Champions League: Benfica shock Warszawa to record first-ever victory in pool stage

Benfica Lisboa have won their first-ever match in the CEV Champions League pool stage by beating Verva Warszawa Orlen Paliwa in four sets (25:19, 25:17, 22:25, 25:21) at home in Round 2 of Pool D. The win is even more significant knowing that Portuguese champions prevailed over a team that has only one defeat in one of the strongest leagues in the world, the Polish Plusliga. Hugo Gaspar was the top scorer for the winning side with 20 points while Bartosz Kwolek scored 16 points for Warszawa and Belgian Igor Grobelny made 85% reception (13 digs, 54% excellent).

Warszawa’s rivals for the home title Zaksa Kędzierzyn-Koźle dominated over Belgian Knack Roeselare in Pool E, in which German VFB Friedrichshafen swept Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad on the road in Serbia with 18 points of Nikola Gjorgiev.

2020 Volleyball CEV Champions League, pool stage – Round 2

POOL A

December 12:

Jihostroj České Budějovice (CZE) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 1-3 (18:25, 25:21, 13:25, 22:25)
Itas Trentino (ITA) – Fenerbahçe HDI Sigorta Istanbul (TUR) 3-2 (21:25, 23:25, 25:18, 25:17, 16:14)

POOL B

December 11:

ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Kuzbass Kemerevo (RUS) 3-2 (25:23, 25:16, 25:27, 23:25, 19:17)
Fakel Novy Urengoy (RUS) – Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:17)

POOL C

December 11:

Jastrzębski Węgiel (POL) – Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 3-0 (25:17, 25:17, 25:21)
VC Greenyard Maaseik (BEL) – Zenit Kazan (RUS) 3-2 (20:25, 18:25, 25:23, 25:22, 20:18)

POOL D

December 10:

Benfica Lisboa (POR) – Verva Warszawa Orlen Paliwa (POL) 3-1 (25:19, 25:17, 22:25, 25:21)

December 11:

Tours VB (FRA) – Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (ITA) 0-3 (30:32, 19:25, 18:25)

POOL E

December 10:

Knack Roeselare (BEL) – Zaksa Kędzierzyn-Koźle (POL) 0-3 (17:25, 19:25, 21:25)
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – VFB Friedrichshafen (GER) 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 20:25)

Source and Photos: CEV