The two Hungarian participants, Szolnok and OSC Budapest rolled on as respective group-winners just as last season’s Final Six runner-up Primorje (CRO). The fourth first placed club, Jadran Herceg Novi has a good chance to become the first Montenegrin side to make the prelims after four years.
Though it was only the second round of the qualification, the battles for the top spots in each group offered thrilling matches: all contested by the eventual group winners and the respective runners-up were decided by a single goal or ended in a tie.
The draw happened in Group D, where OSC Budapest (HUN) and Brescia (ITA) produced a tremendous fight. The Italians – building a new team and letting their wild-card be used by title-holder Pro Recco – were 8-5 up with 2:56 to go, but OSC managed to net three consecutive goals. The last one came from a penalty with 0:17 remaining on the clock.
Next day Brescia struggled to beat Marseille (FRA), while the Hungarians pushed aside host Vouliagmeni (GRE) and grabbed the first place through their better goal-difference. Szolnok, winning the Hungarian title for the first time in 50 years last May, finished second at this stage in the previous two seasons. A year ago Radnicki upset them in Kragujevac, now the Hungarians hit back firmly in their Group E encounter: the Serbs, fielding a totally exchanged line-up under financial pressure, were simply destroyed (21-2). Szolnok went on to win the group, though host Hannover (GER) gave them a really tough test on the last day, coming back from time to time, but the Hungarians – missing two penalties en route – scored a narrow 11-10 win.
Primorje (CRO) looked a sure bet playing at home in Group F, however, they found themselves in a middle of a dogfight against Marseille (FRA) right on the opening day. The French bounced back from 7-4 to 7-7 in the second period, led 8-9 in the middle of the third and had 76 seconds to score the equaliser at the end but finally had to settle for a 13-12 loss. Still, the French sailed to the next round as these two sides earned easy wins on the following two days.
Group G saw the closest battles of the weekend: Jadran (MNE) came first by clinching three single-goal wins, while bottom placed Sabadell lost twice by the same margin. Host SM Verona (ITA) came close to cause an upset, but DiGi Oradea (ROU) smashed them with a 3-0 rush in the third period in their encounter. On the closing day the Italians would have needed a two-goal win against Jadran, they came back from 5-8 down, stood 9-9 with five minutes till the end but struggled to score from their 6 on 5s (were 1 for 4 in the last period) and bowed out at the end. Oradea captured the second qualifying spot but the Romanians will face a tough test in the following round as they will meet either Primorje or the two Hungarians, since first placed sides will be paired with the runners- up in the play-off (teams from the same group cannot meet in the next round).
The draw will be made on Tuesday in London, during the official LEN site-visit at the host of the 2016 swimming Europeans.
Champions League, Qualification Round II
Group D (Athens): 1. OSC Budapest (HUN) 7 (29-17), 2. AN Brescia (ITA) 7 (27-22), 3. Vouliagmeni (GRE) 3, 4. Montpellier (FRA) 0
Group E (Hannover): 1. Szolnoki Dozsa-Kozgep (HUN) 9, 2. Waspo Hannover (GER) 6, 3. Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB) 3, 4. VK Budva (MNE) 0
Group F (Rijeka): 1. Primorje Erste Bank Rijeka (CRO) 9, 2. CN Marseille (FRA) 6, 2. Spartak Volgograd (RUS) 1, 4. ASC Duisburg (GER) 1
Group G (Busto Arsizio): 1. Jadran Carine Herceg Novi (MNE) 9, 2. DiGi Oradea (ROU) 6, 3. SM Verona (ITA) 3, 4. CN Sabadell (ESP) 0
First two ranked sides qualified from each group.
For details, play-by-play descriptions of each game and stats visit www.len.eu
