Courtesy: LEN
This Wednesday will be filled with the very best of water polo action – besides four Group B matches in the Champions League, it’s quarter-final day both in the men’s Euro Cup and the newly launched Challenger Cup.
Perhaps the most awaited match in the Euro Cup is the clash of France’s upcoming side Tourcoing and Italy’s Savona. The French have done a splendid job so far while the Italians survived some scary moments in Ortigia in the eight-finals despite winning the first leg by five goals.
Something similar happened to Hungary’s Vasas which had also claimed a five-goal victory against Crvena Zvezda but had to dig deep in Belgrade to make the best eight. Now they have another Serbian test, this time against Sabac (and the famous Komjadi pool will host back-to-back HUN v SRB battles on Wednesday, as one hour after this match ends, FTC take on Novi Beograd in the Champions League).
Fellow Hungarian side Szolnok is the underdog in the duel with Italy’s Trieste, the only team in the eight-finals advancing with a double win. Greece’s Panionios face Romania’s Oradea in the fourth pair, the Greeks may have the better chances to reach the semis.
LEN’s newly launched competition, the Challenger Cup will see the first game already on Tuesday when Ludwigsburg and Terrassa play the first-ever European cup tie in the Sportbad Neckarpark, a brand-new complex near Stuttgart. Here the Spaniards seem to be set to go through, just like on Wednesday in Tenerife, where Slovakia’s Kosice pays a visit.
The city of Istanbul has two clubs on board, though neither Enka, nor Galatasary are considered favourites in their respective matches against Apollon (GRE) and Het Ravijn (NED) – still, in one game, then two weeks later in another one, anything could happen.
LEN, where the host team produce it, offer live stream via its website, and livescoring will also be available from each match in both competitions – visit www.len.eu for more.
Men’s Euro Cup, Quarter-finals, 1st leg
- 18.30 A Hid-Vasas Plaket (HUN) v VK Sabac (SRB)
- 19.00 Szolnoki Dozsa (HUN) v Trieste Pallanuoto (ITA)
- 20.00 (19.00 CET) Panionios GSS (GRE) v CSM Oradea (ROU)
- 20.00 EN Tourcoing (FRA) v SN Savona (ITA)
Return leg: 8 February
Men’s Challenger Cup, Quarter-finals, 1st leg
Tuesday
- 19.00 SV Ludwigsburg 08 (GER) v CN Terrassa (ESP)
Wednesday
- 20.00 (19.00 CET) Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) v Galatasaray Istanbul (TUR)
- 18.30 (17.30 CET) Enka Istanbul (TUR) v ZPC Het Ravijn (NED)
- 20.15 Tenerife Echeyde (ESP) v SKP Kosice (SVK)