Seats for the group phase secured after thrilling weekend

In total, 11 clubs secured their spots in the group phase of the EHF European League Women 2024/25 after the qualification round 3 ties: Sola HK — the first team to qualify after a double-header last weekend — KGHM MKS Zaglebie Lubin, Larvik, ATTICGO Bm Elche, JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball, BV Borussia Dortmund, Thüringer HC, HSG Blomberg-Lippe, SCM Ramnicu Valcea, Super Amara Bera Bera and Paris 92.

• the Polish champions KGHM MKS Zaglebie Lubin nullified IK Sävehof's two-goal advantage from the first leg, as the Lubin-based club mounted a full comeback on home soil and secured a four-goal win (27:23) in Poland and an overall victory (55:53) in the tie
• unlike KGHM MKS Zaglebie Lubin, MKS FunFloor Lublin fell short in the bid to defend their four-goal advantage in Spain, as Super Amara Bera Bera displayed an impressive performance to celebrate a six-goal win (26:20) and to book a ticket for the EHF European League's group phase for the first time, on their fifth attempt
• in the German derby, HSG Blomberg-Lippe proved too good for TUSSIES Metzingen once again, as Nieke Kühne and her teammates recorded an away win (35:27) in Metzingen to celebrate making history in style, while BV Borussia Dortmund noted an away win (37:23) against DHK Banik Most to secure a return in the EHF European League's group stage after a one-year absence
• reigning EHF European Cup winners ATTICGO Bm Elche successfully defended their fortress, as the Spanish club came off victorious in the tie (60:49) against HC Lokomotiva Zagreb, with a second win (32:28) on home soil in the return leg, and so did Paris 92 against H 65 Höörs HK, although by a slightly bigger margin (63:48)
• DVSC Schaeffler made a late attempt to mount a full comeback in the return leg against SCM Ramnicu Valcea in Debrecen, but the Rasmus Poulsen-led squad resisted their attempts and celebrated another win (31:28) and a return to the group stage for the first time since 2022/23
• JDA Bourgogne Dijon Handball strolled to another comfortable win (26:17) against ZRK Zrinski Cakovec in Croatia and secured a place in the EHF European League's group phase for the first time in the French club's history, with a dominant overall victory (69:29) in the tie; Thüringer HC followed in Dijon's footsteps by cruising to a second win (34:29) in their tie against Vác in Hungary

The old (winning) habits die hard

The former EHF Champions League champions Larvik left KPR Gminy Kobierzyce's passionate supporters disappointed, as they secured a dramatic and high-scoring win in the tie (73:72 on aggregate), via a penalty shootout in Poland. The Kobierzyce-based club successfully erased Larvik's minimal one-goal advantage from the first leg in regular time (39:38) to send the match into a thrilling penalty shootout, in which Maja Furu Sæteren and her colleagues came out as winners, after converting five penalties from five attempts, unlike the hosts who missed one. The left back scored 14 goals, including one in the penalty shootout, to lead Larvik to the EHF European League's group stage, while Kobierzyce's Magdalena Drazyk scored one more (15), but her team will have to wait for another chance to write history.

Photos © Super Amara Bera Bera (main), Michał Ciechanowicz/KPR Gminy Kobierzyce (in-text)