Favourites make no mistake Women's Champions League, Qualification Round – Summary

 

Favourite sides advanced, all but one representative of the women’s powerhouse nations reached the next round, only Spain’s Terrassa was dropped to the Euro Cup prelims.

Hungarian and Greek clubs achieved a perfect 3/3 in advancing, just like Italy and the Netherlands with 2/2, only the Spaniards ‘lost’ one of the three teams entered to the qualification round.

Only Mataro (ESP) and SIS Roma (ITA) could post a perfect record of winning all four matches, and they achieved that in style gaining multiple-goal victories in each of their matches. In two other groups the eventual top finishing sides, Glyfada (GRE) and Padova (ITA) suffered one loss en route respectively, however, still finished first and that secures them better seedings for the draw.

The only elite ‘drop-out’, CN Terrassa (ESP) lost an epic match to Eger (HUN) 13-14 and drew with ZV De Zaan (NED). Here they led 9-8, then had to come back from 9-11 which they did but the equaliser came way too late, with 0:01 on the clock. The French didn’t enjoy good days either, all four clubs were derailed to continue their respective journeys in the Euro Cup.

The draw for the prelims will be made on Monday, the first pot will feature Olympiacos (GRE), Sabadell (ESP), UVSE (HUN) and Orizzonte (ITA), while the advancing twelve shall be seeded according to the ranks they obtained this weekend. (The teams will be drawn into four groups of four to play one usual three-day tournament, the top two will qualify for the quarter-finals, while the teams finishing 3rd and 4th respectively will continue in the Euro Cup prelims, together with the eight sides having finished 4th and 5th now.)

For more details, stats, play-by-play, visit https://www.len.eu/disciplines/water-polo/len-champions-league-women/

 

Qualification Round, final rankings

Group A (Pacos de Ferreira, POR)

1. CN Mataro (ESP) 12, 2. Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) 9, 3. ZVL 1886 (NED) 6, 4. Olympic Nice (FRA) 3, 5. Pacence (POR) 0

Group B (Glyfada, GRE)

1. NC Glyfada (GRE) 9, 2. Tigre Eger (HUN) 9, 3. ZV De Zaan (NED) 7, 4. CN Terrassa (ESP) 4, 5. Grand Nancy (FRA) 0

Group C (Lille, FRA)

1. Plebiscito Padova (ITA) 9, 2. CE Mediterrani Barcelona (ESP) 9, 3. FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) 9, 4. UA Lille (FRA) 3, 5. Sirens ASC Malta (MLT) 0

Three-way tie, goal differences: Padova +3, Mediterrani 0, FTC –3

Group D (Rome, ITA)

1. SIS Roma (ITA) 12, 2. Dunaujvarosi Foiskola (HUN) 9, 3. Ethnikos Piraeus (GRE) 6, 4. Mulhouse WP (FRA) 3, 5. Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 0

 

Draw for the men’s Challenger Cup

On the occasion of the men’s Super Cup final in Sabadell, the draw for the Challenger Cup quarter-finals have been made.

Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) v Galatasary Istanbul (TUR)

Enka Istanbul (TUR) v Het Ravijn (NED)

SC Ludwigsburg 08 (GER) v CN Terrassa (ESP)

Tenerife Echeyde (ESP) v SKP Kosice (SVK)

Playing dates: 25 January and 8 February in 2023