In leg 5 of pool play in the men’s CEV Champions League, ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) missed their chance to secure their second win this season. On Wednesday night, Slovenia’s dominant team for many years blew a two-set lead in the Pool B clash with Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER), suffering a disappointing 2-3 (25-22, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, 12-15) home loss. ACH Volley’s Bozidar Vucicevic topped the scoring tables on 21 points, while Samuel Tuia from the away team managed to put 19 to his name.
“In the first two sets we showed our quality but Recycling Volleys kept fighting and at the end managed to win. I think, if we could have made less mistakes in the fourth set, things could maybe have turned out differently,” ACH Volley middle-blocker Matic Videcnik explained. The fourth-placed Slovenians will finish their Champions League campaign against Fakel NOVY URENGOY (RUS) on home soil this upcoming Wednesday.
PHOTO © CEV
On Thursday, Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE recorded their second victory in Pool A , the Czechs clinched a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21) home win over Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta ISTANBUL (TUR). As a result, CESKE BUDEJOVICE ensured the third place in the table behind the Italian sides Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA and TRENTINO Itas.
In the men’s CEV Challenge Cup, VK CEZ KARLOVARSKO (CZE) secured their quarter-finals spot after celebrating a 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 19-25, 25-23) away win over ACS Volei Municipal ZALAU (ROU). Penzügyör BUDAPEST (HUN), on the other hand, reached the round of 16 due to a win in the Golden Set (15-12) against hosts BDO Volley Haasrode LEUVEN (BEL).
In the men’s CEV Cup, VK OSTRAVA (CZE), Mladost BRCKO (BiH) and Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) failed to advance to the quarter-finals. On Saturday, Croatia’s reigning national champions will resume their quest for the last remaining MEVZA League Final Four spot. Mladost need only a single point for the standing against Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) to qualify for this season’s climax held in Zwettl on March 4 and 5.
Men’s European Cups
CEV Champions League Volley 2020, Pool Play leg 5
12.02.: ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. BERLIN Recycling Volleys (GER) 2-3 (25-22, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, 12:15)
13.02.: Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE (CZE) vs. Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta ISTANBUL (TUR) 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21)
CEV Volleyball Cup 2020, eighth-finals away matches
12.02.: VK OSTRAVA (CZE) vs. Leo Shoes MODENA (ITA) 1-3 (29-25, 20-25, 25-23, 9-25) – leg 1: 3-0 MODENA
12.02.: Mladost BRCKO (BiH) vs. GFC AJACCIO (FRA) 3-2 (25-17, 25-23, 23-25, 12-25, 17-15) – leg 1: 3-1 AJACCIO
12.02.: Lindemans AALST (BEL) vs. Mladost ZAGREB (CRO) 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 25-13) – leg 1: 3-2 AALST
CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup 2020, eighth-finals away matches
11.02.: SC Portugal LISBOA (POR) vs. KLADNO Volejbal cz (CZE) 2-3 (25-20, 23-25, 25-15, 14-25, 12-25) – leg 1: 3-0 LISBOA
12.02.: ACS Volei Municipal ZALAU (ROU) vs. VK CEZ KARLOVARSKO (CZE) 1-3 (20-25, 20-25, 25-19, 23-25) – leg 1: 3-0 KARLOVARSKO
12.02.: BDO Volley Haasrode LEUVEN (BEL) vs. Penzügyör BUDAPEST (HUN) 3-1 (26-24, 25-23, 25-27, 35-33); GS: 12-15 – leg 1: 3-1 BUDAPEST
12.02.: RENNES Volley 35 (FRA) vs. VKP SPU NITRA (SVK) 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-21) – leg 1: 3-1 RENNES
13.02.: Allianz Powervolley MILANO (ITA) vs. Mladost Ribola KASTELA (CRO) 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-16) – leg 1: 3-0 MILANO
Men’s MEVZA League, regular season
15.02., 20:00: Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO) vs. HAOK Mladost ZAGREB (CRO)
16.02., 19:00: OK Mladost Ribola KASTELA (CRO) vs. OK Mladost BRCKO (BIH)
Final Four participants: ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO), Calcit Volley KAMNIK (SLO), hosts Union Raiffeisen WALDVIERTEL (AUT); one spot remaining
PHOTOS © CEV
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