Yesterday, in the first round of Challenge Cup final act, UCM Resita - Drammen 26-26
Tie at Severin, victory in Norway. The cup at Resita!
Is it really repeating the history in the semi-final with the Polish from Zaglebie Lubin?
The same as in the Challenge Cup semi-final stage of the men handball, UCM Resita didn't succeed but a tie score at Drobeta Turnu Severin and it must gain the trophy in Norway. If in semi-finals the handball players from Resita finished the game at tie score 32-32, with the leader from Poland, yesterday, in the first round of the final act, the pupils of Aihan Omer obtained a tie score against the first team of Norway, 26-26, while at break-time they had one goal more than their opponents, 13-12. The Norwegians start with a slight advantage in the second round, after this tie score result, however it cannot be said that everything is lost for UCMR. Because, now the strategist Omer knows exactly what the adversary can do, which are its strong and weak points, and his boys are ready to do everything for bringing the Challenge Cup in the city on Barzava River.
The city of Severin was in feast yesterday, first of all because the people from Severin were celebrating the City Holiday and secondly for the fact that UCMR was representing Romania in the final act at European level. In front of two thousand people that filled totally the hall one hour before the announced time for starting the game, the white-blue players started timorously being led, after only five minutes by 0-2. Rohozneanu gave the signal of revival, and in the tenth minute of the game the score was favorable for the hosts, 4-2. The goal-getter of Resita team, Bojan Butulija, was specially marked by the defensive Norwegian players, however Grozavescu, surprisingly used as left winger instead of the international player Ciubotariu, brought for the first time Resita to three goals advantage by the middle of first half, 7-4. Five minutes before the break, Pasic increased the difference to four goals, 12-8, nevertheless the Norwegian coach proved to be very inspired by asking time out, thus succeeding to stop the forcing game of Resita team. The minute of break was favorable to the Norwegians, which scored four times more until the break, while the handball players from Resita succeeded to score only once, therefore the teams retired to the locker rooms with a small advantage for UCM Resita.
Once again the break-time proved to be beneficial for the Norwegians, who needed only five minutes after restarting the game to be once more in advantage, 15-16. During second half, the game was played more on counter-attacks, both teams being in advantage alternatively. Three striking counter-attacks succeeded by the players from UCM Resita brought the score to 18-16 (minute 40), however the guests replied in the same manner by scoring three times within five minutes being thus in the lead of the game, 18-19. The three goal-keepers of Resita team, Cenusa, Ionescu and Macri, were not in their best shape yesterday and this was also seen in the minute 50, when Strand scored for Drammen, even though they were less on the playground after the elimination of Spanne for striking with the elbow. Rohozneanu, one of the best players on the playground, succeeded to finalize two more actions by himself, changing the result on the scoreboard and the goals of Irimescu and Butulija brought an advance of three goals for UCM Resita, 25-22, when only five minutes were to play. The technician of Drammen was once again inspired when he asked time-out, his pupils succeeding to defeat the advanced defense intended by Omer. Cuciula did exactly what he shouldn't do at the end of the game, being eliminated, thus UCM Resita continued with one less player for the last two minutes of the first round from the Challenge Cup final act. The guests benefit at the most from this advantage by scoring three times without receiving any goal, succeeding to leave undefeated from Severin.
Drammen, with four national players of Norway in its lot, didn't impressed, but the goal-keeper Olaussen, that by an outstanding game, made Resita to wait one week more until getting the trophy. As in the semi-finals with the Polish, the players from UCM Resita missed many opportunities of scoring alone with the goal-keeper; furthermore we may add three unsuccessful throws from the seven meters line. We just hope for the history to be repeated, all missed throws to be avenged, one of the goal-keepers to be in extraordinary shape, as it was Macri at Lubin, and UCM Resita will bring the Challenge Cup to Resita.
Article from: 24 de ORE
