A day before the end of the Champions League Qualification Round 1, there are only two available tickets for the second round.
The qualification tournaments have been playing in Barcelona and Sabac. Everything is clear in the group in Barcelona. Host Barcelona, Sintez Kazan, Pays d’Aix Natation and Steaua advanced to the 2nd round.
In the group in Sabac, Serbian clubs Crvena Zvezda and Sabac secured their spots in the second round. Dynamo Moscow, Oradea and Apollon are in the chase for the last two available tickets.
Champions League, Qualification Round 1, Day 3
Group A (Sabac)
Crvena Zvezda – Dynamo Moscow 12:10 (2:5, 3:3, 5:1, 2:1)
Crvena Zvezda: Sulc 3, M. Radovic 3, Kasum 1, Ilic 1, Jankovic 1, Milojevic 1, Vukicevic 1, Gusarov 1.
Dynamo Moscow: Shepelev 2, Bychkov 2, Magomaev 2, Koptsev 1, Usov 1, Balakirev 1, Ekomazov 1.
Apollon – Galatasaray 17:8 (3:1, 5:1, 5:3, 4:3)
Apollon Smyrnis: Moskov 7, Dermitzakis 3, Karountzos 2, Charalampopoulos 2, Al Dughther 1, Papageorgiou 1., Beristianos 1.
Galatasaray: Akkaya 2, Krstic 2, Ozbek 2, Turan 1, Ferik 1.
Sabac – Oradea 10:8 (1:2, 3:3, 3:1, 3:2)
Sabac: Markovic 3, Vasic 2, Vucinic 2, Velkic 1, Repanovic 1, Radulovic 1,
Oradea: V. Georgescu 3, R. Georgescu 2, Popoviciu 2, Dragomirescu 1
Dynamo opened the match against Crvena Zvezda with a 4:0 lead. The Russians maintained a 4-goal advantage until the 15th minute of the match. They were leading 8:4. Thirty seconds before the middle break, the Serbs started climbing back -Sulc found the net for 5:8. Crvena Zvezda nailed five unanswered goals in the third period and went ahead – 10:8. Dynamo cut the deficit twice (9:10 and 10:11), but Zvezda recorded a 12:10 win.
After three losses, Apollon Smytnis, led by a Montenegrin Nikola Moskov (7 goals) defeated convincingly Enka (17:8). Apollon still has a chance to reach fourth place. But, the Greeks have to beat Dynamo Moscow in the last round. If Apollon defeat Dynamo and Oradea be better than Galatasaray, the goal difference between Dynamo, Oradea and Apollon will decide the ranking 3rd – 5th place. Dynamo needs just a point to secure the third place, as it beat Oradea yesterday (9:8). On Day 1, Oradea recorded a win over Apollon (7:6).
Sabac overcame Oradea in a very close match. At halftime, the Romanians were ahead (5:4), but Sabac entered the last period with a minimal advantage (7:6). Steaua levelled the score twice in the last quarter (7:7 and 8:8). Sabac converted two man-ups in the last 72 seconds to secure a 10:8 victory.
1 Crvena Zvezda (SRB) 4 – 12
2 Sabac (SRB) 4 – 12
3 Dynamo Moscow (RUS) 4 – 6
4 CSM Oradea (ROM) 4 – 3
5 Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 4 – 3
6 Galatasaray (TUR) 4 – 0
The top four teams will advance to the Qualification Round 2
Day 4 (Sunday, September 1): Dynamo – Apollon, Galatasaray – Oradea, Sabac – Crvena zvezda.
Group B (Barcelona)
Sintez – Banja Luka 39:1 (6:0, 10:0, 11:0, 12:1)
Sintez Kazan: Bugaychuk 7, Dereviankin 6, Zinnutov 5, Zakirov 5, Krasnov 4, Lazarev 2, Odintsov 2, Mironov 2, Ryzhov-Alenichev 2, Latypov 2, Vasilyev 1, Makas 1.
Banja Luka: Vujkovic 1.
Steaua – Enka 12:7 (4:3, 2:2, 4:0, 2:2)
Steaua Bucharest: Mrinic Kragic 3, Gheorghe 2, Kapotsis 2, Fulea 1, Oanta 1, Prioteasa 1, Solanakis 1, Robu 1.
Enka Istanbul: Buric 3, Albayrak 2, Acar 1, Kahraman 1.
Pays d’Aix – Barcelona 11:12 (2:4, 3:3, 2:3, 4:2)
Pays d’Aix Natation: M. Tkac 3, Monneret 2, Bakircilar 2, Gluhaic 2, Veron 1, Chaffour 1.
CN Barcelona: Delgado 3, Estrany 3, Idarraga 2, Durik 2, Flores 1, Trilles 1.
The most interesting match of the day was an encounter between Pays d’Aix and Barcelona. The host led throughout the match. The French were coming back from time to time, but they didn’t manage to equalise. The Spaniards earned a 12:8 advantage 100 seconds before the final buzzer when Trilles scored from an extra (Slaven Kandic, a goalkeeper of the French team, was excluded). Pays d’Aix scored three goals in the remaining time, but Barceloneta kept the win – 12:11.
Steaua booked the ticket for the second round by defeating Enka. The Romanians secured three points in the middle of the game. In the 14th minute, the score was 5:5. After that, Steaua scored five straight goals, jumped to a 10:5 lead and there was no way back for the Turks.
1 Barcelona (ESP) 4 – 12
2 Sintez Kazan (RUS) 4 – 9
3 Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA) 4 – 9
4 Steaua Bucharest (ROM) 4 – 6
5 Enka Istanbul (TUR) 4 – 0
6 Banja Luka (BIH) 4 – 0
The top four teams will advance to the Qualification Round 2
Day 4 (Sunday, 1 September): Banja Luka – Enka, Pays d’Aix – Sintez, Steaua – Barcelona.
