Kielce set to roll on, Szeged lock horns with Vardar

The fourth round in the VELUX EHF Champions League Group B offers two evenly-balanced contests and a couple of encounters where the home teams are strong favourites.

Kielce look poised to celebrate a fourth successive win when they entertain Celje and Rhein-Neckar Löwen are also expected to come out on top against IFK Kristianstad on home court.

Closer battles are expected when Zagreb take on Meshkov Brest in the Croatian capital and especially in the section’s derby, with Vardar up against Szeged in the iconic Jane Sandanski Arena.

Kielce look unstoppable in the group phase Wounded Lions at home to IFK Zagreb still searching for first points Vardar and Szeged in this week’s clash of the titans

Rhein-Neckar Löwen (GER) vs IFK Kristianstad (SWE) Wednesday, 18.30 hrs local time, live on ehfTV

The German champions were on the receiving end of one of the biggest group phase shocks in recent memory, having lost to Meshkov Brest 30:28 in the previous round.

The result and the performance underlined chinks in Rhein-Neckar Löwen’s armour, which IFK Kristianstad will be eager to exploit when the two sides clash in Frankfurt in the round’s curtain-raiser.

The meeting with the Swedish side will bring back mixed memories for Löwen, who suffered a stinging 32:29 defeat to IFK last season before they avenged the setback with a 29:20 win on home court.

The Lions from Mannheim, with their pride wounded by last weekend’s defeat in Belarus, are expected to roar back against Kristianstad and anything less than two points would signal a crisis.

In contrast, the visitors will be buoyed by their 29:22 home rout of Zagreb which meant they chalked up their first VELUX EHF Champions League points of the season.

Albin Lagergren shone with a game-high nine goals, by some way his best performance and biggest scoring tally in European competition, hence the Swedish side can count on another potent attacker alongside Jerry Tollbring and Tim Sorensen. KS Vive Tauron Kielce (POL) vs RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO) Saturday, 18:00 hrs local time; live on ehfTV

The VELUX EHF Champions League holders showed nerves of steel and resilience akin only to true champions in grinding out a 29:27 win at Szeged, when they wiped out a three-goal deficit in the second half.

It was their …

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