There was a little bit of everything on the opening evening of the 2022–23 Women’s Champions League Qualifying Round.
The biggest clash of the day saw Ferencváros bag an impressive 9-7 win against Mediterrani in their own pool. The win is a big statement by Fradi, who are continuing to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.
Terrassa held De Zaan to a 11-11 draw, with a score by Noelia Cuenda literally on the final whistle. A win for Zaan would have been a huge shock and a big boost to their qualification prospects.
Elsewhere, SIS Roma’s dangerous front line inflicted sufficient damage on Ethnikos to secure an important opening day victory (!6-10). In Group D’s other match, Spandau was defeated comfortably by the hosts, Mulhouse.
Two Greek teams, Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, defeated their French counterparts, Nancy and Nice, with little difficulty. Plebiscito Padova stuffed Sirens 33-7, while ZVL 1886 thrashed Pacense in Pacos de Ferreira.
We will see the likes of Mataro, Eger and Dunaujvaros play their first games tomorrow.
Group A
ZVL enjoyed a leisurely opening to their Champions League campaign with a 28-7 romp of hosts CA Pacense. It was a gold scoring frenzy in Pacos de Ferreira, with five ZVL players scoring four times; De Kleer, Kammerman, Roels, Verhagen and Van Meen. Five of Pacense’s goals came via Jess Teixeira.
The team from Leiden will take a huge step towards guaranteeing a berth in the next round, should they beat Nice tomorrow morning.
Vouliagmeni showed their superior quality against Nice this evening, with a ten-goal victory in the last game of the day. An impressive first half saw the Greeks 9-3 up, and they quashed any chance of the Nice revival, with a 3-0 third quarter to shut-up shop.
Two of Vouliagmeni’s top goal scorers this season found themselves leading on the goal-scoring front; Stamatina Kaiafa hit four strikes, while Eleni Elliniadi notched a ht-trick.
The highly-anticipated duel of the group between Mataro and Vouliagmeni plays tomorrow.
NC Vouliagmeni 14 – 4 Olympic Nice (5-2, 4-1, 3-0, 2-1)
Vouliagmeni: M. Kotsioni, S. Kaiafa 4, D. Kalogeropoulou, E. Elliniadi 3, A. Giannopoulou 2, A. Ridge 1, E. Tankeeva 2, M. Patra 2, K. Stratidaki, D. Andreadi, M. Mimidi, F. Angelidi, E. Patra
Nice: M. Chabrier, L. Vernoux, B. Van de Velde, J. Kohli 1, K. Noy, A. Grass, M. Barbieux, V. Tamas, E. Vernoux, L. Di Fraja, Y. Deschampt, I. Di Bartolo, C. Vidal
ZVL 1886 28 – 7 CA Pacense (6-2, 9-1, 8-0, 5-4)
ZVL: J. Oosting, D. Kammerman 5, L. Roels 4, R. De Kleer 4, L. Verhagen 4, N. Zwiers 3, D. Gras 1, A. Pauli 1, L. Terpstra 1, M. Van Veen 4, T. Van Der Meer 4, J. Joor, C. Van Leeuwen
Pacense: A. Barbosa, S. Luana, C. Quinhentas 1, R. Duarte, J. Teixeira 5, M. Barbosa, A. Andrade, F. Duarte, B. Peixoto, M. Dias, V. Freire 1, B. Santiago, A. Sousa
Standings
- ZVL 1886 – 1 – 3pts
- NC Vouliagmeni – 1 – 3pts
- Olympic – 1 – 0pts
- CA Pacense – 1 – 0pts
- CN Mataro – 0 – 0pts
Group B
There was late drama in the game between Terrassa and De Zaan, which ended 11-11. Three quarters of the game were a dead heat, with both teams cancelling each other out. Dutch internationals Maud Koopman and Maxine Schaap helped Zaan establish a two-goal advantage in the fourth quarter.
But Paula Camus netted with ninety seconds to play. Even with possession with 19 seconds left in the match, the Dutch Super Cup winners couldn’t hold on for the victory. Noelia Cuenda scored with the last throw of the ball to share the points.
A victory would have been massive for De Zaan, and while they will be disappointed with only a point, they will probably be more content than Xavi Perez and Terrassa.
Koopman was excellent in the game, with the signing from Dunaujvaros over the summer netting four goals. Pili Pena, Terrassa’s veteran lefty, netted three.
The hosts of Group B, Glyfada, gave Nancy a rough introduction to the top table of European water polo, defeating the French 21-4.
Eirini Ninou followed up her seven goals against Patra last weekend with seven more today; Eleftheria Fountotou added five more goals. Glyfada’s skipper, Stamatina Kontogianni, led from the front, with four scores.
