FC PORTO take first step towards reaching #CLVolleyW group stage

Portugal’s FC PORTO are in a strong position in the 3rd  qualifying round of the CEV Champions League Volley 2027 Women after beating Belgium’s Asterix Avo BEVEREN (3-1) this Thursday at Dragão Arena in the first leg.

The first half of the opening set was closely contested, but the multiple Belgian champions proved ruthless at the net, particularly with their blocking, and capitalised on several missed serves by the Porto side to build a lead that ultimately proved decisive (19-25).
The roles were reversed in the second set, as the Portuguese hosts showed their best form from the very first point, completely dominating proceedings to claim a convincing 25-14 victory. The third set was a real rollercoaster of emotions, but FC PORTO showed enough composure to come out on top (27-25) and take the lead in the match.
The visitors made a strong start to the fourth set, initially building a considerable advantage, but the Blue-and-Whites gradually fought their way back into the game. Stronger as a team, Miguel Coelho's side eventually came out on top, winning 25-22 to take a 3-1 advantage into the second leg, which will be played in Belgium on Wednesday, November 11 at 5:00 pm. 

Miguel Coelho, head coach of FC PORTO: “It was a nervous and stressful game, particularly because we felt that Asterix Avo BEVEREN could only score points when we allowed them to, although they also deserve a lot of credit, as they have a blocking line-up that we do not come across in our domestic league, as well as a strong attacking game. They scored a lot of points from our serving errors, but we also struggled because we are not used to playing against teams like this, which are more physical and taller. The players deserve great credit for how hard they fought and how much ground they covered. We changed our strategy throughout the game, and it was not easy for them to adapt so quickly, but they responded very well from a tactical point of view. This was a victory built on determination, fighting spirit and the Porto way.”

Caylen Alexander, player of FC PORTO: "We knew this week before the game that it was going to be a real tough team, so we needed to really work hard during practice and make sure we stuck to our game plan and then during the game we knew that we had to fight. As for the first set we recognise our errors and what made us lose it, so after that just playing a clean game and fighting as hard as we can helped us get the win.”