After their success of nine goals in the first leg, Nantes saw the Final Four of the European League escape them on the floor of Borussia Dortmund with a defeat of ten lengths (32-22).
The Neptunes experienced a real disillusionment! While the Nantes players had one foot in the Final Four of the European League after beating Borussia Dortmund by nine lengths last weekend, they saw qualification escape them after an incredible scenario. Thanks to Mari Bergum (1 goal from 3 shots) and Orlane Ondono (3 goals from 6 shots), Nantes immediately took the lead on the scoreboard but the Germans immediately replied with a 3-0 led by Zoë Sprengers (7 goals on 7 shots). The BVB widened the gap after a quarter of an hour thanks to a 4-0 concluded by Anna-Lena Hausherr (2 goals on 2 shots). Affected, the Nantes women did not give in to return to only two lengths when they returned to the locker room through Raïssa Dapina (1 goal from 1 shot). A good start to the second period even allowed the Neptunes to return to equality with Borussia Dortmund thanks to Nathalie Hagman (5 goals on 9 shots) less than four minutes after the restart. Nevertheless, the teammates of Dana Bleckmann (4 goals on 6 shots) and Alina Grijseels (10 goals on 13 shots) did not release the pressure on the Nantes defense and Adrianna Placzek (9 saves at 27% efficiency).
Spin 🌪️and shoot – Maraike Kusian scores for @BVB 👉 They still have a chance to qualify! #ehfel pic.twitter.com/4MWQafqerm
— EHF European League (@ehfel_official) March 26, 2023
Nantes cracked at the end of the match
While the gap has long fluctuated between one and three lengths, the situation began to change at the start of the last quarter of an hour. Indeed, the attack of the Loire-Atlantique club remained silent for nine long minutes and the BVB did not miss the opportunity to widen the gap. A 5-0 allowed the German club to take a seven-point lead, down to just two points in the aggregate of the two games. If Léna Grandveau (5 goals on 7 shots) maintained hope by bringing Nantes to six goals with less than four minutes to play, the end of the match turned into a nightmare for the Neptunes. Multiplying the blunders, the latter offered ammunition to Borussia Dortmund, which did not ask for so much. 22 seconds from the buzzer, Alina Grijseels allowed BVB to take a ten-goal lead and see the Final Four of the European League. Orlane Ahanda (0 goals on 2 shots) had the last ball but without catching the frame. Nantes leaves Germany with a defeat (32-22) which puts an end to its hopes of the second Final Four in three years (51-50), they who had won the European League in 2021.