Novi Beograd triumphed over Jadran in Split in the most highly anticipated match on the first day of the Champions League Round 2.
The Serbian team started slowly but overcame an early deficit, taking control in the second quarter and securing a 10:7 victory in Group B.
Pro Recco, as expected, beat Jadran Herceg Novi convincingly at home, 16:7, in the same group
Oradea pulled off a big upset by defeating Primorac 14:7 in Group C
Olympiacos demonstrated its strength against Vasas in Budapest, claiming its first away points of the season with a 15:5 victory in Group A.
2026 Champions League, Round 2
GROUP A
Vasas – Olympiacos 5:15 (2:5, 0:3, 3:5, 0:2)
Vasas: Lakatos 2, Gabor 1, Selley-Rauscher 1, Djurdjic 1.
Olympiacos:Dimou 3, Nikolaidis 3, Genidounias 2, Zalanki 2, Fountoulis 1, Angyal 1, Gkillas 1, Lykoudis 1, Kakaris 1.
Olympiacos set the pace from the start and dominated throughout. Vasas managed to equalize only once – Gabor made it 1:1 in the 3rd minute. However, in pursuit of that goal, the Greeks, who were undoubtedly the favorites in this match, produced an 8:1 run. Early in the third period, Genidnounias scored for 9:2.
Gergo Zalanki contributed two goals to Olympiacos’ win Photo by Laszlo Balogh
In the middle of the third period, Lakatos converted a man-up for 5:10, and it was Vasas’s last goal in the game. In the rest of the match, Olympiacos reached a double-digit margin, proving itself as one of the serious contenders for a spot at the Final Four..
Standings: 1. Olympiacos 6 (2), 2. Radnicki 3 (1), 3. Mladost 0 (1), 4. Vasas 0 (2)
GROUP B
Jadran S – Novi Beograd 7:10 (3:3, 2:3,1:2, 1:2)
Jadran Splt: Berehulak 2, Nemet 1,Matkovic 1, Butic 1, Zovic 1.
Novi Beograd: Martinovic 3, Gladovic 2, Cuk 1, Jankovic 1, Trtovic 1, Perkovic 1, Grgurevic 1.
Novi Beograd was without two key players, Lukic and Radovic, but managed to secure an important away win over Jadran, which is still without its captain Jerko Marinic Kragic hasn’t recovered yet.
Jadran dictated the pace in the early stages of the match and took a two-goal lead (2:0 and 3:1). However, Novi Beograd tied the game. Seven seconds before the end of the period, the visitors were awarded a penalty shot, which young Gladovic converted, tying the score at 3:3. The opening minutes of the second period featured strong defenses from both teams. Both sides attempted to score from the perimeter but were unsuccessful for an extended period. Milos Cuk broke the deadlock with a nice goal from seven meters out. Shortly after, Filip Jankovic doubled Novi Beograd’s lead to 5:3. Jadran struggled offensively and found it difficult to outmaneuver Novi Beograd’s goalkeeper, Milan Glusac, who made several saves towards the end of the first half. Jadran went almost ten minutes without scoring until Zvonimir Butic ended their drought with a goal 36 seconds before the middle break. In the dying seconds, Novi Beograd’s Perkovic and Jadran’s Matkovic both found the net, leading Novi Beograd to a slim 6:5 advantage at halftime.
The last 36 seconds of the second period saw three goals scored, but after the break, the game turned into a low-scoring affair again. However, Novi Beograd maintained control of the match. Gladovic made it 7:5 in the 20th minute. Berehulak responded by halving Jadran’s deficit, but Novi Beograd’s center-forward, Goran Grgurevic, had the last say, skillfully finding the goal and giving Novi Beograd an 8:6 lead with 37 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Photo: VK Jadran Split
In the fourth period, Jadran started aggressively on offense, creating several good opportunities. However, Novi Beograd’s goalkeeper, Milan Glusac, was outstanding, preventing Jadran from scoring with several remarkable saves and steals. Seventy seconds before the end, Vasilije Martinovic scored from the deep left, making it 9:6 and effectively sealing Novi Beograd’s victory. Trtovic added another goal to make it 10:6, while Nemet scored a consolation goal for Jadran.
Martinovic led Novi Beograd’s attack with three goals, but Milan Glusac, with his 12 saves, deserves significant credit for this important victory.
Pro Recco – Jadran HN 16:7 (5:1, 3:1, 4:3, 4:2)
Pro Recco: Granados 4, Cannella 3, Iocchi Gratta 3, Pavillard 3, Durik 1, Presciutti 1, COndemi 1, Cassia 1.
Jadran Herceg Novi: Kholod 2, Sladovic 2, Valera 1, Gojkovic 1, Radovic 1.
Vasilije Radovic gave Jadran a 1:0 lead in the first possession. However, the Montenegrins’ dreams of a surprise were dashed quickly. Granados leveled immediately. Until the middle of the first period, the teams were in a balanced battle, but the Italians netted four unanswered goals between the 4th and 7th minutes to build a 5:1 lead. Luke Pavillard opened the second quarter, making a 6:1 from a distance. Kholod narrowed the difference to 2:6, but Pro Recco went to 8:2 by the end of the 2nd quarter. Just 11 seconds before halftime, Recco’s goalkeeper Nicosia saved a penalty shot from Merkulov.
Strahinja Gojkovic (JNH) and Rino Buric (REC) Photo by:Federico Schenone
In the third period, Recco earned a 9-goal lead on two occasions (11:2 and 12:3). Jadran Herceg Novi managed to narrow the gap slightly, but Pro Recco restored a nine-goal lead at the finish of the match. Francesco Di Fulvo, Recco’s captain, didn’t find the net today, but Recco has a lot of excellent goal-getters on its team. Alvaro Granados stood out today.
Standings: 1. Pro Recco 6, 2. Novi Beograd 3, 3. Jadran HN 3, 4. Jadran S 0.
GROUP C
Oradea – Primorac 14:7 (4:1, 2:2, 5:1, 3:3)
Oradea: Gusarov 4, Gardasevic 3, Oltean 3, Belenyesi 2, Ilisie 1
Velkic 1.
Primorac: Inaba 2, Brkic 2, Brguljan 1, Cetkovic 1, Vico 1.
Few believed that Oradea could compete for a spot in the Quarter Final Stage. However, the Romanians’ performance this evening was very promising.
Oradea stunned Primorac right from the start. While the Montenegrins missed several chances, Oradea opened the match strongly, establishing a 3:0 lead by the fifth minute. In the sixth minute, Primorac finally got on the scoreboard, but Oradea quickly rebuilt its three-goal lead before the first break. Primorac never fully recovered from this early shock.
Oradea’s head coach, Petar Kovacevic, devised an excellent tactic for today’s game. Photo by CSM Oradea
During the second period, the visitors managed to reduce the gap to two goals on two occasions (2:4 and 3:5), but just seconds before the end of the half, Gusarov extended the lead to 6:3 after one of Primorac’s many missed opportunities.
Oradea continued its domination in the second half, scoring four goals in the first four minutes and increasing its lead to 10:3, effectively putting the contest out of reach. Primorac’s chances of advancing to the Top 8 round have been significantly diminished. Oradea eagerly anticipates its upcoming match against Brescia, hoping to beat another strong team.
Standings: 1. Ferencvaros 3 (1), 2. Brescia 3 (1), 3. Oradea 3 (2), 4. Primorac 0 (2)
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