HB Ludwigsburg looked set to win the first quarterfinal match. But then Győr’s Sandra Toft woke up. The Danish goalkeeper put on a stellar performance, and the Hungarian team secured a one-goal victory.
– She (Sandra Toft) saved everything, which allowed us to win the match, said coach Per Johansson after the game.
With seven minutes left to play, Ludwigsburg led the first Champions League quarterfinal 24–22. But then it all stopped.
Sandra Toft saved every shot that came her way, and Győr managed to turn the game around. The final score was 24–25.
– I think in the first half we managed to break down Ludwigsburg’s defense quite well with our attacks, even though we missed some clear scoring chances. The defensive problems actually started in the first half – we had good control on the left side, but the opponents played really well on the right wing. After the break, Sandra stepped up and delivered an outstanding performance – she saved everything, which allowed us to win the match. Of course, Bundsen was also fantastic in the other goal, Johansson told Győr’s website.
Toft finished the game with a 45% save rate. The top scorer of the match was Győr’s Bruna de Paula with seven goals.
Saturday’s other quarterfinal was played between Brest and Metz. The visiting team Metz won the French showdown 26–29, largely thanks to Anna Vyakhireva, who scored eight goals.