After a match of twists and turns,
Ferencvaros claimed a single-goal win in UVSE’s home in the first leg of the
Euro Cup Women final. They scored the winner 46 seconds from time, but only the
second game on Wednesday will decide which team from Budapest shall lift the
trophy.
Euro Cup Women Final, 1st leg: UVSE
Budapest (HUN) v FTC-Telekom Budapest (HUN) 8-9
2nd leg: 29 March
After almost half a century, the
93-year-old indoor pool of the world-famous Alfred Hajos Complex at the
Margaret Island hosted a European cup final again. Back in the 70s, Hungary’s
top men’s clubs chased continental silverware here – now two female sides, both
from Budapest, clashed for the Euro Cup Women trophy. Though Ferencvaros were
considered the favourites as they held a commanding 4-0 lead in the season’s
head-to-head against their arch-rival, the match never saw them dominating.
In the opening eight minutes the
hosts netted two goals from extras while Ferencvaros responded from action, so
it was all even at 2-2. FTC had a better spell in the first half of the second,
a fine man-up play and a penalty gave them a 2-4 lead while UVSE needed almost
four minutes to add another goal. After missed woman-ups at both ends, Greta
Gurisatti’s blast reset the two-goal gap, but Rozalia Irmes found the back of
the net three seconds before the middle break to make it 4-5.
Again, the home side went through
some struggling early in the third, missed a penalty and 6 on 5, while Dora
Leimeter’s fine lob doubled FTC’s lead once more. Seasoned veteran Gabriella
Szucs stepped up in UVSE’s next extra and delivered a pinpoint shot, and two
minutes later Natasa Rybanska also had a great finish from a nice set-up for 6-6.
At this phase FTC lost some composure in front, they were unable to put the
ball away and needed some fine defending in a woman-down to prevent their rival
from taking the lead late in this period.
Then, after another wasted 6 on 5,
they could finally score from the following one, to halt their scoreless run
after 6:48 minutes. Still, in 21 seconds UVSE levelled again at 7-7, from an
extra. Despite they couldn’t make the next one, soon Panna Szegedi converted a
penalty for 8-7, and UVSE led for the first time since 1-0. Not for long,
though, as luck, or rather millimetres took the visiting team’s side – Anna
Illes-Simon’s shot barely crossed the virtual line, but the refs called it a
goal (there is no VAR in the Euro Cup). Then UVSE goalie Alda Magyari came up
with a big save in a woman-down inside the last minute, again, the ball just
barely touched the rope for a corner, and FTC managed to score from the second
attempt, Dalma Domsodi sent it home from close after a fine assist with 46
seconds from time. The hosts had a last shot, this time the ball hit the
crossbar, bounced on the line but never crossed it, so Ferencvaros kept the
single-goal advantage for the return leg.
How they saw it
Marton Benczur, coach, UVSE
“Congrats to FTC, they won it by one
goal somehow. It was a balanced game, nothing has been decided, there are four
more quarters to play. We need to use our scoring chances with a lot better
percentage. We were on the same level this time, we just need to shoot way-way
better. That’s all, it was just one game, and correct me if I’m wrong but the
trophy hasn’t been handed over today, right?”
Gyorgy Gerendas, coach, FTC
“This wasn’t the same UVSE we bead
four times earlier in the season. They really stepped up, for them – just like
for us – these two matches are the top ones in this year. It was a great game,
hats off for both teams. It was very tough, but not rough match, very physical,
shooters were pushed far from the goal, that’s why you saw so many balls
hitting the woodwork. There were many missed chances and there were many lucky
goals, perhaps we scored more of those – I guess my colleague Marton Benczur’s
hair got whiter this evening a bit, mine did not because it cannot get any
whiter… It sounds great that we go back home with a goal advantage, but in
reality, it means nothing – I’m expecting a huge and very similar game on
Wednesday.”
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