Though Kinef Kirishi targeted the Euro League title as usual, but after failing to reach that Final Four its European campaign still ended on a high note as the Russian super team won the LEN Trophy. It’s the first ever for them in this competition, a fine addition to their EL victories from 2017 and 2018.
LEN Trophy Final: CN Mataro Goufone
(ESP) v Kinef Surgutneftegas Kirishi (RUS) 8-10.
Bronze medal match: Lifebrain SIS
Roma (ITA) v AstralpoolSabadell (ESP) 5-11
Two three-goal surges from Kirishi
proved to be decisive in the final, though Mataro fought bravely to keep the
Russians under pressure but did not have a real chance to cause an upset.
The Spaniards stunned the Russians in
the opening period as they managed to shut them out for the entire eight
minutes. Kirishi needed 10:26 minutes to start scoring but once they settled in
the final they netted three in a span of 2:42 minutes to go 2-4 up from 2-1. It
stood 3-4 at halftime, then came the second ‘lethal’ rush, this time the three
goals flushed in within 100 seconds to give the Russians a 3-7 lead.
Mataro wasn’t done though, two goals
in the last 40 seconds in the third gave them some hope and indeed they could
reduce the gap to a single goal at 7-8, then at 8-9. But Kirishi responded
quite well, earned 6 on 5s in the next possessions on both occasions and put
them away. When Bella Markoch found the back of the net 54 seconds from time
for 8-10, it was inevitably the winning touch: Kirishi could clinch its third
European title in five years.
Credits go to Mataro as they could
force a much tighter contest than Sabadell had done in the semis, despite the
fellow Spanish club had been considered a bigger threat to Kirishi. Before the
final, Sabadell got some consolation in the bronze medal match, they didn’t
leave any chance for Roma.
Quotes Final
Dani Ballart, coach, Mataro: “In a
final you have to be perfect and we almost were during three periods and a
half, but some little mistakes, our inexperience and the pressure of the moment
led us to lose the match at the end. But if we saw all the history of Kirishi
and we compare it to ours, I think we have to be satisfied with our game today
and we have to understand that we are doing a great season.”
Marta Bach, captain, Mataro: “Now is
hard to understand and accept that we had an incredible match. We show a good
water polo and in this match the defense was the key. We finished this European
trip by completing a good job and now we would like to focus on the job our
club is doing for us and for water polo.”
Evgeniya Ivanova, player, Kirishi:
“The match was very exciting and we are very satisfied because this is a very
prestigious tournament. Both teams wanted to be in this final, but today we
were better than Mataro. We are very happy to return to Russia with this
trophy, so we will play for the European Super Cup. Also, I would like to add
that this is our first Len Trophy, so we made history.”
Bronze medal match
David Palma, coach, Sabadell: “Today
we are satisfied. We wanted to play a good match to finish with a big victory
against a great team in a European competition. We are happy with this third
position, despite we would have liked to reach the final. Yesterday we didn’t
play a great match and Kirishi overcame us, that’s how sport works.”
Maica Garcia, captain, Sabadell: “We
are happy with the match we played. I think we started really strong. We wanted
to win this bronze to finish the European competitions with good feelings.
Today we will enjoy this medal, but from tomorrow we have to focus on the
national league.”
Marco Capanna, coach, Roma: “This
match was better than the one yesterday. Our players were a little bit sad and
tired, and though I expected to see a more powerful performance, I still want
to recognise the soul and the attitude they showed during every minute of the
game. We will come back to the European competition and our next campaign is
going to be better!”
Results, stats, rosters and more http://len.microplustiming.com/LENtrophy2021/indexCL_web.php?cal=1
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