Scare for Sporting as day two sees first teams reach the last 16
The day consisted of unlikely results, some last-minute deciders as well as make or break moments for numerous teams. Sporting were forced into extra time and Braga showed that they were serious about maintaining their crown as European champions.
Group A
KP Lódz were welcomed to the action, being one of the two teams that didn’t play the previous day, by the Latvian side Kreiss. Kreiss had won the day before but the newcomers didn’t let that intimidate them and lead for the majority of the game by, albeit, a slender advantage which they managed to maintain until the final whistle.
In beating the Latvian side, KP Lódz go level on points with them, whilst ensuring that, should they be tied on points on the final day, that they finish above the Latvians in the group ranking.
Group B
After picking up a well-earned three points against Marseille Beach Team yesterday, MFC Spartak had a taste for victory and looked to the Czech team, SK BO EU Teplice to provide them with another. They went four ahead in the first period and then built on that foundation with Filipov getting his name on the scoresheet four times, taking his team’s total to seven.
SK BO EU Teplice only managed to score three and therefore will have to keep Marseille company with no points at the bottom of the table, after SC Braga beat them to go joint on points with MFC Spartak. Both Braga and Spartak are now through to the next stage but will play each other tomorrow to decide who will take top spot in the group.
The reigning champions, SC Braga, looked to administer the same devastation against Marseille Beach Team as they offered SK BO EU Teplice yesterday. The French team were without a win after losing narrowly to MFC Spartak, and so eager to give it their all in pursuit of some points.
By the end of the first period, Braga enjoyed a three-goal cushion between them and their French challengers and this comfort zone would grow until any hope of a Marseille comeback was long gone. Along with SK BO EU Teplice they can now not qualify for the next round.
Group C
In Group C Nõmme BSC Olybet saw off a difficult BS Egmond yesterday to take three points and they were hoping for more of the same in today’s bout against Copenhagen. But the Danes were also in need of points after being battered by Sporting, so they weren’t going to make it easy. In a game that started in an evenly matched contest, it was all about stamina and as things got a little heated towards the end, the Estonians kept their heads and fended off various Danish attacks.
Nõmme BSC Olybet may already be through to the next round but they will have to give it everything they’ve got against Sporting tomorrow to clinch top spot. In the meantime, Copenhagen will face BS Egmond, neither of whom will make the last 16, to fight over third place.
When Sporting CP met BS Egmond in today’s 16:30 fixture, an early goal from Madjer looked as though it would set the scene for a one-sided goal-fest, but the Dutch clearly had not read the script, as the captain Kleibroek equalised only minutes later. It took the legendary number seven until the second period to net again but not only did Egmond come back, they took the lead.
Sporting managed to scramble in a nervous rebound before the second whistle to equalise, but the game was anyone’s at this point. As the third period went on, BS Egmond went 5-3 up and Sporting, desperate to get back into the game, started piling on the pressure until they were back on level terms. After normal time the game was still level and it took extra time for Sporting to see the game off. After dropping a point today, Sporting still qualify for the final 16 after the two teams below them in the group have failed to win a point so far.
Group D
GR Amigos da Paz took on Oslo BSC with a hope to secure some points and forget about the frustrating extra time loss to West Deva the previous day. However, Oslo had lost their previous game too and were equally keen to pick up points in today’s fixture.
The game started slowly and the Norwegians claimed the only goal of the first period. With everything to play for, the Portuguese pulled out all the stops in the second period and the GR Amigos’ number ten, Carvalho, found the back of the net four times to put his team ahead. Oslo never recovered from this barrage of goals and, despite having lead and pulling another goal back, were well beaten in the end, therefore unable to qualify for the last 16.
Both BSC Vybor (Ukraine) and ACS West Deva (Romania) arrived at the stadium today off the back of a confidence-boosting win the previous day. However, West Deva only managed a to seal victory after extra time and therefore trailed today’s opponents in the group table by a point.
This match was crucial to decide how the group would finish. BSC Vybor proved the deadlier of the two. They took their time in commanding the lead but once they did, ACS West Deva were unable to get back on level terms. A win for the Ukrainian team puts them on six points and top of the group.
Group E
Igol BSC went into their game against Alanyabelediye Spor having failed to pick up any points in yesterday’s fixture. The Turkish team, however, had beaten BLC Vamos heavily, and were eager to keep the momentum going into today’s match. They controlled the pace of the game from start to finish, netting six times, three of which made up a Ceskin hat-trick – his second in two days!
