North Macedonia’s GRK Ohrid defeated Greece’s powerhouse Olympiacos to advance to the semifinals of the European Cup.
Oryd defeated Olympiacos SFP 31-26 (15-10 in the first half) in the quarterfinals of the 2025/26 EHF Men’s Handball European Cup at Tabányai Multifunkcionális Csarnok in Turbanja, Hungary, on March 28 (local time).
At the beginning of the game, the two teams had a shaky start, exchanging frequent turnovers. However, it was Oryd who found composure first. Ori led 10-7 around the 20th minute of the first half with a much more sophisticated shooting success rate than his opponent, and at the end of the first half, he widened the gap to 15-10, five points.
사진 확대 Photo by 2025/26 EHF Men’s Handball European Cup Odd and Olympiacos match, photo source = European Handball Federation
Olympiacos’ counterattack in the second half was also formidable. Olympiacos changed their defensive tactics and kept Orid’s score tied for about five minutes, and around the 19th minute of the second half, they chased up to 23-20 and three points to increase the pressure level.
At the moment of desperation, O’Rid’s temperament shone. Goalkeeper Christian Pilipovic made a thrilling save at every critical moment, making a total of 16 saves, keeping the team’s back door firmly. In the attack, Ante Ivankovic scored a valuable point in the match to regain a five-point lead.
Orrid led the attack with Anté Ivankovicé and Nikolaos Lipis scoring seven goals each, while Tilen Strmljan and Gianfranco Pribetic added four goals each to help the team win.
On the other hand, Olympiacos struggled with ace Savvas Savvas scoring as many as 14 goals, but it was not enough to prevent the team’s defeat. Nikolaos Passias and Thomas Valentin Canete scored four goals each, and goalkeeper Diogo Valério made only seven saves.
With this victory, Oryd is ready for the second game with five goals to spare. In particular, the even scoring distribution of the main players and the overwhelming presence of goalkeeper Filipovic are further brightening the possibility of advancing to the semifinals.
[Kim Yongpil, MK Sports Reporter]