Israel's Ramat Gan reach women's handball European Cup last-16

JERUSALEM, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli club Maccabi Arazim Ramat Gan reached the last 16 of the EHF women's European Cup after a 37-31 home win over WHC Cair-Skopje on Saturday evening.

The Israeli team thus completed an aggregate victory over the North Macedonians after a 33-30 win in the first-leg match six days earlier in Skopje.

The first half of the second-leg match, played at the Ohel Shem hall in the central city of Ramat Gan, ended 16-15 for Arazim.

Then, goals by Yulia Khavronina and Keren Teplitsky gave the hosts a 27-20 lead in the 42nd minute, securing the spot in the next phase of the tournament.

Teplitsky score eight goals for Ramat Gan, while Khavronina added seven more. Teodora Gulicoska collected game-high 12 goals for Skopje.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli AS Ramat Hasharon defeated the Czech Cup holder Talent Plzen 39-28 in the first-leg match in the third round of the EHF men's European Cup at Oranim Hall in the central city of Ramat Hasharon.

Serbian left back Ivan Mosic scored a game-high 12 goals for Ramat Hasharon, while his teammate Tal Hershkowitz added six more. Nikola Kosteski scored a team-high six goals for Plzen.

The second-leg will be played at the same venue on Sunday, just 24 hours after the first match, and the winner on aggregate will advance to the last-16.