For the fourth successive time Team Esbjerg lost the semi-final in the Champions League.
Neither the tenth - nor the fourth time proved to be the breakthrough for Team Esbjerg's handball women. In the fourth attempt at the Champions League Final 4, they did not make it to the final, and in the tenth attempt they also failed to beat Györ.
In a close semi-final on Saturday in Budapest, Team Esbjerg lost to the defending champions 28-29 after 15-17 at halftime.
Both in 2022 and last year, Györ stopped Team Esbjerg in the semi-final, while the Hungarians also defeated the Danes in the fight for third spot in 2023.
Two minutes before the end, Elin Hansson could have restored parity from the wing to make it 28-28, but she missed, and instead Györ put the final nail in the Danish coffin.
A number of technical errors early in the match gave the Danes a slight deficit on the scoreboard, which haunted them throughout the first half.
Mette Tranborg in particular got off to a poor start, and Györ quickly punished the errors to put themselves in front 5-2.
Esbjerg also suffered from the fact that Danish national team goalkeeper Anna Kristensen struggled to contain the Hungarian shots on goal.
After no saves on nine Hungarian attempts, Amalie Milling got the chance between the posts, and it immediately paid off.
Despite Györ keeping Esbjerg's star Henny Reistad in check, the Danes maintained a good scoring rate, and with a couple of saves from Milling, Györ's lead was neutralized.
Sandra Toft also had a day to forget between the Hungarian posts and Henny Reistad was able to make it 13-13 four minutes before the break.
A couple of Danish mistakes in the last minutes of the half, however, meant that Györ could still go into the break with a two-goal lead.
The Danes then had a poor start to the second half, when Line Haugsted was sent off allowing the home side to take 19-15 lead.
Team Esbjerg never allowed the gap to get out of reach but every time there was a chance to restore parity, they made crucual mistakes or failed to score on Hatadou Saka, who had replaced Sandra Toft in the Hungarian goal.
In a last desperate attempt to get back in the game Team Esbjerg tried to play seven against six and managed to create a string of chances. But when Hansson missed the opportunity to make it 28-28 two minutes from time, the final dream was shattered. Again.