Teams that won all trophies in the LEN Euro League in the previous four completed seasons – Sabadell (2016 and 2019 champion) and Kinef Kirishi (winner in the 2017 and 2018 editions) didn’t qualify for the Final Four in the season 2020/21.
The second matches of the Euro League quarterfinals have been played today.
Olympiacos eliminated Sabadell, although the Spaniards had a 2-goal advantage after the first match. The Greeks recorded a convincing 10:5 victory in the return leg.
Kinef Kirishi managed to overcome a 3-goal deficit from the first match against Dynamo Uralochka, but Dynamo advanced to the Final Four after a penalty shootout.
Two Hungarian clubs – Dunaujvaros and UVSE – joined Olympiacos and Dynamo in the semifinals.
Dunaujvaros secured its spot at the Final Four with a 10:6 win over SIS Roma. The first encounter was ended in a draw.
UVSE took a point against Mataro today (9:9). But, the Budapest-based team recorded a three-goal win in the first match in Spain
Olympiacos is the only semifinalist that has already won the LEN Euro League. The Greeks clinched the trophy in 2015. Dynamo was the runner-up twice (1992 and 2002). The two Hungarian sides also have played in the final, Dunaujvaros in 2003, and UVSE in 2016.
Quarterfinals, 2nd leg: Olympiacos (GRE)–Sabadell (ESP) 10:5 (1st leg 12:14), Dynamo (RUS) – Kinef (RUS) 13:15 – PSO (11:8), Dunaujvaros (HUN) – SIS Roma (ITA) 10:6 (11:11), UVSE (HUN) – Mataro (ESP) 9:9 (12:9).
LEN Euro League, Quarterfinals, 2nd leg
Olympiacos – Sabadell 10:5 (1:1, 2:1, 3:2, 4:1) – 1st leg 12:14
Olympiacos: Eleftheriadou 3, E. Plevritou 2, Avarmidou 1, Sioti 1, M.Plevritou 1, Siouti 1, Tsoukala 1, Myriokefalitaki 1.
Sabadell: Van der Sloot 1, Cordobes 1, Garcia Godoy 1, Keuning 1, Tankeeva 1.
The first two quarters saw an exchange of goals. Olympiacos took the lead two times (1:0, 2:1, but the Spaniards equalized both times. Alikisti Avramidou converted a penalty 38 seconds before the middle break for 3:2, and from that point on, the Greeks were constantly in front. In the 23rd minute, Olympiacos earned a 6:3 lead and caught up with Sabadell in the aggregate score. Sabadell’s Maica Garcia Godoy responded immediately for 4:6.
The Spaniards’ last goal came in the 26th minute (5:7). Olympiacos dominated in the last six minutes, scored three goals for a comfortable 10:5 victory.
Dynamo – Kinef 13:15 (1:3, 2:1, 3:2, 1:4, PSO 6:5) – 1st leg 11:8
Dynamo Uralochka: Panfilova 5 (2 in PSO), Sharafutdinova 2 (1), Bersneva 2 (1), Zaplatina 1, Karimova 1 (1), Popova 1, Kolkova 1 (1).
Kinef Surgutneftegas Kirishi: Ivanova 4, Simanovich 4, Ryzhkova 3 (1), Glyzina 2 (2),Prokofyeva 1 (1), Markoch 1 (1).
Dynamo Uralochka upset Kinef in the first match in Kirishi 11:8. Today, the hosts were behind the rival for most of the match. Still, Dynamo was on the right track because Kinef couldn’t build a 3-goal advantage.
The visitors led 3:1 after the first quarter, but Dynamo equalized midway through the second quarter (3:3). A minute and a half before the last break, the Uralochka-based side took the lead (6:5), but not for long. By the middle of the final period, Kinef re-earned a lead (7:6). Dynamo leveled the score (Anastasia Panfilova for 7:7) with 03:56 minutes to go. It seemed that the hosts had secured a ticket for the Final Four.
However, Kinef scored three unanswered goals in the last three minutes. Evgeniya Ivanova beat the buzzer. She found the net a second before the end for 7:10. Kinef finally erased the deficit from Kirishi and the match entered the penalty shootout.
The long series of penalty shots was ended in the 9th round. Dynamo’s Evgenia Karimova scored in the 8th round for 13:15. Then, the home team’s goalie Evgenia Golovina blocked a shot, and the hosts secured the F4 berth.
Dunaujvaros – SIS Roma 10:6 (3:1, 2:2, 3:0, 2:3) – 1st leg 11:11
Dunaujvaros: Garda 3, Gurisatti 2, Brezovszki 2, Horvath 1, Mahieu 1, Mucsy 1.
Lifebrain SIS Roma: Galardi 2, Giustini 2, Avegno 1, Picozzi 1.
Dunaujvaros led the entire match. SIS Roma was coming back from time to time, but the Italians didn’t endanger the victory of the home side.
Roma managed to reduce the gap to one only once (2:3 in the 9th minute). Shortly thereafter, Dunaujvaros replied with two goals for 5:2. The hosts dominated the third period and entered the final quarter with a 8:3 advantage. Roma opened the third period with three goals in a row and came close (6:8) with 03:15 minutes left. But, Dunaujvaros didn’t let the visitors go further and secured a spot at the final tournament with a 10:6 victory.
UVSE – Mataro 9:9 (3:3, 1:0, 2:1, 3:5) – 1st leg 12:9
UVSE Hunguest Hotels: Abel-Antal 4, Farago 3, Parkes 1, Szegedi 1.
CN Mataro: Lloret Gomez 3, Jackovich 2, Gual 2, Bonamusa 1, Cambray 1.
UVSE dictated the pace, and earned an early 2:0 lead. The Spaniards leveled by the end of the first period (3:3). UVSE regained a 2-goal lead in the middle of the third quarter (5:3). In the 27th minute, the hosts built a 3-goal lead (8:5) and it was clear that Mataro couldn’t make a miracle. Still, the Spaniards didn’t give in, they equalized 78 seconds before the end (9:9). UVSE had a penalty shot in the last second of the match, but Sanchez saved a shot from Szegedi, and Mataro left Budapest undefeated.
The Euro League Final Four is scheduled for April 30 and May 1.
The eliminated teams will play at the LEN Trophy Final Four (April 15 – 16).
