Dobele's Tenax to Play Both EHF European Cup Round 2 Matches in Serbia
Latvian handball champions ZRHK Tenax Dobele face Serbia's RK Dubočica 54 over two legs on 18 and 19 October in Leskovac in the second round of the EHF European Cup. Both games will be played in Serbia for financial reasons.
ZRHK Tenax Dobele, a handball club from Dobele, Latvia, and an eleven-time Latvian champion and two-time Latvian Cup winner, begins its 2026/27 EHF European Cup campaign on Saturday and Sunday, 18 and 19 October. The EHF European Cup is a European club handball competition. Dobele enter at the second round, where they meet Serbian top-flight club RK Dubočica 54 over two legs. The winner on aggregate advances to the third round.
Both matches will be held in the Serbian city of Leskovac, with throw-off at 20:00 Latvian time. They will be broadcast live on the EHFTV platform.
Why both games are in Serbia
Club representative Dainis Putra said that playing one home and one away game requires substantial financial resources, so the club made the difficult decision to play both matches in Serbia. The arrangement with the Serbian side saved money that will go toward both Dobele teams competing in the Latvian and Baltic championships. The club has also revived its second team this season.
Putra acknowledged that two games in two days against the same opponent, away from home, will not be easy, but said the team is not going there to lose. He suggested the format could even help, since the second game allows a team to make better use of the opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Last weekend in the Baltic League, Dobele played away against Estonian and Finnish clubs and won convincingly against HC Cocks on the second day.
The opponent and recent history
Head coach Sandris Veršakovs said Dubočica finished among the top four in the Serbian championship last season. In round one of the European Cup, the Serbian side beat Austria's Alpla Hard 34:33 and 34:32. Veršakovs said it is a pity not to play at home but hopes supporters will back the team from a distance.
Dobele have reached the European Cup third round twice, in 2020/21 and 2021/22. They have failed to get past round two in the last four seasons, losing to Czech club Talent tým Plzeňského kraje, to Bosnia and Herzegovina's RK Leotar twice, and last season to MRK Sloga from Doboj. Last year they lost the away leg in Doboj 31:41 and won the home leg 34:33, which was not enough on aggregate.
