Two Danish sides and two German sides fight for the title at the EHF Finals Women

The Raiffeisen Sportpark in Graz will host the third edition of the EHF Finals Women, the business end of a busy season in the EHF European League Women, the second-tier club competition in the European handball pyramid.

After a long season, which saw 98 games played in the Qualification Rounds and in the competition proper, only four teams are still alive to fight for the trophy, with only one of the sides qualified for the EHF Finals Women having previously won the trophy, Ikast Handbold.

In fact, the final weekend of the competition will see two Danish sides – Ikast Håndbold and Nykobing Falster Håndbold – and two German sides – Thüringer HC and BV Borussia 09 Dortmund - fight for the coveted trophy.

Since the rebrand of the competition, which changed names from the Women’s EHF Cup to the EHF European League Women three seasons ago, Ikast Håndbold were the only side to make the EHF Finals Women each time, but fell at the first hurdle, conceding losses in the semi-final.

Now, the Danish side are primed to be one of the favourites to clinch the trophy, their third in history, which would see them tie rivals Viborg HK as the team with the highest number of titles in the competition, three.

Ikast are riding an eight-game winning streak, clearly dominating their opponents, as proven in the quarter-finals against former winners Siofok KC, the most lopsided quarter-final pairing, which saw Ikast take a 61:41 aggregate win.

Boasting some excellent talent in their squad, such as the top goal scorer of the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship, left back Julie Mathiesen Scaglione, Ikast will face Thüringer HC in the first semi-final, as the German side returns to the semi-final of a European competition for the first time since 2009, when they were runners-up in the EHF Women’s Challenge Cup.

Thüringer HC, who are coached by Herbert Müller, who is also the Austria women’s senior team coach, boast the best scorer in the competition, left back Annika Lott, who scored 74 goals so far this season.

The other German squad in the competition, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, have made it through to the EHF Finals Women after a turbulent season, which saw them needing a masterstroke of a comeback in the quarter-finals against Les Neptunes de Nantes after conceding a 19:28 loss in the first leg.

Backed by their excellent fans, Dortmund turned the tide and secured a 32:22 win on their home court to sail to the EHF Finals Women, with a 51:50 aggregate win. They have more experience than their opponents, Nykobing Falster Håndbold, who are in the semi-finals of an international competition for the first time in history.

Led by wing Elma Halilcevic, who scored 71 goals and will fight for the top goal scorer trophy this season, NFH dropped three games so far this season but emerged victorious after losing the first quarter-final against SCM Ramnicu Valcea, taking a 38:29 win to clinch a place in the EHF Finals Women.

The two semi-finals of the EHF Finals Women will take place in the Raiffeisen Sportpark Graz on Saturday, 13 May, at 15:30 CEST and 18:00 CEST, with the bronze medal game and the big final scheduled at the same times but on Sunday 14 May.

Danish sides will have a chance to seal their 10th title in the competition, a record, while Germany have five titles under their belt and with another title, the second consecutive one after SG BBM Bietigheim won it last season, can consolidate their third position in the all-time standings of the second-tier European competition.

Photo: Wolfgang Stummbillig