Podravka opened the Champions League with a defeat to Győr: European giant celebrated a 26:23 win in Koprivnica
Podravka opened the new EHF Champions League season with a defeat in front of its home supporters in Koprivnica. Györi Audi ETO KC, the reigning Hungarian champion and finalist of last season's edition of Europe's elite competition, won 26:23 on September 5 at the Josip Samaržija-Bepo hall, after leading 15:11 at halftime. The home team started the match well and took a 2:0 lead, but Győr took control of the score during the first half and created its biggest advantage early in the second half. Podravka managed to close the gap late in the game and reduce the deficit, but was unable to turn the match around completely. The European Handball Federation designated the encounter as the Match of the Week in the first round of Group B, while Győr extended its perfect record in head-to-head meetings with the Koprivnica club with the victory.
According to the report of the Croatian Handball Federation, the almost full hall in Koprivnica paid tribute before the start of the match with a minute of silence to the recently deceased journalist Dražen Pinević, a long-time chronicler of handball. What followed on the court was a match in which Podravka showed that it could compete with one of Europe's most decorated clubs, but also how costly turnovers and disruptions of rhythm can be in such encounters. In its post-match review, the EHF recorded 22 Podravka turnovers, while the Croatian Handball Federation report mentions 23 errors, indicating a difference in the statistical classification of individual situations. The emphasis in both sources is the same: the large number of errors was one of the decisive reasons why the home team failed to capitalize on its very good shooting efficiency. According to the EHF, Podravka finished the match with a 70 percent shooting efficiency, while Győr was at 52 percent.
Podravka took the lead, Győr responded quickly
The start of the match belonged to Podravka. The home handball players were awarded three seven-metre throws in the early stages of the encounter, converted two of them and the scoreboard showed 2:0. Győr had to wait four and a half minutes for its first goal, when Tjaša Stanko got the visiting team going, and a run of three goals soon produced a turnaround to 3:2. The Croatian Handball Federation states that this was preceded by three consecutive Podravka errors, which the Hungarian side converted into easy opportunities to change the rhythm of the match. Nevertheless, the home team did not fall apart after the first blow on the scoreboard, but stayed in touch and tried to respond to the depth of Győr's squad through a more disciplined positional attack.
The most important attacking figure for Podravka in the opening 30 minutes was Katarina Pandža. According to the EHF, she scored all six of her goals before the break, keeping the home team in the match during a period in which Győr gradually increased the pressure. On the other side, Slovenian international Tjaša Stanko, a former Podravka player from the 2019/2020 season, was particularly inspired. Stanko scored seven goals in the first half, five of them from seven-metre throws, and was crucial in building the visitors' advantage. Győr went into the break with a four-goal lead, 15:11, which, considering how the game had developed, was an important cushion for the second half.
The Hungarian team arrived in Koprivnica without several well-known names. Hungarian public broadcaster M4 Sport, citing the MTI news agency, reported that Linn Blohm, Veronica Kristiansen, Estelle Nze Minko, Sandra Toft and Bo van Wetering did not play. Despite the absences, coach Per Johansson had enough quality and depth to maintain a high tempo, particularly in defensive transition and after winning possession. Sarah Bouktit, a summer signing from Metz and the most valuable player of last season's EHF FINAL4 tournament, also entered the court in the 20th minute. This was her Champions League debut for Győr, and she finished the match with one goal.
Largest lead of eight goals in the 41st minute
Győr delivered its strongest scoring run in the first third of the second half. The visitors took advantage of Podravka's turnovers, reached attacking finishes more quickly and led 21:13 in the 41st minute. M4 Sport assessed that the Hungarian team effectively decided the match during the opening ten minutes or so of the second half, thanks to won balls and quick goals. At that point it seemed that the margin could grow even further, but Podravka responded with improved defence and contributions from its goalkeepers. The EHF particularly highlighted Lucija Bešen and Anica Gudelj, whose saves, including stopped seven-metre throws, helped produce a 3:0 run and bring the home team back into a more acceptable scoring range.
Podravka eventually won the second half 12:11, showing that it did not give up on attempting a comeback after falling eight goals behind. The closing stages were considerably more uncertain than the score in the 41st minute had suggested, and the home handball players managed to reduce the final margin to three goals. Nevertheless, Győr did not allow a complete turnaround. The visiting side's experience in matches at the highest European level, combined with the advantage built in the first half and early part of the second, was enough to control the final minutes. Podravka therefore remained without points, but against one of the main favourites of the competition it avoided a more convincing defeat and demonstrated quality that could prove important in the remainder of the group stage.
A statistical look further explains the unusual course of the match. According to data reported by M4 Sport, Podravka scored 23 goals from 33 shots, while Győr needed 50 attempts to score 26. The home team had seven seven-metre throws and converted five, while Győr scored six from eight. Podravka had a total of six penalty minutes, while Győr had eight. The large difference in the number of attempts on goal is directly connected to turnovers and the greater number of possessions that the visitors managed to turn into additional attacks.
Tjaša Stanko named player of the match, Pandža and Barišić led Podravka
The EHF named Tjaša Stanko player of the match. The Slovenian backcourt player finished the encounter with eight goals from 12 attempts and was the most efficient player on the court. In addition to her, Győr's attack was led by Emilie Hovden, Thale Rushfeldt Deila and Helena Elver with four goals each, while Bruna de Paula scored three. Kari Brattset Dale, Sarah Bouktit and Janka Zákányi added one goal each. Such a distribution of scoring demonstrated the depth of the Hungarian squad even on an evening when several regular players were unavailable.
