GRK Ohrid Win EHF European Cup, Beat Tatabánya 31-25

GRK Ohrid Makes History: EHF European Cup Champions!

Having won the first leg by a single goal, GRK Ohrid claimed a 31-25 home victory over MOL Tatabánya in the second leg to win the EHF European Cup for the first time in the club's history. North Macedonia has now taken the trophy for a second consecutive year.

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| 31 May 2026, 23:29 2 min okuma read 0

In This Story

GRK Ohrid won the second leg 31-25 to claim the club's first-ever EHF European Cup title.
Kosuke Yasuhira top-scored with 9 goals, while goalkeeper Pilipović's first-half saves proved crucial.
North Macedonia became the second straight country to win the trophy, following Alkaloid last season.

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The 2025/26 EHF European Cup Men's season came to a close with a historic title for GRK Ohrid. Having won the first leg in Hungary by a single goal, the North Macedonian side lifted the trophy after beating MOL Tatabánya KC 31-25 in the second leg, played in front of a packed crowd at Sportska Sala Biljanini Izvori.

Ohrid closed the first half ahead 12-11, having built a 7-4 lead in the 14th minute. Although Tatabánya leveled the score and briefly took the lead thanks to a 5-1 run between the 16th and 22nd minutes, the home side's crowd support and goalkeeping performance proved decisive. Ohrid keeper Kristian Pilipović made 10 saves at a 47.6% save rate in the first half, while Kosuke Yasuhira was the match's top scorer with 9 goals from 12 attempts.

Opening the second half with three straight goals that ignited the arena, Ohrid then largely controlled proceedings. Tatabánya cut the deficit to two goals between the 45th and 50th minutes, but the hosts pulled away again with a 3-1 run and extended their lead in the closing stages to win the second leg 31-25. The match was also fiercely contested physically, with a total of eight suspensions shown in the second half alone, and Ante Ivanković was sent off with a red card in the 20th minute for striking an opponent in the face.

For Ohrid — refounded in 2011 and a club that had played just three matches in European competitions before this season — this is, quite literally, a fairy tale. The key to the title was their flawless form at home: the team won all seven matches they played on their own court in the competition.

With this result, North Macedonia became the country to win the EHF European Cup for a second consecutive year, following RK Alkaloid's triumph last season.

Ohrid's title is compelling proof that in modern European handball, budget alone doesn't decide outcomes. For a club refounded in 2011 that had played only three European matches before this season to reach the final and lift the trophy is an extraordinary achievement. The secret lay precisely in their flawless home record — a team that goes 7-for-7 at home always starts a two-legged final with an edge. In the second leg, goalkeeper Pilipović's 47% save rate in the first half neutralized Tatabánya's attacking threat and became the match's turning point. That the team held together despite Ivanković's early red card speaks to the mental resilience Boris Rojević has instilled. This victory is more than a trophy; it's a statement that North Macedonian handball's rise, which began with Alkaloid, is no longer a coincidence.