Terrassa will be confident of taking points off Nancy tomorrow before a huge clash with Eger, who didn’t play today. Zaan have a really tough looking contest against Glyfada.
CN Terrassa 11 – 11 ZV De Zaan (4-4, 1-1, 2-2, 4-4)
Terrassa: S. Domene, L. Ferrer, K. Paul 2, N. Cuenda 1, C. Cantero 1, D. Quinzada, N. Ten Broek 1, P. Pena 3, D. Menakerman 1, P. Camus 2, A. Finestrea, F. Bosveld, E. Arcas
De Zaan: E. Alander, L. Rogge 1, L. Den Ouden, M. Schapp 3, T. Sam 1, E. Roijen, S.Vleeshakker, M. Koopman 4, D. Sap, A. Plugge, M. Van Tol, B. Rogge 1, B. Van den Dobbelsteen
ANO Glyfada 21 – 4 Grand Nancy (5-1, 4-0, 4-1, 8-2)
Glyfada: E. Karytsa, P. Ninou, T. Moustakaria, I. Wolves 3, E. Grigoropoulou 1, E. Ninou 7, E. Antoniadi, I. Kanellopoulou, I. Koolhaas 1, E. Fountontou 5, L. Katsoni, S. Kontogianni 4, V. Tsiara
Nancy: L. Counil, C. Mari, A. Sabouriaut 1, C. Moreira, C. Hanzo 1, M. Betard, P. Vizcarra 1, S. Pacheco, L. Fanara, S. Khaddan, K. Benlekbir, A. Gabriele, P. Martineau-Peret
Standings
- ANO Glyfada – 1 – 3pts
- CN Terrassa – 1 – 1pts
- ZV De Zaan – 1 – 1pts
- Grand Nancy – 1 – 0pts
- ZF Eger – 0 – 0pts
Group C
Ferencváros secured a hugely impressive 9-7 victory over Mediterrani in their own pool, with the side from Nepliget really demonstrating the improvement to their squad from last season.
The Hungarians made a good start, frustrating Medi, and taking a 2-0 lead in the first (Leimeter and Illes).
But the hosts turned the game around to lead 5-4 at half-time, with two goals from Verica Bakoc and Clara Espar, as well as a slick extra-player move from Mediterrani’s American-born captain, Sarah Lizotte.
However, a stunning long-range shot by Panna Pocze gave Fradi parity in the second. Tamar Farkas scored with 0:39 remaining in the third period to give Gyorgy Gerendas’ team a slim lead heading into the fourth.
The decisive blow was delivered by Fradi in the middle of the fourth quarter, when Gurisatti and Farkas scored in successive attacks.
In the first game of the day, Plebiscito humiliated the Sirens 33-7, with the former Italian junior international, Giusy Citini, hitting the side from Malta for six. Four players scored four goals; Cassara, Dario, Centanni, and Barzon.
CE Mediterrani 7 – 9 FTC Telekom Budapest (0-2, 5-2, 1-3, 1-2)
Mediterrani: I. Costa, A. Munoz 1, A. Crevier, A. Marcos, V. Bakoc 2, C. Rodriguez, C. Espar, D. Moreno, M. Viladot, H. Dalmases, P. Crespi 1, S. Lizotte 1, G. Palm
FTC: B. Neszmely, B. Vosseberg, Z. Mate, G. Gurisatti 2, P. Pocze 1, T. Farkas 2, D. Leimeter 2, A. Illes 1, S. Kuna, P. Petik, E. Millot, D. Domsodi 1, L. Greso
Plebiscito Padova 33 – 7 Sirens ASC Malta (8-1, 7-2, 9-3, 9-1)
Plebiscito: L. Teani, L. Barzon 4, V. Valyi 3, G. Citino 6, E. Queirolo 3, A. Casson, A. Millo 2, S. Dario 4, H.McKelvey, C. Meggiato 3, S. Centanni 4, B. Cassara 4, C. Giacon
ASC: A. Amato, E. Montfor, E. Amato, C. Amato, M. Perici Ferrante 2, M. Falzon, K. Agius 3, D. Micallef 1, K. Navarro 1, Z. Bartolo, Z. Cutajar Licari, K. Agius
Standings
- Plebiscito Padova – 1 – 3pts
- FTC Telekom Budapest – 1 – 3pts
- CE Mediterrani – 1 – 0pts
- Sirens ASC Malta – 1 – 0pts
- LUC Metropole – 0 – 0pts
Group D
SIS Roma defeated the reigning LEN Trophy champions this evening with a pretty secure performance, winning 16-10.
