win the Champions League again this year, but has seen several weaknesses in the team this season. These became visible after a rare loss against Ikast in the first group stage match. The Vipers had not lost since last December. The uncertainties before the season have been many, we believe expert Langfeldt. Many new players have to find their rhythm in the team, they have a new head coach in Slovakian Tomas Hlavaty and the defense looks much weaker than last year. Although the start of the series has been good for the pink-clad, the handball expert has not yet been convinced. But they do not escape the favorite stamp.
ttn-69
Vipers swept Hungarian FTC off the field – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
