Champions League: All results of December 1

After two yesterday’s matches, Round 1 of the 2022 CEV Volleyball Champions League – group stage continued on Wednesday.

In Pool A, Knack Roeselare from Belgium win at tie break in Germany, on the field of VfB Friedrichshafen (18:25, 25:23, 16:25, 25:22, 9:15), with 21 points apiece of youngsters Ahnyi and Desmet.

Mark Lebedew, head coach of VfB Friedrichshafen: “We should have played our game and we must not just watch what the opponent does. Whenever we played our game we won the sets. In the end it was not enough.”

Steven Vanmedegael, Head coach of Knack Volley Roeselare: “The key to success was our service today. Friedrichshafen played the way we expected and my team did very well. But I still hope that we can improve during this Champions League campaign”

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The hosts Dinamo Moscow and Polish bronze medalists Projekt Warszawa played a super-exciting match in Pool B. Warszawa could not have imagined a better opening against the mighty Russian champions but, after winning the first two sets, the club from the capital of Poland literally stopped playing, while the self-confidence of its players was ruined with the all-or-nothing display of the hosts, who turned the match around and took two points. Yaroslav Podlesnykh top-scored Dinamo with 18 points, while Vadym Likhosherstov made five blocks. Among the guests, heavy the absence of Petkovic, as Superlak made only 10 points with -5% efficiency in attack.

Konstantin Bryanskiy, head coach of VC Dinamo Moscow: “At first and second sets we made too many mistakes. We had problems on service and on attack. Than we could stabilized this moments and started to play our volleyball. Project Warsaw played carefully. In complicated situations they didn’t risk. I’m thankful to my team for this victory.”

Pavel Pankov, captain and setter of VC Dinamo Moscow: “Project Warszawa showed us, that is Champions League. We had many mistakes on service and attack. Maybe, we were a little bit nervous at the start of the game. Than we started play clearly in different components and won three sets.”

Andrea Anastasi, head coach of Projekt Warszawa: “We played on a top-level. It was very difficult to play 5 sets, but we was able to win game on the tie-break. We glad to take one point from Moscow, because Dynamo is the best team of our group. It’s a long competition and we believe, that could show good result.”

Mateusz Janikowskix opposite of Projekt Warszawa: “In the first moment we played very well and I think our opponent could be a little surprised, but finally everything changed and regret it, because we had a great opportunity to win in this game. This was my debut in Champions League. I play on different position as a spiker, but today I did my best to help the team and I am really happy that I could play on the court today.”

In the same pool, Turkey’s Ziraat Bankası Ankara swept Belgium’s VC Greenyard Maaseik 3-0 (26:24, 25:15, 25:17) with an excellent Ter Maat, author of 20 points and 70% in attack.

Jolan Cox, captain of Greenyard Maaseik: “It’s a pity we couldn’t conclude the first set. We were playing really good volleybal, but we didn’t reward ourselves. From the second set on, Ziraatbank raised its level, and hardly committed any errors. We have many youngsters in our team, for whom this is the first experience in Champions League. That may explain why we couldn’t keep up with them.”

Joel Banks, head coach of VC Greenyard Maaseik: “This was clearly a game, that depended on the first set. We played high level, we created a lot chances in block-defense, and yet, in the end we lose it very closely 26-24. From then on, we saw Ziraat raise their level. They put too much pressure on us, we had difficulties in scoring and got caught by their kill-blocks. From set two on, this was a very good learning experience for my young team.”

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In Pool C, italian powerhouse Cucine Lube Civitanova deliver 17 aces in win over Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, and Zaytsev returns to court after 4 months. Lube, after the ninth successive win in all competitions, easier than expected, downed the rivals in a duel of the two title contenders in their respective home leagues (Lube are leaders, Lokomotiv vice leaders) 3-0, partially 25:17, 25:20, and 25:15.
The good news for the Lube fans is the return of Ivan Zaytsev to the court: the superstar was sidelined for almost four months due to a knee injury. Zaytsev took part in the match as a substitute in the third set but didn’t spend much time on the curt. Cuban Marlon Yant top-scored the winning side with 16 points, and he also served six out of teams’ 17 aces.

