Three teams ruled the past eight
editions: Sabadell won four titles, Olympiacos and Kirishi claimed two apiece –
and these three sides will have another shot at the trophy as each advanced to
the Final Four with double wins in the quarter-finals. The fourth berth is to
be decided next week.
Euro League, Quarterfinals, 2nd leg
Dunaujvarosi Foiskola (HUN) v
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 7-10 (aggregate: 16-24)
Astralpool Sabadell (ESP) v Ethnikos
Piraeus (GRE) 8-6 (agg: 21-14)
UVSE-Hunguest Hotels (HUN) v Kinef Kirishi
(RUS) 7-11 (agg: 14-19)
Uralochka Zlaoust (RUS) v Plebiscito
Padova (ITA) to be played on 3 March in Belgrade (1st leg: 11-8)
Among the mighty trio, Kirishi faced
the toughest test as it won by a single goal at home against UVSE. And the
Russians seemed to get into trouble in the second period when the hosts jumped
to a 4-1 lead. However, Kirishi responded well while the Magyars’ edge gone in
offence. Tatiana Zubkova hit two inside the last minute in the third which was
a real stunner as Kirishi was trailing up until that point but now they led 5-6
before the last period. UVSE managed to equalise from its first possession, but
two goals in 61 seconds from the Russians did the damage. The home side pulled
one back but remained scoreless in the last five minutes while the Russians
added three more in the last 100 seconds so after missing the cut last year,
they return to the big stage again.
Olympiacos and Sabadell had already
secured their respective berths by five-goal blasts in the first leg, and they
made a clean job in the return games too. In the re-match of last seasons’
final Olympiacos downed Dunaujvaros in the away encounter too. The Greeks built
a three-goal lead by halftime and maintained that gap till the end.
Sabadell’s clash with Ethnikos was a
bit tighter, the Greeks came back from 3-1 to 5-5 but a double in 52 seconds
late in the third reset the two-goal cushion and Sabadell didn’t give it away
any more.
By Saturday, an agreement has been
reached that the second leg of the fourth duel between Uralochka and Padova
will be played in Belgrade (SRB) on 3 March (exact timing to be announced). For
detailed stats, play-by-play, visit http://www.len.eu/?p=19158
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