Courtesy: LEN
Olympiacos claimed a big win over Dunaujvaros in the first leg of the rematch of last season’s final and the title-holder is on its way to the Final Four. Just like 5-time champion Sabadell which also bagged a 5-goal victory against Ethnikos in Piraeus. Kirishi and UVSE played a tight match, here the decision is left to the second leg.
Quarter-finals, 1st leg
Kinef Surgutneftegas Kirishi (RUS) vs UVSE Hunguest Hotels (HUN) 8-7, Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) vs Dunaujvarosi Foiskola (HUN) 14-9, Ethnikos Piraeus (GRE) vs Astralpool-Sabadell (ESP) 8-13. Plebiscito Padova (ITA) vs Dynamo Uralochka (RUS) – dates and venues to be confirmed.
Return leg: 26 February
Scoring five goals both in the opening and the final period, Olympiacos gained a big advantage for the second leg against Dunaujvaros. Last year’s final saw a much tighter game, though the line-ups changed since and the even stronger Greek side left few chances for the Hungarians.
Olympiacos stormed to a 5-1 lead in the first period and held on for 7-3 by halftime. The Magyars came back to the game by scoring four goals in the third and trailed 9-7 before the last eight minutes but the Plevritou siblings demolished them in the fourth. Eleftheria and Vasiliki netted seven goals combined – four of those came in the last quarter. Eleftheria hit two in 25 seconds early in the fourth and even though Dunaujvaros pulled one back, three connecting goals put Olympiacos in a perfect position for the return leg.
Fellow Piraeus side Ethnikos had less luck against 5-time champion Sabadell. For a while, the Greeks managed to keep up with the favourite Spaniards, in the second period they took a 5-3 lead while their goalie stopped a penalty and was 6-4 up at halftime. However, Sabadell came back strong in the third and in two minutes they scored three to take the lead at 6-7. The hosts managed to equalise twice, but after 8-8 they were simply sunk by their rivals. Sabadell netted five unanswered goals, two in the third and three more in the fourth while the Greeks were unable to add any in the last 11 minutes.
Kirishi and UVSE produced a thrilling match, and the decision was left to Budapest. After 3-3, the Russians hit three in 1:45 minutes but the Magyars responded with a double still in the last minute before the last break, so it stood 6-5. In the fourth, Kirishi went two up twice, however, the visitors replied on both occasions and at the end they had a 6 on 5 to equalise but missed it. Still, they trail by only one, a promising outcome in the two-time winners’ home.
The fourth duel between Padova and Uralochka is on hold, the clubs try to find a common solution to play the two legs during one of the following weekends at one venue.
