CEV Cup: Hebar Pazardhik and Aich/Dob win in first leg of 1/16 finals

On Tuesday evening, Austrian champions SK Zadruga Aich/Dob recorded a five sets victory in the first of two back-to-back matches against VK Dukla Liberec from Czech Republic. Konrad Formela delivering an amazing performance for the home side, resulting in a personal score of 22 points. A second matchup between these two teams will follow on Wednesday night and decide which one will eventually progress to the 8th Finals of the CEV Volleyball Cup.
The hosts claimed a 2-0 lead following 25:21 and 25:19 set wins but in a very closely contested game, the Czechs took the third set 26:24 and the fourth as well (25:19). Even though they had lost to the Czech team in the CEV Cup two years ago, this time the Austrians eventually pulled out a 15:13 tiebreak victory.
This means that VK Dukla LIBEREC have to win the re-match by any score if they are to remain in contention for a spot in the next round.

Martin Micheu, Sports Manager of SK Zadruga AICH/DOB: “We played really well in the first two sets and started well into the third too, but suddenly the mistakes came and nothing seemed to be working anymore. We only came back in the fifth set. Unfortunately, we regularly have problems to win sets even after leading from the start. Today we needed four match points to get the job done. It is of course a good thing that we won, but we were obviously not hoping for this result; it does not matter, since we are very motivated for tomorrow“.

In the other match of the day played in Pazardhik, Erzeni Shijakut – Hebar Pazardhik 0-3 (18:25, 21:25, 17:25)

📌| CEV CUP | 1/16 finals

🗓| November 12
Mladost Zagreb — Montpellier 1-3 (19:25, 25:22, 25:27, 15:25)

🗓| November 17

in Pazardjik – Erzeni Shijakut – Hebar Pazardhik 0-3 (18:25, 21:25, 17:25)
Top Scorers: Kula 20, Cullhaj 12; Gunter 17, Aleksiev 15, Todorov 12.

SK Zadruga Aich/Dob – VK Dukla Liberec 3-2 (25:21, 25:19, 24:26, 19:25, 15:13)
Top Scorers: Formela 22, Daniel De Souza Maciel 19, Landfahrer 19; Krajcovic 12, Stokr 11, M. Krisko 9, T. Krisko 9, Vesely 9.

🗓| November 18
Hebar Pazardhik — Erzeni Shijakut 3-0 (25:11, 25:20, 25:9)
In Bleiburg | VK Dukla Liberec — SK Zadruga AICH/DOB 3-0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:18)

🗓| November 19
CSM Arcada Galati — Montana

🗓| November 24
Montana – CSM Arcada Galati

Ford Levoranta Sastamala (forfeit) — Amysoft Lycurgus Groningen 0-3
OK Vojvodina Seme Novi Sad — Chenois Geneve (forfeit) 3-0
IBB Polonia London — Volejbal Brno (forfeit) 3-0
Shakhtior Soligorsk (forfeit) — OK Nis 0-3
Lindaren Volley Amriswil (forfeit) – Zenit Saint Petersburg 0-3
Stroitel Minsk – Volley Schonenwed (forfeit) 3-0
Draisma Dynamo Apeldoorn (forfeit) — Spor Toto 0-3
OK Ribola Kastela (forfeit) — Galatasaray HDI Istanbul 0-3
Dinamo Moscow — Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice (forfeit) 3-0
VC Greenyard Maaseik — Chaumont VB 52 (forfeit) 3-0
Neftochimik Burgas (forfeit) — Mladi Radnik Pozarevac 0-3
Fino Kaposvar VC (forfeit) — CV Guaguas Las Palmas 0-3