Last-gasp goal decides derby; Marseille stuns Ferencvaros; great day for Brescia

A last-gasp goal decided the outcome in the big match of Day 12 in the Champions League Group B ended in a draw. Jug and Novi Beograd shared the points – 11:11 in a very thrilling encounter.

Novi Beograd dictated the pace for most of the time, it had a 3-goal lead before the final quarter. Still, Jug caught up with the rival at the finish. Just 22 seconds before the end, the hosts took the lead for the first time – 11:10. Still, Novi Beograd leveled in the dying seconds, scoring from a 7 on 6.

The other derby offered no thrills. Brescia defeated Sabadell in Spain pretty convincingly – 14:10 and practically secured the top spot. The Italians are five points ahead of 2nd-placed Novi Beograd, which means that they need only one point in the remaining two games (against Ferencvaros and Jug) to cement 1st place.

But, there were surprises in other matches. Marseille demolished Ferencvaros 13:7, which boosted the French’s slim hopes of reaching the Final Eight.

OSC Budapest defeated Spandau 11:7 in Berlin. This win won’t help the Hungarians to qualify for the F8, but they helped Jug.

Jug in 4th place has 16 points in 4th place. After a defeat to OSC, 5th-placed Spandau is still with 11 points. Sabadell, OSC and Marseile have 10 points each.

Sabadell and OSC can’t climb to 4th place (they have worse scores in the head-to-head matches against Jug), while Marseille’s dream is still alive, but the Final Eight is still far from the French. In the remaining two rounds, they will play against Jug and OSC. Marseille suffered a 5-goal loss in Dubrovnik,so only a six-goal win over Jug in the next round will keep their hopes alive.

Vouliagmeni beat Dinamo Tbilisi 14:9 in the first match of Group A.

2022/23 Champions League, Group B, Day 12

Jug – Novi Beograd 11:11 (1:3, 4:2, 1:4, 5:2)

Jug AO: Popadic, Mozara, Fatovic 2, Zvono, Jokovic 3, Vukojevic 1, Biljaka 1, Lazic 2, Krzic, Kakaris 1, Grgurevic, Zuvela 1, Jurisic. Head coach: Kobescak.

Novi Beograd: Filipovic, S. Rasovic 4, Shushiashvili 1, Granados 2, Vucinic, D.Pijetlovic, Drasovic, Jaksic 1, Perkovic, Vlachopoulos 2, Skoumpakis 1, Martinovic, Pedro. Head coach: Gocic.

Until the middle of the fourth period, Novi Beograd had control, and it looked like it would collect three points in Dubrovnik. However, Jug played excellently in the final minutes. The home team was close to winning all three points, but the visitors saved a point with the last-gasp goal.

Novi Beograd opened the game with a 3:0 blast. The visitors played very well both in defense and in attack in the first eight minutes. The hosts got on the scoreboard only 62 seconds before the first break when Vukojevic converted a man-up for 1:3. A few details from the statistics can describe the first quarter well. Novi Beograd conceded only one goal, and Radoslav Filipovic, the visitors’ starting goalkeeper, didn’t post a single save in the opening period. Novi Beograd didn’t let the hosts create good opportunities for goals. At the other end of the pool, Toni Popadic saved four shots in the first quarter.

Jug started finding better solutions to outwit Novi Beograd’s defense in the second quarter. Still, the visitors kept an advantage until the fina minute of the first half. Jug’s captain Loren Fatovic converted a man-up 48 seconds before the end of the 2nd period for 4:5. Jug’s goalkeeper Popadic reacted excellently in Novi Beograd’s next possession, he cut a long pass and the hosts started a counterattack. Ten seconds before the buzzer, Fatovic added his second goal and leveled at 5:5.

Novi Beograd entered the second half in the same way as in the first quarter. The visitors’ defense was excellent. A good attack starts with a good defense. In the first four minutes of the second half, Novi Beograd made a 3:0 series. Strahinja Rasovic scored an action goal, then converted a 6 on 4. Granados scored from a man-up and it stood 5:8 in the 21st minute. Biljaka scored for 6:8 immediately after Novi Beograd’s eighth goal, but the Serbs had a three-goal lead before the final period, as captain Vlachopoulos closed this period with a goal for 9:6 at 00:24.