For Podravka, Katarina Pandža and Tina Barišić were the leading scorers with six goals each. According to EHF statistics, Barišić converted all six of her shots into goals, while Pandža scored six times from ten attempts. Amelie Berger added three goals, Klara Birtić, Kala Kosovac and Mia Brkić two each, while Katja Vuković and Matea Šošo scored one apiece. M4 Sport also reports 12 saves by Lucija Bešen, whose contribution was particularly important during the period in which Podravka reduced the visitors' large advantage. Alongside Bešen, the EHF also highlighted Anica Gudelj for her saves in the second half.
Tina Barišić did not hide her disappointment over the missed opportunities after the match. In a statement published by the EHF, she stressed that she most regretted the mistakes made at the worst possible moments, but also that the team showed character by not allowing the opponent to pull away to a heavy defeat. She felt that after reducing the deficit there remained a sense that Podravka might have been able to achieve even more. On the other hand, Stanko said she was pleased that Győr had started the season with a victory, although she admitted that the Hungarian team had not played its best match. She also pointed out that the visitors had expected a difficult encounter because Podravka plays very tough handball on its home court.
Eleventh head-to-head meeting and eleventh Győr victory
The 26:23 result extended Győr's remarkably favourable record in matches against Podravka. Before this round, the two clubs had met ten times in the Champions League, from the 2007/2008 season through 2021, and the Hungarian team had won all ten matches. In its preview of the encounter, the EHF stated that Podravka came closest to earning points in October 2010, when it lost 27:25 in Győr. The best home result before this weekend was a 33:27 defeat in 2018, while Győr recorded its biggest victory with a 37:17 result one month later. Following Saturday's encounter, the Champions League record now stands at 11 Győr victories in 11 meetings.
However, the clubs had already become well acquainted before the start of the official season. In mid-August, Podravka stayed in Győr for a joint training session and a friendly match, which the hosts won 37:24 after leading 20:14 at halftime. Podravka's club report at the time emphasized that the match served as an important test during a demanding preparation period. Tjaša Stanko was Győr's leading scorer with eight goals, while Nataša Ljepoja led Podravka with five. Compared with that preparation match, a margin of only three goals in the official encounter demonstrates a considerably more competitive performance by the Koprivnica team.
Győr once again among the main title contenders
The strength of the opponent provides additional context for Podravka's defeat. Győr is the most successful club in the history of the women's EHF Champions League with seven titles. It won its first European title in the 2012/2013 season, defended it a year later, and then triumphed again in 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. Last season it came close to a third consecutive title but lost to French side Metz in the final. Ahead of the start of the 2026/2027 season, the EHF ranked Győr among the main favourites, and the team was further strengthened over the summer with the arrivals of Thale Rushfeldt Deila from Odense and Sarah Bouktit from Metz.
Podravka also has a deep European tradition. The Koprivnica club won the European championship title in the 1995/1996 season, one year after losing the final to Hypo Niederösterreich. In more recent times, the goal has been to firmly re-establish its presence among Europe's best teams. The EHF states that the 2026/2027 season is Podravka's 25th campaign in Europe's top club competition and its third consecutive one. In each of the previous two seasons, the club advanced from the group stage but was eliminated in the play-offs, so consistently collecting points against direct rivals will be important for another place in the knockout stage.
Domestic results also confirm the club's status in Croatian handball. According to the EHF, Podravka has 29 Croatian championship titles and 28 national cups, and has won the domestic double in each of the past three seasons. Győr has a similar level of dominance in Hungary, with 19 national championship titles and 16 cups. The encounter in Koprivnica was therefore a meeting between two clubs with long domestic traditions and European trophies, but with very different recent experience in the closing stages of the Champions League.
Group B leaves little room for mistakes
Podravka is in Group B together with Győr, Metz, Odense, Nykøbing Falster, HSG Blomberg-Lippe, Gloria Bistrita and Storhamar. The group stage is played over 14 rounds, giving each club seven home and seven away matches. The opening round already demonstrated the level of competition: in addition to Győr, defending champion Metz also opened with a victory, defeating Storhamar 32:23 in Norway. The remaining first-round Group B matches are played on September 6, so the complete initial picture of the standings will only take shape after they have been completed.
A demanding trip to Denmark is next for Podravka. According to the official EHF schedule and the previously published club calendar, the Koprivnica team plays Odense Håndbold on September 13 and then returns home on September 19 to face reigning European champion Metz. Such a schedule means there is no easier period for settling into the season after Győr. That is precisely why the performance against the Hungarian giant, although it brought no points, can serve as a benchmark for the level at which Podravka must play in order to collect points in the group.
The most important message of the opening round for Podravka is therefore not only the final 23:26 score. The team demonstrated efficiency in finishing attacks and managed to win the second half, but at the same time its large number of turnovers allowed Győr as many as 17 more shots on goal. Against an opponent with such individual quality, that surplus of possessions is almost always decisive. If Podravka reduces the number of technical errors, the goalkeeping performance and finishing efficiency it showed in Koprivnica provide a solid foundation for the European challenges ahead. The first opportunity to earn points comes in Denmark, against Odense.
Sources:
- European Handball Federation (EHF) - official match review, course of the encounter, statistics, statements and history of head-to-head meetings (link)
- European Handball Federation (EHF) - match preview and context regarding the clubs, squads, trophies and previous encounters (link)
- European Handball Federation (EHF) - opening-round preview and information on Podravka's previous Champions League seasons (link)
- Croatian Handball Federation - report from the match in Koprivnica and information on the opening of the encounter and the number of errors (link)
- RK Podravka - official group-stage schedule and information on the preparation match against Győr in August (link)
- RK Podravka - report from the preparation match played in Győr on August 14, 2026 (link)
- M4 Sport / MTI - match statistics, Győr's list of absentees and additional context about the encounter (link)