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    EHF EUROPEAN LEAGUE: LOKOMOTIVA LOSE, QUALIFICATION STILL UNCERTAIN

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    The women’s team of Lokomotiva Zagreb were defeated by Oldenburg (28:29) in the 5th round of Group C of the EHF European League, missing their first match point for reaching the quarter-finals. The final decision will come in the last round, when Lokomotiva travel to Bucharest.

    Lokomotiva approached this key European League match—where even a draw would have been enough to progress—after Rapid București had earlier beaten Tertnes in Norway, effectively opening a clear path to the quarter-finals. Lokomotiva played without Stela Posavec and Ana Malec, which meant a shorter rotation for Silvio Ivandija—only 14 players were on the match sheet, two of them goalkeepers.

    Lokomotiva couldn’t have asked for a better start: Tea Pijević saved the first four shots from the visitors, including a seven-metre throw. However, Lokomotiva didn’t fully capitalize in attack, scoring only two goals in that spell. Oldenburg scored their first goal only after six and a half minutes. Lokomotiva led 2:0, then 4:2, 5:3 and 6:4—then stalled.

    The German side took control with a four-goal run and by halftime had pushed Lokomotiva into an almost impossible situation: from the 12th to the 26th minute, Lokomotiva scored only two goals and conceded 11, going into the break down by seven (9:16). Goalkeeper Madita Kohorst collected 10 saves in the first half. Pijević had nine, but her defense offered little support.

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    Lokomotiva converted only two of six seven-metre throws and finished the match on just 35% shooting efficiency overall.

    They opened the second half strongly with three straight goals, but Oldenburg quickly replied with two in a row—and Kohorst continued to stop almost everything that came her way. Midway through the second half, Oldenburg went eight up (16:24) and it looked decided. But Lokomotiva finally tightened up defensively and became more effective in attack, cutting the gap to two with six minutes left (24:26). Oldenburg then lost an important player, as Toni Luise Reinemann received a direct red card in the 53rd minute.

    With the two-goal deficit, Lokomotiva had two attacking chances to equalize but failed to use them, and Oldenburg held on for a 28:29 win—bringing themselves back into the race for qualification. Pijević made 14 saves. Paula Posavec scored seven goals, and Dunja Tabak added six. For Oldenburg, Kohorst was outstanding with 19 saves, Alexandra Humpert added four (all from seven metres), and the visitors’ top scorer was Lisa Borutta with seven goals.

    After five rounds, Rapid București top the group and have already secured qualification. They host Lokomotiva—second with five points—in the final round. Oldenburg are third with four points, while Tertnes have three and are also still in contention. In short, all three teams behind Rapid are still fighting to go through.

    EHF EUROPEAN LEAGUE – GROUP C, ROUND 5

    • Lokomotiva Zagreb – Oldenburg 28:29
    • Tertnes – Rapid București 28:30
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