The clash of the Hungarian teams, Szolnok and OSC, is the derby of the Champions League Qualification Round 3.
However, the first encounter between these two teams was a one-sided contest. Szolnok suffered a 6:15 loss in its pool. The Hungarian champion has to produce a miracle in the 2nd leg in Budapest to reach the Champions League.
The Croatian derby lacked excitement. As expected, Jadran Split defeated Mladost 14:7.
Brescia and Crvena Zvezda earned away wins, as well as OSC. Crvena Zvezda edged out Savona (9:8), while Brescia can be very happy after the 1st leg. The Italian champion recorded a 17:13 victory over Barcelona in Spain.
The return matches will be played on Wednesday.
2021/22 Champions League Qualifications, Playoffs, 1st leg
Szolnok – OSC 6:15 (1:4, 1:4, 3:5, 1:2)
Szolnok: Szeghalmi 1, Nagy 1, Konarik 1, Milakovic 1, Zovic 1, Teleki 1.
OSC Budapest: Csacsovszky 4, Manhercz 3, Burian 2, Harai 2, Varnai 1, Salamon 1, Toth 1, Vigvari 1.
Szolnok scored an opening goal in the 3rd minute. However, OSC held the hosts scoreless in the following more than nine minutes, while it netted six goals in a row for a 6:1 lead. Szolnok’s Zovic found the net in the 13th minute (2:6) and halted OSC’s series, but not for long. OSC scored two goals by the end of the first half and had a big 8:2 advantage at the middle break.
The visitors ruled the field. Early in the third period, OSC stretched the margin to seven (10:3) and went to 13:5 before the final quarter. Szolnok’ Szeghalmi scored the first goal in the fourth period (6:13), but the visitors closed the game with two goals (Vigvari and Csacsovszky) for a big 15:6 victory.
Erik Csacsovszky scored four goals for OSC, Krisztian Manhercz added three, while goalkeeper Levai gave a significant contribution to OSC’s victory.
Jadran S – Mladost 14:7 (1:3, 6:2, 3:1, 4:1)
Jadran Split: Butic 3, Dobud 3, Marinic Kragic 2, Kharkov 2, Setka 2,Pejkovic 1, Bukic 1.
Mladost Zagreb: Dasic 2, Rakovac 2, Lazic 1, Vrbnjak 1, Bajic 1.
Four days ago, Jadran defeated Mladost convincingly (15:7) in the Croatian League. Therefore, many taught that the Split-based side would have an easy task in Qualification Round 3. Still, Jadran needed some time to find its rhythm. Mladost opened the match well and had a 3:1 advantage before the second quarter. But, the hosts regrouped themselves during the first break and scored five goals in a row to turn around the 2-goal deficit to a 6:3 lead (14th minute). By the end of the quarter, Mladost cut the deficit (5:7).
Jadran continued to dictate the pace after the middle break. Mladost was coming back from time to time, but Jadran cruised to a 13:7 victory. Niksa Dobud and Zvonimir Butic were the best scorers with three goals each.
Savona – Crvena Zvezda 8:9 (1:1, 2:3, 2:1, 3:4)
Savona: Vuskovic 4, Iocchi Gratta 3, Rizzo 1.
Crvena Zvezda: Basara 3, Djurdjic 2, Tankosic 1, Subotic 1, Milojevic 1, Vukicevic 1.
The game offered a lot of excitement. Crvena Zvezda recorded a 9:8 victory after a lot of twists and turns.
After the balanced first quarter, Savona opened the second period with two goals for 3:1. Crvena Zvezda responded with a 3:0 series and went into the second half with a 4:3 lead.
The hosts retook control after the middle break. They leveled at 5:5 before the final quarter and went in front two times in the early stage of the fourth period (6:5, 7:6). There were no goals in the middle of the fourth quarter. Three minutes before the final buzzer, Savona still had a slim 7:6 advantage. Then, Crvena Zvezda scored three action goals in 02:08 minutes and earned a 2-goal lead(9:7) with 39 seconds remaining on the clock. Three seconds before the end, Matteo Iocchi Gratta, the best scorer of the World U20 Championship, converted a man up for the final score (8:9).
Crvena Zvezda has a one-goal advantage and will have a home-field advantage in the 2nd leg, but everything is still open in this duel.
Barcelona – Brescia 13:17 (4:5, 3:3, 3:3, 3:6)
Barcelona: Durik 4, Valls 2, Garcia 2, Delgado 2, Estrany 2, Mallarach 1.
Brescia: Renzuto 7, Luongo 3, C.Presciutti 2, Di Somma 2, Lazic 1, Vapenski 1, Alesiani 1.
Brescia, the 3rd-placed team in the 2021 Champions League, entered the games against Barcelona as a favorite. But, the Spaniards didn’t surrender without a hard battle.
Brescia had a one-goal advantage after the first quarter. Vincenzo Renzuto Iodice, who was outstanding this evening, opened the second period with two goals for 7:4. Still, Barceloneta caught up with the Italians shortly after (7:7). The teams were in a neck-and-neck race until 10:10. Brescia’s Vapenski gave Brescia an 11:10 lead in the 24th minute. Iodice opened the fourth quarter the same way as the second period – with two goals, and Brescia went to 13:10. In the 31st minute, Cristian Presciutti scored his second goal for 16:12, and the difference between the rivals increased to four for the first time. Both teams scored a goal apiece in the last minute of the high-scoring match, so Brescia goes home with a solid 4-goal advantage.
