Four sides from last season’s Final Six, Olympiacos (GRE), Szolnok (HUN), Barceloneta (ESP) and Recco (ITA) remained unbeaten after the third round: the Italians are the only team with three wins. Hannover (GER) produced one of the most terrific comebacks ever in the Champions League, trailed 7-12 early in the fourth period but saved the match to a 12-12 draw.
Olympiacos did a clean job against Nice (FRA) on Tuesday in Group A, winning 15-2 and staying atop, as expected by their head coach before the encounter. Tougher matches were in sight in Brescia and Berlin where Hungarian teams paid a respective visit. Szolnok (HUN) won by a single goal once again just as in the opening round against OSC. Though Brescia (ITA) enjoyed some fine spells, especially in the third period when they went 7-5 up, but the visitors stroke back. By the middle of the fourth, in a span of 5:55 minutes, they staged a 1-5 rush and the hosts could never recover from that. They could score 19 seconds from time but that was too late (9-10).
In Berlin OSC (HUN) did the damage in the first period. Taking a 0-3 lead, they kept the match under firm control and even though Spandau (GER) could come back from 1-5 to 5-7, the Germans were unable to narrow the gap to less than two goals, what’s more, the finish also belonged to the Hungarians (6-10).
Terrific matches highlighted the Group B action. Hannover produced one of the greatest comebacks ever seen in the Champions League. The young Partizan Belgrade (SRB) side played brilliantly, Ognjen Stojanovic was outstanding while netting five goals. The visitors took a 3-7 lead by halftime and went 7-12 up with 6:50 minutes from time. But the Germans, boosted by their Montenegrin aces, found their way back, scored five unanswered goals in 4:48 minutes while denying three Partizan man-ups. They even had a 6 on 5 with 8 seconds to go but were still happy with the 12-12 draw.
Barceloneta had to settle for a tie again after losing points in Hannover, however, this one against title-holder Jug was a valuable result. This match also had its twists and turns, Jug was superb in the third as they scored four straight goals after being 4-2 down for a 4-6 lead. Next came the 2014 winners with three goals in the fourth, at 4:38 on the clock Barceloneta was 7-6 ahead. Still, the Croats had the last laugh, Felipe Perrone levelled the score with 0:28 to go – the former player of the Spaniards was simply amazing as he netted 5 of the 7 goals for Jug.
The year’s last match in the League saw a magnificent battle between Eger and Recco. The Hungarians, lacking a couple of key-players because of injuries, were able to stay close to the Italians for quite a while. It stood 2-2 at half-time, including a 0-0 second period with some tremendous defending. Recco led 4-5 with a period to go and with 3:26 minutes from time it was still 6-8 but Eger ran out of gas, the visitors scored three in a row for 6-11 and maintained their clean sheet.
Champions League, Day 3
Group A
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) v Olympic Nice (FRA) 15-2
AN Brescia (ITA) v Szolnoki Dozsa-Kozgep 9-10
Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) v A Hid-OSC Budapest (HUN) 7-11
Classification: 1. Olympiacos 7, 2. Szolnok 7, 3. OSC 6, 4. Brescia 3, 5. Spandau 3, 6. Nice 0
Group B
Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) v Partizan Raiffeisen Belgrade (SRB) 12-12
CNA Barceloneta (ESP) v Jug Croatia Osiguranje Dubrovnik (CRO) 7-7
ZF-Eger (HUN) v Pro Recco (ITA) 7-11
Classification: 1. Recco 9, 2. Barceloneta 5, 3. Jug 4, 4. Eger 3, 5. Hannover 2, 6. Partizan 1
Next round: 18 January 2017
