MKB-MVM Veszprém - PPD Zagreb 25:24

Home team MKB-MVM Veszprem have in SEHA Gazprom League's second semi-final hosted PPD Zagreb. It surely is well known how hard it is for guests to play in front of more than 4,000 loudest fans in Europe in Veszprem Arena. Atmosphere was once again amazing in Hungarian handball temple leading Veszprem towards narrow 25:24 victory and final where they will meet Meshkov.

 

 

As expected, Zagreb's youngsters have taken some time to adopt to remarkable conditions in Veszprem with hosts opening the match better. After Hungarian team's furious 4:1 opening multiple Croatian champions have woken up a bit slowly reducing the goal gap until Pavlović' equaliser at 10:10 little more than 5 minutes before the half-time whistle. It was however not enough for at least a half-time surprise. Hosts have once against managed to speed up the tempo finishing the first half with 4:0 series led by uncatchable Gergo Ivancsik who has finished first part of the match as Veszprem's best scorer with 5 goals. Pavlović, Horvat and Kovačević have on the other side scored 2 each for Zagreb.

 

Vujović' half-time speech was obviously motivating with amazing Zagreb coming out of the locker room, Zagreb which was in front of this amazing crowd able to come so close to huge and become the first team which would beat Veszprem in Hungary this season. Less than a minute before the end scoreboard was saying 24:24 with Chema' goal, unfortunatelly for Zagreb's fans deciding the match. Momir Ilić and Roland Mikler were main reasons why surprise however did not happen today with Ilić scoring 5 goals most of which in the second half and Mikler finishing the match with 8 saves. Horvat was Zagreb's best scorer in the end with 4 goals, Obranović and Stepančić remarkable when it was most needed with 3 goals each.

 

 

VESELIN VUJOVIĆ, PPD Zagreb's coach:

- I'd firstly like to congratulate Veszprem on a well deserved victory and wish them luck in final. Defences were key as we've both stated before the match. We've had -4 more than a few times into the match and it is especially exhausting to catch them in front of their fans here in Veszprem. We were close in the end but didn't make it.

 

CARLOS ORTEGA, MKB-MVM Veszprem's coach:

- They've believed in victory from the beginning, that was visible. I was sure it will be very difficult for us. They were really close in the second half and we can be satisifed with this victory in the end. Real thriller.

 

LUKA ŠEBETIĆ, PPD Zagreb's player:

- We were really close but I have to say we've had our chances and that is also something. We've showed that we are a team coming back from -4 or 5 but unfortunatelly we did not manage to turn the match over.

 

GERGO IVANCSIK, MKB-MVM Veszprem's player:

- Spectators could see a very good match today, we've both fought really hard. It was obvious we've had more time to prepare opening the match really well but having problems in the end. Luckily we've managed to finish the match with a win today and proceed to final.

 

Photos from the match and press conference you can find on the following link.