HC Ohrid Finish Fairytale Season with EHF Cup Triumph
North Macedonia is celebrating another historic handball success! GRK Ohrid are the EHF Cup winners for the 2025/2026 season, repeating the achievement of Alkaloid from the previous campaign. The Macedonian side produced a remarkable result in their first serious European season, defeating Tatabánya 31:25 (12:11) in the second leg, after winning the first match 29:28, and finishing their European campaign with 11 victories and only one defeat. Celebrations on the shores of Lake Ohrid will last for days, while the names of this generation will remain forever written in the history of the city.
A packed “Biljanini Izvori”, with 3,500 fans in attendance, witnessed a tense first half in which nerves were visible on both sides. Arian Ando at one end and Kristijan Pilipović at the other were outstanding, both finishing the opening 30 minutes with a 47% save rate, which also reflected the shooting anxiety of the players. Everything Kosuke Yasuhira created with brilliant assists was cancelled out by the Hungarian goalkeeper, and Ohrid’s 7:4 and 8:5 leads disappeared after Ante Ivanković received a red card in the 19th minute.
The Hungarians took the lead through Plaza at 8:9 and then 9:10, before a 3:0 run from Strmljan, Jagurinovski and Taseski, inspired by the excellent Pilipović, gave Ohrid a 12:11 advantage at half-time.
What Boris Rojević’s players failed to convert in the first half, they managed to turn into goals at the start of the second — and it immediately showed on the scoreboard. Liapis struck for 15:11, while Savrevski made it 17:12 in the 35th minute. The same balance of power remained six minutes later, when Strmljan scored for 22:17.
Tatabánya, the third-best team in Hungary, refused to give up. With a 3:0 run, they kept the pressure on and came as close as 25:23 in the 51st minute. But Jagurinovski, Đukić and then Yasuhira pushed Ohrid to the brink of the trophy. The final five minutes began with Ohrid leading 28:24…
GRK Ohrid: Pilipović, Blazhevski, Yasuhira 9, Strmljan 6, Jagurinovski 4, Taseski 3, Liapis 2, Ojleski 1, Ivanković 1, Rey Morales 1, Savrevski 1, Đukić 1, Kjosevski 1, Pribetić 1, Kukulovski, Risteski, Kristian Pilipović 13 saves, Bojan Blazhevski.
Coach: Boris Rojević.
Tatabánya: Andó, Székely, Éles 5, Damatrin 4, Krakovszki 4, Sztraka 3, Toniazzo Lemos 3, Mosindi 2, Terjék 1, Plaza Jimenez 1, Taleski 1, Grigoraș 1, Papp, Rodríguez, Vajda, Zhitnikov, Arián Andó 16 saves, Márton Székely 1 save