But, Jug produced a quick comeback. The Croats scored three goals in a minute and a half (Lazic, Zuvela, Jokovic) and leveled the score in the 28th minute– 9:9. After the equalizer, Strahinja Rasovic scored his fourth goal for 10:9, but Jokovic answered immediately from a penalty shot and the game entered the thrilling finish. Novi Beograd finished a few attacks rashly and missed chances to retake a lead. Twenty-one seconds before the end, Franko Lazic converted a man-up for 11:10 and Jug went ahead for the first time. In the last attack, Novi Beograd’s goalkeeper Radoslav Filipovic joined his teammates in the attack, the visitors’ had a 7 on 6. Nikola Jaksic took responsibility. He hit the back of the net two seconds before the end, and the teams shared the points.

It was the second consecutive thrilling Champions League match in the pool in Dubrovnik. In the 11th round, Jug saved a point in the match against Ferencvaros (12:12), by scoring an equalized with 10 seconds to go.

Zivko Gocic, Novi Beograd’s head coach, congratulated both teams:

“It was a big battle. I think that my team was better for most of the match, but we had problems organizing good attacks in the fourth quarter, and Jug made the most of it. Still, we managed to save a point. I congratulate my players because they were able to do that and score the goal in the last attack.”

Vjekoslav Kobescak, Jug’s head coach, has a similar opinion:

“Novi Beograd played an excellent game. For most of the match, they played better. Still, at the finish of the match, we showed our character and were very close to winning all three points. I am satisfied with this point. For the third time this season, we played a draw with Novi Beograd. We still didn’t qualify for the Final Eight , but we are on the right track.

Sabadell – Brescia 10:14 (1:2, 1:5, 4:4, 4:3)

Sabadell: Lorrio, Sanahuja 1, Gil, Blasco, Veich, Valera 3, Bertran, Cabanas 3, Averka 3, Banicevic, Bonet, Bustos, Teclas. Head coach: Colet.

Brescia: Tesanovic, Dolce 2, C.Presciutti, Gianazza, Lazic, Vapenski, Renzuto 2, Kharkov 1, Alesiani 1, Luongo 3, Di Somma 5, Gitto, Baggi Necchi. Head coach: Bovo.

The duel in Sabadell was an even contest until the finish of the first quarter. The defenses dominated at both ends of the pool. Each side scored a goal apiece in the first seven minutes. Just three seconds before the end, Edoardo Di Somma gave Brescia a 2:1 lead. The visitors, led by Di Somma, ruled the field in the second quarter. They completely outplayed the hosts in this period. In the 15th minute, Jacopo Alesiani made it 6:1. After that, the teams exchanged goals and Brescia kept a 5-goal lead until the middle break (7:2).

Sabadell tried to come back in the third quarter, but Brescia didn’t let the hosts come close. Sabadell cut the deficit to three twice (4:7 and 5:8). Between the 21st and the 27th minute, Brescia scored five and conceded only one goal. Kharkov gave the visitors a 13:6 lead with 05:18 minutes left on the clock and killed all Sabadell’s hopes.

Spandau 04 – OSC Budapest 7:11 (2:3, 2:4, 1:2, 2:2)

Spandau 04: Baksa, Gbadamassi 2, Prioteasa 2, Cuk, Tkac, Bozic, Strelezkij, Marziali, Chiru 1, Kholod, Restovic, Shepelev 2, Vernet Schweimer. Head coach: Kechagias.

OSC Budapest: Levai, Angyal 1, Manhercz 2, Varnai, Salamon, Csacsovszky 1, Dala, Aranyi 1, Vin.Vigvari 6, Burian, Bundschuh, Harai, Bisztritsanyi. Head coach: Da.Varga.

Spandau desperately needed the points in the match against OSC to stay in the race for the F8, while OSC had been far from 4th place even before the game.

But the Hungarians, with an inspired Vince Vigvari proved that they would fight until the end of the group stage. Spandau was never in front. The Berliners equalized twice (1:1, 2:2). Ten seconds before the first break, Danial Angyal scored from an extra and OSC won the first period (3:2).

The visitors were building a significant advantage step by step. Midway through the second period, they went to +3 (Csacsovszky for 6:3) and maintained the difference until a 3-minute break between the 2nd and the third period (7:4).
In the third quarter, OSC earned a big lead and after that, Spandau couldn’t come back. Mate Aranyi made it 8:4 early in the third. In the middle of this period, Vince Vigvari, the hero of OSC’s victory, scored for 9:4 from a counterattack.

Spandau didn’t give in, but it didn’t overcome a big deficit. Two and a half minutes before the end, the hosts reduced the gap to three (7:10). But, immediately after, Vince Vigvari scored his sixth goal to set the final score – 11:7.

