Two Hungarian teams (Vasas and BVSC) and two Italian sides (Telimar and Ortigia) recorded victories on Day 1 of the LEN Euro Cup Qualification Round 2.
All four teams continued their winning streaks that began in the first round last week.
2021/22 LEN Euro Cup, Qualification Round 2, Day 1
Group E (Palermo)
Sabac – BVSC 7:8 (2:4, 3:2, 1:1, 1:1)
Sabac:Markovic 2, Koptsev 2, Sulc 2, Stanic 1.
BVSC: Pasztor 3, M.Nagy 2, Irmes 1, Csapo 1, Agh 1.
Telimar – Strasbourg 14:10 (4:2, 4:3, 4:3, 2:2)
Telimar Palermo: Del Basso 4, Basic 4, Marziali 2, Turchini 1, Occhione 1, Vlahovic 1, Lo Dico 1.
Strasbourg: Canovas 2, Buha 2, Misic 2, Valentino 2, Buden 1, Babic 1.
The second round started with a morning encounter between BVSC and Sabac. After winning the first quarter (4:2), BVSC earned a four-goal lead in the 10th minute (6:2). However, Sabac reduced the gap by the end of the first half (5:6). The Hungarians had a slim lead before the final quarter. Olympic bronze medalist Matyas Pasztor doubled an advantage converting a penalty shot to 8:6 (27th minute). Sulc scored from an extra for 7:8 at 02:49, but BVSC kept a minimal advantage.
Telimar got off to a flying start to the game against Strasbourg. The hosts built a 4:0 lead and that run put them on the right track. Strasbourg cut the deficit to two goals a few times (2:4, 4:6, 5:7). But, Telimar jumped to a comfortable10:5 lead midway through the third quarter.
October 9: Strasbourg – BVSC (10:30), Sabac – Telimar (12:15).
Group D (Budapest)
Vasas – Solaris 12:5 (3:2, 3:3, 4:0,2:0)
Vasas: Erdelyi 3, Batori 2, Bedo 1, Sedlmayer 1, Randjelovic 1, Vadovics 1, Zerinvary 1, Mezei 1, Szatmari 1.
Solaris: Goreta 2, Bulat 2, Condic Kadmenovic 1.
Ortigia – Sabadell 10:9 (2:1, 3:3, 4:2, 1:3)
Ortigia: Gallo 3, Ferrero 2, Condemi 1, Klikovac 1, Mirarchi 1, Rossi 1, Napolitano 1.
Sabadell: Bertran 3, Valera 2, Sanahuja 2, Cabanas 1, Veich 1.
Vasas led throughout the match against Solaris, but the Croats didn’t let the favorites build a significant advantage before the middle break. Solaris managed to equalize just once (2:2). Vasas had a 3-goal lead early in the second period (5:2, 6:3). Still, Solaris reduced the gap before halftime (5:6). Vasas’ defense, commanded by goalkeeper Branislav Mitrovic, was outstanding in the second half. Solaris didn’t score a single goal, while Vasas netted six and recorded a convincing 12:5 victory.
Ortigia edged out Sabadell in the last match of the day. The Italians won the first quarter, but Sabadell took a 3:2 and 4:3 in the second quarter. Ortigia netted two goals in the last two minutes of the quarter for a 5:4 lead. The Italians increased the margin to three in the third quarter (8:5, 9:6). Three minutes before the end, they had a 10:7 advantage. However, Sabadell didn’t surrender. The Spaniards came very close (9:10) with 83 seconds remaining on the clock, but they couldn’t equalize.
October 9: Vasas – Sabadell (18:00), Solaris – Ortigia (20:00).
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