In high-scoring matches in Turkey
In a very high-scoring encounter, the “Šviesa” handball players lost 37:44 (16:20) to the Istanbul GSK team.
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Karolis Bliuva’s Vilnius team started the match better and took the lead 3:1. Most of the first half was evenly matched, but the hosts, supported by 550 enthusiastic spectators, managed to pull ahead by 4 goals just before the break. In the second half, the GSK team did not slow down and had built up a 9-goal lead, but in the final attacks “Šviesa” managed to reduce the deficit to 7 goals.
“Conceding as many as 44 goals complicated our result the most. We scored 37 goals and there are no complaints about the offense, but the defense was tragic today. We did not meet the requirements, lacked mass in defense. Some players lacked confidence in their abilities, which caused nervousness during the match,” commented “Šviesa” assistant coach Gintaras Cibulskis.
The top scorers for the “Šviesa” team were Matas Aukštikalnis with 7 goals, Ukrainian Mykyta Litvinenko with 6 goals, Ukrainians Vladyslav Korzhuk and Rapolas Valadka with 5 each, Ernestas Stvolas with 4, Domantas Ivanauskas and Šarūnas Vižinis with 3 each, Tauras Pundinas with 2, Šarūnas Ugianskis and goalkeeper Giedrius Morkūnas with 1 each.
“Šviesa” goalkeepers Matas Pranckevičius saved 3 shots out of 21 (14%), G. Morkūnas – 3 out of 28 (11%).
“It’s a pity we lost by a big margin, but the opponents are definitely beatable. We scored almost 40 goals on their court and with defense sorted out in Vilnius, there will be a working match ahead. We shouldn’t lose heart, everything is fine. The youth gained good experience in Turkey, the fans cheered well here, but everything is ahead and we definitely won’t give up,” said G. Cibulskis.
The return match will take place on September 19 in Vilnius, at the “Sostinės taurė” hall.
The atmosphere gripped the match
“Granitas-Karys” lost away 21:25 (7:15) to Nicosia’s “Omonoia 29M” club.
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Halfway through the first half, the scoreboard still showed a tied score of 5:5, but later the Kaunas team failed to score for 15 minutes and the hosts built a double-digit lead of 15:5. After the break, “Granitas-Karys” improved their offense and, winning a 6:0 run, got within three goals at 15:18 halfway through the second half. The Kaunas team returned from Cyprus with a four-goal deficit.
“We fought not only against the opponents but also against 37-38 degrees heat. The heat was intensified by half a thousand crazy fans gathered. This affected us because in the first half we struggled a lot with shot conversion. But in the second half, we got used to it and reduced the deficit. At the end of the match, we accelerated even more and if not for a few childish mistakes, the match could have ended evenly,” said “Granitas-Karys” coach Vaidotas Grosas.
The top scorers for the Kaunas team were Simas Butkus with 8 goals, Ignas Gečionis with 5 goals, Mantas Gelumbauskas with 3, Tunisian Mehdi Berry with 2, Ernestas Guogis, Gytis Zadarnauskas, and Gerardas Vainauskas with 1 each.
“Granitas-Karys” goalkeeper Oskaras Jasudas saved 5 shots out of 21 (24%), Ignas Maciulevičius – 3 out of 12 (25%).
The return match for “Granitas-Karys” will be played on September 20 in Alytus.
“Losing by 4 goals is not that bad. The men saw who they will have to fight and in the return matches the ghosts will have already scattered. I hope for a positive result and I think we have a chance and the opportunity to advance to the next stage,” said V. Grosas.
Klaipėda’s “Dragūnas” handball players will also compete in the European Cup tournament. The Lithuanian champions qualified for the second stage according to the ranking and will start the European Cup tournament in October.
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