The women’s team of ŽRK Zrinski were defeated in the preliminary round of the EHF European League by Sport Lisboa e Benfica, 31-16 (18-6). The match was played in Lisbon, at the City Sports Hall, in front of 1,500 spectators.
It was clear from the first 30 minutes who would take the win. Benfica went into the break with a 12-goal lead, leaving the Chakovec women with an almost impossible task in the second half.
The Chakovec women, according to available data, played very poorly, particularly in the defensive phase. In attack, they recorded 11 technical errors, which further complicated their attempt to return to the match.
The result was sealed in the second half, with the outcome for the Chakovec side becoming clear before the scheduled return leg, which takes place next Saturday.
The most effective player for the home side was Ramos Sequira, with 6 goals. In the ranks of Zrinski, Petika scored 5 goals, while Grgović and Rumek each added three goals.
The match was officiated by Raifs Persis and Aleksanders Radceko from Latvia, with Thierry Botti from France serving as the match delegate. Benfica were led by coach Carla Teixeira, while Zrinski were led by coach Neven Hrupec.
