Valur wrote history in this season’s EHF European Cup Men, becoming the first team from Iceland to secure the trophy in the third-tier European competition, after a 62:61 aggregate win against Greek side Olympiacos in the double-header played in the final.

With an interesting mix of youth and experience, boasting two of the players which earned the bronze medal at the 2023 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship, Benedikt Gunnar Óskarsson and Andri Finnsson, Valur had an excellent competition, delivering some perfect-pitch performances on their way to the trophy.

Valur’s journey started from Round 1, when they secured a 60:52 aggregate win against Granitas-Karys, 60:52, while in Round 2 they beat Estonian side Polva Serviti, 71:57 on aggregate.

Their winning streak continued with two matches in Round 3, against Ukrainian side HC Motor, with a 68:59 aggregate win, as their trademark attacking style worked wonders to bring Valur towards the best 16 teams in the competition.

With players like Björgvin Páll Gústavsson and Alexander Pettersson in the squad, both silver medallists at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Valur eliminated Serbian side HC Metaloplastika Elixir Šabac, with a 57:54 aggregate win, extending their winning run to eight matches.

In both the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, the Icelandic side eliminated Romanian opposition, first CSA Steaua București, 72:65 on aggregate, and then former finalists CS Minaur Baia Mare, 66:52 on aggregate, sealing a spot in the final for the first time in history.

Their opponents were Olympiacos, the Greek side that dominated until the last act, eliminating Slovenian side MRK Krka in the quarter-finals, 56:45 on aggregate, and FTC-Green Collect in the semi-finals, 67:60 on aggregate.

In the battle between two previously unbeaten sides, Valur drew first blood, with Benedikt Gunnar Óskarsson scoring 10 times on the way to a 30:26 win for Valur, which set up a do-or-die clash in the second leg.

There, Olympiacos managed to turn the result on its head, as Savvas Savvas added 10 goals to his excellent performance in the first leg, sealing a 31:27 win, which meant that on aggregate, the score was tied, 57:57, with the title decided on penalties.

Savvas, the top scorer of the competition, with 81 goals, missed the decisive penalty, as Valur celebrated wildly the win on penalties, lifting the trophy for the first time and becoming the first Icelandic team to clinch the EHF European Cup Men.

Photo credit: EHF / Eurokinissi Sports.