ebt drama reaches boiling point ahead of final day

The two-time reigning champions in the women's competition, the Danish Beachhandball Dream, were eliminated after securing only one win in the group stage, which means a new club is destined to take their crown on Sunday.

In the men's competition, last year's runners-up, BHC Zagreb, were on the verge of elimination after going a set down in the quarter-finals, but managed to mount a comeback, win the second set and then win the penalty shootout against Feyenoord Handball to continue their journey.

Men's competition:

• 12Monkeys Köln BHC (GER) and Feyenoord Handball (NED) topped group A and group B, respectively, with both clubs securing five wins and suffering one loss each, displaying impressive performances throughout the group stage
• 24-year-old Javier Delgado Sanchez scored 100 points for Zacaloo BMP Parla and is the top scorer after the first three days of competition, while Maris Jansons-Buls (London Beach Handball) contributed 99 points
• on day 3, in the final round of the group stage, five matches were decided in a shootout
• BHC Zagreb (CRO) became the first club to secure a place in the semi-finals after overcoming the difficult challenge from Feyenoord Handball (NED) in the quarter-finals, 2:1. Their opponents in the next stage will be Salazones Herpac BMP Barbate, who dominated the Spanish derby against Zacaloo BMP Parla 2:0
• the fourth-placed club in group B, Escola de Formação de Espinho - Os Tigres / LEVEL (POR) surprised the group A leaders 12Monkeys Köln BHC (GER) in the quarter-finals, with a shootout win to set up a semi-final against Niterói Rugby FC (IRL), whose women’s side also reached the semi-finals

Women's competition:

• the OVB Beach Girls Salgotarjan cruised through group B. The Hungarian club recorded six wins from six matches and were the only side to take a perfect record to the conclusion of the group stage
• CAIPIranhas Bartenbach (GER) and Balonmano Playa Alcalá (ESP) dominated group A with identical record — five wins and one loss — but the German side had a superior head-to-head record after they defeated the Spanish club, 2:0, on day 2
• Lavinia Soares de Lima (Niterói Rugby FC) scored 113 points up to the end of Saturday's games, with five other players in the women's competition reaching the 100-point mark 
• Niterói Rugby FC (IRL) shocked CAIPIranhas Bartenbach in the quarter-finals, as the Irish club, who finished fourth in group B, secured a 2:1 victory against the group A leaders via the shootout route. In the semi-finals, they will meet AD IA Sports (POR), who escaped a dramatic finish against Multichem Szentendrei NKE (HUN) with a last-gasp goal to win 2:0
• in the quarter-final stage, the OVB Beach Girls Salgotarjan extended their unbeaten run as the Hungarian club defeated Kononierky Team Slovakia 2:0 to set up a semi-final against CBMP Ciudad de Málaga (ESP), who eliminated Balonmano Playa Alcalá in the all-Spanish quarter-final 2:0
• the Czech Lioness (CZE) and Lacanau Beach Handball (FRA) were the only teams that failed to win a single set and ended the group stage winless

Both the men's and women's competitions continue with the semi-finals, finals and consolation rounds on Sunday, starting at 9:00 CEST, with all matches streamed live on EHFTV. The vote for the All-star Team is currently open, until Sunday 16 June at 14:00 CEST. Have your say in choosing the best of the ebt Finals 2024 below!