The win safely in the bag, the Turkish team then waited eagerly to find out the result of the match between Lokomotiv and BLC Vamos to see if they had done enough to secure a place in the next round…
When an in-form BSC Lokomotiv met a BLC Vamos team who were still licking their wounds from the previous day’s hammering administered by Alanyabelediye Spor, you could be forgiven for assuming what the outcome of the game would be… Lokomotiv kicked into gear and gathered momentum, blowing away an overwhelmed BLC Vamos.
The Russian side soon left their Belgian opposition out of sight as the final tally reached seven with the Belgians unable to find the back of the net. The win for Lokomotiv not only confirmed their passage to the next round, but also that of Alanyabelediye Spor who won earlier in the day. Vamos were left only with the hope that they might pick up some consolatory points against the Lithuanian side, Igol BSC, tomorrow.
Group F
FC Bate Borisov came into today’s tie against the Moldovans, CS Djocker, with a spring in their step after seeing off Group F rivals AO Kefallinia yesterday. Djocker, on the other hand, were smarting from suffering a thumping defeat to CD Melistar, who would play later in the Group’s other fixture. Perhaps confidence was a factor today as
The Belarusians quickly asserted their dominance with an Akensov hat-trick, taking their final tally to six, with Djocker just managing one consolation goal in the dying minutes. The match finished with FC Bate taking six of a possible six points and, as a result, are through to the next round.
Melistar were looking to build on yesterday’s emphatic triumph over CS Djocker with a win over a Kefallinia side who had been defeated by FC Bate Borisov the day before. The Spanish side was in control at the first break thanks to a Cristian Biermann brace and, as the game progressed, the amount of goals just kept going up.
Kefallinia managed to pull a couple back throughout the fixture but they never really seemed close to challenging for the points. The match finished with Melistar scoring eight, with braces from Navarro, Biermann and Pachev, meaning that the Spanish are through to the next round, as both they and FC Bate won their matches.
Group G
The only game in Group G kicked of the day’s action on pitch one, with FC Dinamo Batum from Georgia meeting the German team, Rostocker Robben. Rostocker were looking to bounce back from yesterday’s heavy defeat to Happy Car with a win today, which was also essential to keep them in the race for a spot in the final 16.
Dinamo, however, had their own agenda and started strongly, taking the lead early in the first period. The Germans never managed to get back on level terms despite scoring four good goals, they ran out of time and were beaten by a narrow margin of a single goal, leaving FC Dinamo to pick up their first points.
Group H
The clash of the Italian titans of Catania and Viareggio was one of the day’s most eagerly anticipated fixtures but Catania had had to swallow a bitter pill the day before when they lost by a single goal in the dying moments to Russian powerhouse, BSC Kristall.
They were keen to put up a fight today and had the lead by the time the whistle went for the end of the first period. However, a goal from Ramacciotti and a Gori brace put Viareggio back in the driver’s seat and with this momentum they managed to push on and win the match with a two-goal cushion.
In Group H’s second game of the day, Artur Music faced a BSC Kristall side who were full of conviction after their win against the mighty Catania, the previous day. Usual suspect, Mauricinho, the Kristall number eleven, opened the scoring in a close first period. Just the one goal separated the teams at the first whistle, but the Brazilian doubled his tally in the second period, and then tripled it in the third.
Artur Music, far from handing the Russian team an easy win, pulled a goal back through Stepliani but the three goals from their superstar were enough and Kristall claimed the three points. They face Viareggio tomorrow to see who goes through to the last 16.
Group I
A hard-fought win yesterday against Playas de Mazarrón meant that Casa do Benfica de Loures went into today’s game against Boca Gdansk with a point advantage in Group I. On top of that, Boca had been thrashed by Falfala and so the pressure was on them to pick up some points today.
Despite going down 2-0 at the close of the first period, Boca fought very hard and scored four goals in the second period to take the lead. A late equaliser by Carballo to complete his brace, forced the game to extra time. In the end the hero for the Portuguese side was Alan, who grabbed the winning goal for Casa de Benfica who now have to beat Falfala to qualify for the next round.
Playas de Mazarrón will have received a real blow to their confidence levels following a the loss of their game yesterday by a single goal after an evenly matched contest. But Falfala Kfar Qassem were not about to show any mercy, looking to secure consecutive wins for themselves.
The scoring was opened by Ozu, who went on to complete his hat-trick inside the first period, meaning that it ended 3-1 to the Israeli team. Playas de Mazarrón spent the rest of the tie playing catch-up and a couple of consolation goals was all they could muster from a game against a Falfala that look like they are going to be hard to trip up in this competition.
For full results, fixtures and standings, click here.