A hat-trick of hat-tricks from Roma’s Chiara Ranalli, Chiara Tabani and Domitilla Picozzi lead the scoring for Marco Capanna’s team.
In the first game of the day in Group D, Mulhouse secured an important victory in their opening game in the Haut-Rihn, defeating Spandau 04 Berlin by a seven goal margin (19-12). While Mulhouse is only 30 kilometres from the German border, the visitors will have prioritised this match on their 800-kilometre journey to Eastern France as the one with the best chance of winning.
Louise Guillet fired home a double hat-trick in the game, while Mulhouse’s two Hungarians, Kinga Mihaly (3) and Lili Forgacs (2), both had a big influence on the game.
Spandau’s goals were practically all scored by Nikola Busauerova (5) and Emmerson Houghton (5).
SIS Roma do not play tomorrow, while Ethnikos will look to bounce back against Spandau.
Ethnikos Piraeus 10 – 16 SIS Roma (4-6, 1-3, 3-2, 2-5)
Ethnikos: E. Sotierli, A. Karampetsou 2, M. Borisova 2, V. Laskaridou, I. Kontoni 2, E. Katsimpri, F. Chatzikyriakaki, A. Benekou, M. Rakintzi, E. Kanetidou 1, I. Benekou, C. Andrews 3, A. Bekri
Roma: E. Eichelberger, M. Msiti, G. Galardi 1, S. Carosi 1, S. Giustini 1, C. Ranalli 3, D. Picozzi 3, C. Tabani 3, C. Nardini 1, L. Di Claudio, A. Cocchiere 1, A. Andrews 2, G. Galbani
Mulhouse WP 19 – 12 Spandau 04 Berlin (5-3, 5-2, 6-4, 3-3)
Mulhouse: L. Cruz, M. Le Roux 1, A. Battu 1, L. Forgacs 2, L. Guillet 6, L. Jean Michel 1, K. Mihaly 3, C. Bouloukbachi 1, A. Van Dyke, V. Kretzmann-Bahia 1, T. Raspo 1, A. Daule 2, R. Edgerton
Spandau: J. Milicich, E. Koch, M. Linder, I. Deike 1, I. Pekar, N. Busaurova 5, N. Zelmer, U. Doerries 1, D. Czirbus, A. Rieck, E. Houghton 5, M. Tutusaus Alcaraz, A. Oldenburg
Standings
- Mulhouse WP – 1 – 3pts
- SIS Roma – 1 – 3pts
- Ethnikos – 1 – 0pts
- Spandau 04 Berlin – 1 – 0pts
- Dunaujvaros. – 0 – 0pts
Day 2 – Friday, 18th November
10:00 – Olympic Nice vs ZVL 1886
10:00 – Grand Nancy vs CN Terrassa
11:45 – ZF Eger vs ZV De Zaan
12:00 – CN Mataro vs NC Vouliagmeni
18:00 – Lille UC vs FTC Telekom Budapest
18:30 – Ethnikos vs Spandau 04 Berlin
18:45 – ZV De Zaan vs NC Glyfada
19:00 – CA Pacense vs Olympic Nice
19:45 – CE Mediterrani vs Sirens ASC
20:30 – ZVL 1886 vs CN Mataro
20:30 – ZF Eger vs CN Terrassa
20:30 – Mulhouse WP vs Dunaujvaros
Day 3 – Saturday, 19th November
09:30 – Spandau 04 Berlin vs SIS Roma
10:00 – FTC Telekom Budapest vs Sirens ASC
11:30 – Ethnikos vs Dunaujvaros
11:45 – Lille UC vs Plebiscito Padova
18:15 – Plebiscito Padova vs FTC Telekom Budapest
18:30 – Dunaujvaros vs SIS Roma
18:45 – ANO Glyfada vs CN Terrassa
19:00 – NC Vouliagmeni vs ZVL 1886
20:00 – CE Mediterrani vs Lille UC
20:30 – Grand Nancy vs ZF Eger
20:30 – Mulhouse WP vs Ethnikos
Day 4 – Sunday, 20th November
09:30 – Dunaujvaros vs Spandau 04 Berlin
09:45 – ZV De Zaan vs Grand Nancy
10:00 – Olympic Nice vs CN Mataro
11:15 – Lille UC vs Sirens ASC Malta
11:30 – Mulhouse vs SIS Roma
11:45 – NC Glyfada vs ZF Eger
12:00 – CA Pacense vs NC Vouliagmeni
13:00 – CE Mediterrani vs Plebiscito Padova
Follow all the action from the Women’s Champions League
