Challenge Cup: Earthquake postpones the duel between two Albanian teams, Craiova go to 16th finals via Golden Set

The first-ever encounter between Albanian teams in any of European cups didn’t come to a conclusion: the only rematch of the 2020 CEV Men’s Volleyball Challenge Cup scheduled for yesterday that didn’t take place was the one between two Albanian teams, Erzeni Shijak and Partizani Tirana. The reason was a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit this country on Tuesday and killed 30 people, as well as aftershocks that hit yesterday.
In other matches, Romanian side SCM “U” Craiova bounced back from 3-1 defeat to Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel from Austria in the first leg. Led by Laurențiu Lică, author of 22 points, Craiova won the rematch in straight sets and progressed to the 16th finals via Golden Set (15:11).
Hungarian team VRCK Kazincbarcika was near of shockingly eliminating Tokat Belediye Plevne, from Turkey. After being swept in the first leg by a 3-0, they took 2-0 lead in sets in the rematch at home but was unable to finish off the rivals who took the next three sets and went to the knockout stage. Even a notable display of Brazilian veteran Marcilio José Silva, author of 24 points, was in vain for Hungarian team.
After a break of six years, a match of the European Cups returned to Rennes. The home team won in four sets vs. Fonte Bastardo Azores from Portugal.

2020 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Qualification Round (2nd leg)

November 27:
SCM “U” Craiova (ROU) – Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel (AUT) 3-0 (25:19, 25:22, 25:19)
Golden Set 15-11, 1st leg 1-3

Pärnu VK (EST) – Linköping VC (SWE) 3-2 (25:18, 25:22, 20:25, 12:25, 15:10), 1st leg 3-1

Erzeni Shijak (ALB) – Partizani Tirana (ALB), 1st leg 3-0

UVC Weberzeile Ried i.I. (AUT) – Fino Kaposvár (HUN) 1-3 (20:25, 25:16, 22:25, 22:25), 1st leg 1-3

Vardar Skopje (MAC) – VK ČEZ Karlovarsko (CZE) 1-3 (25:21, 18:25, 17:25, 15:25), 1st leg 0-3

VRCK Kazincbarcika (HUN) – Tokat Belediye Plevne (TUR) 2-3 (25:19, 27:25, 16:25, 23:25, 13:15), 1st leg 0-3

Rennes Volley 35 (FRA) – Fonte Bastardo Azores (POR) 3-1 (29:27, 25:23, 21:25, 25:22), 1st leg 3-0

November 28:
CHEV Diekirch (LUX) – Lindaren Volley Luzern (SUI), 1st leg 1-3

Source and photo: CEV.