The Danish champions from Odense Handball continue the straight path to victory in this year’s basic game.
With a big-playing national team goalkeeper Althea Reinhardt in the goal, the Fyn residents tamed Viborg HK away, which Odense beat in the DM finals last season. The victory on Wednesday was 28-21.
Thus, Odense moves closer to victory in the basic game. With 21 victories in 22 matches, the team has 42 points. Fynboeren is missing four games in the basic game.
Team Esbjerg has in second place 37 points for one game less.
But back to Wednesday’s great experience in Vibocold Arena. Althea Reinhardt was a regular nightmare for the home team throughout the 60 minutes.
Ten minutes into the second half, she flirted with a save percentage of a superb 50. Only a slight lack of concentration, when the match was decided, allowed Viborg to shoot her ‘down’ at just over 42 percent in the end.
The bouncing wall’s great play especially affected several of the national team colleagues, whom Reinhardt had apparently looked completely out of.
Backs Kristina Jørgensen and Line Haugsted burned a total of 9 of 15 attempts on the national team mate, while Lærke Nolsøe from the left wing had to watch Reinhardt win 4 of 7 direct duels.
Kristina Jørgensen actually scored only on a penalty throw. Four finishes in open play were all burned.
It was after about ten minutes of play that Reinhardt had really taken a look at the opponents.
From the position 5-5, Viborg had big problems passing the 25-year-old goalkeeper. This gave the champions a small lead, which towards the break was extended to 15-11.
Viborg never managed to find the key to Althea Reinhardt’s goal, and therefore the visitors simply extended the lead after the break.
In Ikast, Silkeborg-Voel was close to delivering a surprise against last season’s bronze winners from Herning-Ikast.
The visitors were ahead with three goals 12 minutes before time, but the home team raised the level in the final phase and took an expected but narrow victory of 28-27.
It was also expected that the basic game’s instant twos, Team Esbjerg, would take both points home from the away game against Horsens Elite.
That made the Westerners convincing with a 33-22 victory. Since the defeats in rounds one and two, Jesper Jensen’s troops have won 18 matches and played a single draw.
Randers HK won at home with 30-26 against Holstebro, while Aarhus United snatched the two points on their own half floor against Skanderborg with a victory of 32-28.
Finally, it also became a home victory, when Ringkøbing appeared Ajax Copenhagen with 40-28.