Courtesy: LEN
Spain’s new powerhouse Mataro stunned Olympiacos in Piraeus to claim a two-goal win in the first leg of the quarter-finals. The title-holders missed two penalties, the second in the most crucial moment and that might cost them a lot. Fellow Greek side Glyfada were six goals down early in the third period against Orizzonte, but the 8-time winner Italian giant couldn’t hold on and the hosts survived the game with a single-goal loss. The early afternoon quarter-final matches staged in the greater Barcelona area brought mixed fortunes for the Spanish sides. Five-time champion Sabadell downed SIS Roma with a dominant performance, but Mediterrani were upset by Hungary’s young side Dunaujvaros at home.
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Assolim CN Mataro (ESP) 9-11
This match-up would have been a perfect final – however, the draw is preventing one of the giants to make the Final Four. And the game was a firm proof for their outstanding quality as they produced an outstanding match which had everything women’s water polo could offer – fantastic moments and high drama.
Mataro, Spain’s emerging new powerhouse with a couple of European great in the line-up, took the better start, Silvia Avegno netted two early on, then Simone van der Kraats scored twice in the last 36 seconds in the first to give the Spaniards a 2-5 lead. After the stunning opener, the title-holder Greeks came back strong, pulled two back in the second, shut out their rivals for the entire period, what’s more, Vasiliki Plevritou could have equalised with 1:10 minutes before the middle break but hit the post from a penalty.
And the hosts paid for that dearly as Mataro not only halted their 9-minute-long scoreless run from the first possession but added one more in 45 seconds to go 4-7 up. They could maintain the three-goal gap till the end of the third and early on in the fourth, but Olympiacos fought themselves back once more and with 3:58 to go they trailed only 9-10. And again, 51 seconds later, the equaliser was just an easy shot away, but this time the other Plevritou sister, Eleftheria missed the penalty. That was even more crucial as the Spaniards had the last laugh, Silvia Morell sent the ball home from a woman-up 46 seconds from time, so instead of a draw, Mataro sailed away with a two-goal victory.
ANO Glyfada iRepair (GRE) v Ekipe Orizzonte (ITA) 13-14
Glyfada could match the Italians’ pace only in the first period, though after coming back to 2-2, they fall back quickly and trailed 3-5 after eight minutes. The second was a nightmare for the hosts, the Italians went on adding three more while the Greeks could score their first goal with 2:32 remaining in this period. Then Bronte Halligan netted a 6 on 5 six seconds before the middle break for 4-9, so Orizzonte – still No 1. on the all-time ranks with 8 trophies, though the last one came in 2008 – sat comfortably in the driving seat.
When Alice Williams buried a penalty from their first possession for 4-10, the Italians looked to have the finest of evenings, but the Greeks managed to regroup themselves and hit three in 87 seconds to halve the gap. And they carried on their momentum, two minutes later netted another one for 8-10. Soon they had an extra to come back to a single goal, missed it and at the other end Guilia Vicava ended Orizzonte’s miseries with a woman-up goal for 8-11. Still, Glyfada weren’t broken, converted a penalty 18 seconds from time and kick off the last period with an action goal for 10-11. Viacava put away another extra from the next possession and a bit later two more came from the Italians, so they were 10-14 up once more, with 4:06 to go. However, the Greeks still had more to offer, pulled one back from an extra, then Stamatina Kontogianni buried two in 35 seconds for 13-14, with 0:50 on the clock. Orizzonte had a last 6 on 5 but missed it, so the return leg promises some thrills in two-week time.
Astralpool Sabadell (ESP) v SIS Roma (ITA) 15-10
Five-time champion and last season’s runner up Sabadell set the tone early on as they stormed to a 4-0 lead, with three action goals. The Italians climbed back though, deep into the second it stood 4-3 while the hosts couldn’t score for almost seven minutes. But once they hit the net again, they switched back to destroying mood and with three goals in a span of 91 seconds they led 8-4 at halftime.
The pattern didn’t change much in the third, Roma came back to 9-8 but Sabadell scored twice towards the end of the quarter to go 11-8 up before the final act. And there they no longer let their rivals back to the game. Judith Forca and Catharina van der Sloot put away two woman-ups for 13-8, and with 1:07 to go Maica Garcia netted another extra so Sabadell led by six, before Cecilia Nardini pulled one back. Dutch van der Sloot and Elena Ruiz led Sabadell’s charge with four goals apiece, and the five-goal advantage looks quite securing from the Spaniards’ angle.
CE Mediterrani (ESP) v Dunaujvarosi VK 9-13
Dunaujvaros carried on stunning many – after they managed to oust last season’s bronze medallist Padova (in Padova!) in the prelims, now claimed a huge away win which might just as well send them to the Final Four for the first time since 2006.
The Hungarian side, packed with promising youngsters, staged a blistering start and rushed to a 0-4 lead. This left the Spaniards stranded who couldn’t really regroup themselves from the initial shock. They climbed back to 2-4 but were unable to cut the gap to a single goal ever after. Dunaujvaros always found the way to score and after leading 4-7 at halftime, in the third they went on rolling and jumped to 4-9 while shutting out Mediterrani for six minutes. Before the last break they expanded the gap to six goals (5-11), so were very much in control.
In the fourth, the hosts netted two quick goals for 7-11, but again, the Magyars could respond well and kept the four-goal advantage till the end. This is a more than promising result, turning their European campaign to a dream journey.