Sport LISBOA e Benfica and Hebar PAZARDZHIK qualify for the Pool Phase of the #CLVolleyM

Two thoughts match were played in the past days for the coveted scope to qualify to the Pool Phase of the #CLVolleyM.

The first match took place on the 26th of October in Lisboa, during which the home team Sport LISBOA e Benfica defeated the Finnish team Ford Levoranta SASTAMALA for 3 sets out of 1

The home team showed to play well on blocking, stopping the power of the Finnish player Urpo Sivula and preventing him from spiking.
Mikko Esko, setter of Ford Levoranta SASTAMALA, reacted and scored the first point of the first set for his team.                                                                                                                                                      After a series of head-to-heads (2-2; 4-4, 5-5; 6-6) the Portuguese team was led to 7-6 by Lucas França, who eventually blocked the opponents twice (8-6;9-6). Esko tried to level up the scoring of his team (9-9), but then Benfica's block game prevented the Finnish to put the ball on the ground. Then a controversial point to bring Benfica in advantage of three points (12-9). Ford Levoranta SASTAMALA Head Coach was forced to call for a time out. The Finnish team quickly recovered (12-11), but then Benfica started paying very aggressively (13-11) and again (14-11), eventually running away by 5 points (17-12 ; 19-14) and dominated in the first set, with a 23-16 scored by Lucas França, and Ryuma Oto Alexio closing the set.

The second set reignited the fight, and during the second set the Finnish team seemed convinced not to let the opponents pass easily, until Lucas Gaspar helped his team to reach the double digit (10-8). The Finnish managed to balance the situation again (10-10; 14-14; 15-15), and then a mistake by the opponents (ball out) they run away for two points (15-17), forcing Benfica's Head Coach to call for a time out. During the whole set, Ford Levoranta SASTAMALA continued their winning at (17-19) and overcome the Portuguese team (21-17; 22-18; 18-23). Benfica fought back (19-23), but the set closed at 20-25.

The third and fourth sets showed again a number of head-to head. The fourth in particular, began with Benfica quickly reacting and always maintaining a distance from the opponents (14-11; 16-13; 18-15; 20-15) and closing the match at 25-18 on the last set. 

The second match was played in Zagreb, and the contenders for the qualify to the 4th Round of the #CLVolleyM were Mladost ZAGREB vs Hebar PAZARDZHIK.

The first set showed a real fight between the two teams and closed at 28-26 for the Croatian team.
The second set started more balanced (5-5; 6-6), until Jacopek brought his team in advantage of two points with a powerful spike (9-7). Then Aleksiev's spike passed through the block (10-9) and brought the Bulgarian team to a head-to-head with the opponents, continuing in his winning path by surprising the ZAGREB's libero (13-12). Some mistakes for Hebar led the situation at 13-14 and 14-14, and then the cat-and-mouse game continued. with a fast spike of Yosifov, eventually substituted, and some mistakes by the Bulgarian team in blocking the opponents (16-15; 16-16).

The Head Coach of Zagreb invited his team not to show hesitation and stay in the counterattack. Despite that, Hebar run away (19-22 ; 19-23) and closed the set at 20-25

The third set brought again to a cat-and-mouse game (1-1 ; 4-4 ; 7-7), with Massari trying to get closer to score the double digit for his team (9-7). ZAGREB Head Coach invited players to play every side out, and it seemed to function (15-11), but then the Bulgarian team predominated again (14-20;14-22). Massari scored (14-23), and another successful block for Hebar put the Bulgarians 10 points in advantage, closing the set at 17-25. The fourth set was again under control of the Bulgarian team, which achieved the 9-21 even before the
Croatians can do anything to stop their show of power. The home team managed to reach the double digit, but this didn't help them and they to lose the match at 10-25.

As per facts about the match, Sven Jakopec was the youngest player on the court to play for Mladost ZAGREB, and Hebar PAZARDZHIK will Play for the second year in a row in the group stage of the Champions League Volley Men.