Marseille – Ferencvaros 13:7 (3:1, 4:3, 5:1, 1:2)

Marseille: Lazovic, Cuckovic, Crousillat 4, Spaic 1, Prlainovic 2, Vernoux 3, Vanpeperstraete, Bouet, Marion Vernoux 1, Bodegas, Vukicevic, Daube 2, Hovhannysian. Head coach: Scepanovic.

Ferencvaros: Szakonyi, A.Nagy 1, Pohl 1, Merkulov 1, Argyropoulos 3, Ubovic, Fekete, Ven.Vigvari 1, D.Varga, Jansik, Damonte, Vogel. Head coach: ZS.Varga.

One could say that Ferencvaros underestimated Marseille, but it probably isn’t true.The Hungarians knew they wouldn’t have an easy task in Marseille (they earned a hard-fought 9:8 win over Marseille in Budapest). But, the French played excellently and proved that their previous results in the Champions League and numerous losses didn’t mirror their actual quality.

Today, Marseille showed something of its best. Marseille scored six goals in a row between the 15th and the 22nd minute, and the visitors couldn’t recover from that shock.

Ferencvaros scored an opening goal, but Marseille responded with three and was 3:1 up at the first break. After less than three minutes of play in the second period, the visitors leveled (3:3). Marseille struck back strongly, with three goals in less than three minutes and went to 6:3 (13th minute). At half-time, the French, led by captain Ugo Crousillat, had a 7:4 lead.

Andrija Prlainovic opened the second half with a goal from a distance for 8:4. Shortly after, Hannes Daube made it 9:4. In the 21st minute, Thomas Vernoux stretched the margin to six – 10:4 by converting a 6 on 5. No, that wasn’t the end of the French series. Marion Vernoux scored for 11:4 in the 22nd minute. Ferencvaros was goalless for more than nine minutes. Argyropoulos ended the visitors’ bad run with a power play goal 25 seconds before the last break. But Ugo Crousillat replied in the same manner just 20 seconds after, and Marseille regained a 7-goal lead (12:5). The fourth period was just a formality.

In the next round, Marseille will host Jug. The French will be in the competition for 4th place only if they beat the Croats by six or more goals, because they suffered a 5-goal loss in Dubrovnik (9:14).

1.Brescia 12 games – 31 points
2. Novi Beograd 12 – 26
3. Ferencvaros 12 – 22
4. Jug 12 – 16
5. Spandau 12 – 11
6. Sabadell 12 – 10
7. Marseille 12 – 10
8. OSC Budapest 12 – 10

Group A

Dinamo T – Vouliagmeni 9:14 (3:2, 1:5, 3:2, 2:5)

Dinamo Tbilisi: Razmadze, Kiriakidi, Akhvlediani, Dzikhtsiarenka 1, Tkeshelashvili, Vlahovic 2, Jakhaia, Saric, Imnaishvili, Magrakvelidze 4, Malyshau, Pjesivac 2, Gvetadze. Head coach: Stanojevic.

Vouliagmeni: Tzortzatos, Chalyvopoulos 1, Almyras 1, Kalogeropoulos 1, Troulos 1, Nikolaidis 5, Papasifakis 1, Woodhead, Alafragkis, Kapotsis 2, Kourouvanis 1, Farmer 1, Andreadis. Head coach: Vujasinovic.

Vouliagmeni did what it had to do to continue going toward the Final Eight in Belgrade. The Greeks kept 4th place with a win over Dinamo in the first game of Day 12 in Group A.

The Greeks counted on the points in Tbilisi and started very well. Vouliagmeni scored the first two goals in the game, but Dinamo responded with three and took a 3:2 lead. In the middle of the second quarter, the hosts were still in front (4:3). The following four minutes were the turning point. Vouliagmeni scored four unanswered goals in 04:04 minutes. The man of the match, center-forward Dimitrios Nikolaidis opened the Greeks’ series with an excellent backhander. Shortly after, he added a goal from a counter-attack. By the end of the first half, Kapotsis and Kourovanis found the net from a distance, and Vouliagmeni headed into the second period with a 7:4 lead.

The visitors controlled the game in the second half. Dinamo reduced the gap to two goals twice (5:7 and 7:9), but didn’t endanger Vouliagmeni’s win.

Wednesday, April 25: Olympiacos – Jadran S (19:30 – 18:30 CET), Waspo 98 Hannover – Barceloneta (19:00), Radnicki – Pro Recco (20:30)

1. Barceloneta 11 – 30
2. Pro Recco 11 – 27
3. Olympiacos 11 – 25
4. Vouliagmeni 12 – 17
5. Jadran 11 – 14
6. Radnicki 11 – 9
7. Dinamo T 12 – 6
8. Waspo 98 Hannover 11 – 3

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