Though the first legs brought scoring festivals in Herceg Novi (MNE) and Verona (ITA) a month ago (23 and 22 goals respectively), the return legs saw unusually low-scoring encounters. The combined score didn’t reach 20 goals in the two venues – and apart from mathematics, the two home sides could celebrate at the end after winning real thrillers.
Ferencvaros trailed 3-4 before the last break but 35 year-old Norbert Madaras, two-time Olympic and world champion, put away two man-ups in the fourth, the second one 55 seconds before the end. Jadran remained scoreless in the last 9:45 minutes of the match, thus the Montenegrins’ journey ended here. On the other side, Ferencvaros will return to a European cup final after 20 years.
In Oradea the very same scenario happened. Verona was 2-3 ahead before the last break but the Italians couldn’t net any goal in the last 9:54 minutes while the Romanians scored three in 3:34 seconds in the last period and forced the match to a penalty shootout. Their Olympic champion Serbian goalie, Gojko Pijetlovic stopped two shots there, sending his team to the final for the first time in their history.
Euro Cup – semi-finals, seconds leg
Ferencvaros (HUN) v Jadran Herceg Novi (MNE) 6-4
Aggregate: 17-16
DiGi Oradea (ROU) v CSM Verona (ITA) 5-3
Aggregate: 15-15 – penalties: 4-3