In the same pool, the titleholders in the competition, Poland’s ZAKSA Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn-Koźle, achieved a straight-set victory over Slovenia’s OK Merkur Maribor, in a one-way match (25:19, 25:18, 25:17).

Tomasz Kalembka, middle blocker of Zaksa: “I am glad that I could play the whole match. I admit that the rival surprised us a few times, but as a whole we were well prepared and implemented precisely the pre-match assumptions.”

Uros Planinsic, captain of OK Merkur Maribor: “Good experience, good lesson and class rival. Of course, we felt respect, but we tried to play as equals. In the rematch we will definitely try to win at least a set.”

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In Pool D, Russia’s Zenit Saint Petersburg recorded a 3-0 win over Portugal’s Sport Lisboa e Benfica (25:19, 25:16, 25:23) with 15 points by Pashitskii (86% in attack, 2 blocks and 1 ace), and 14 by Podrebinkin (74% in attack), but without Kliuka, while Berlin Recycling Volleys from Germany swept Serbia’s Vojvodina NS seme Novi Sad with the same result (26:24, 25:16, 25:21).

Cedric Enard, head coach of Berlin Recycling Volleys: “A Champions League opener is never easy, but we mastered it. We had to deal with the emotions and had difficulties in the reception. Novi Sad took a lot of risks on serve without their main attacker Paraphunov and created pressure. All in all, it was certainly not our best match this season, so we are even happier to have won 3:0. We attacked strongly despite the reception problems and Ben was the deserved MVP today.”

Benjamin Patch, MVP and player of Berlin Recycling Volleys: “It was so much fun today in front of this audience. It’s a privilege in these pandemic times that we get to enjoy evenings like this as professionals. The energy in the arena was worthy of a Champions League opener and we were able to compete at a high level. Volleyball is a sport that thrives on energy and rhythm. The latter was missing from us in the first set. But we are a team that is confident in itself and remained calm. That was the key to this important first win.”

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🏐| CEV Champions League 2021/22 – Pool Stage – Day 1 First Leg

🏐| POOL A

| November 30, 2021
• Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL) – Hebar Pazardzhik (BUL) 3-0 (25:11, 25:16, 25:14)

👉🏼 December 1, 2021
• VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) – Knack Roeselare (BEL) 2-3 (18:25, 25:23, 16:25, 25:22, 9:15)

| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL) 3
Knack Roeselare (BEL) 2
VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) 1
Hebar Pazardzhik (BUL) 0

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🏐| POOL B

👉🏼 December 1, 2021

• Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Projekt Warszawa (POL) 3-2 (20:25, 21:25, 25:20, 25:16, 15:12)

• Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) – VC Greenyard Maaseik (BEL) 3-0 (26:24, 25:15, 25:17)

| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 3
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 2
Projekt Warszawa (POL) 1
VC Greenyard Maaseik (BEL) 0

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🏐| POOL C

👉🏼 December 1, 2021

• Grupa Azoty Kędzierdzyn-Kozle (POL) – OK Merkur Maribor (SLO) 3-0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:17)

• Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS) 3-0 (25:17, 25:15, 25:15)

| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 3
Grupa Azoty Kędzierdzyn-Kozle (POL) 3
Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
OK Merkur Maribor (SLO)

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🏐| POOL D

👉🏼 December 1, 2021

• Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) – Sport Lisboa & Benfica (POR) 3-0 (25:19, 25:16, 25:23)

• Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) – Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) 3-0 (26:24, 25:16, 25:21)

| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 3
Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) 3
Sport Lisboa & Benfica (POR) 0
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) 0

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🏐| POOL E

| November 30, 2021
• Fenerbahçe HDI Istanbul (TUR) – AS Cannes Volley Ball (FRA) 3-0 (28:26, 25:21, 25:22)

| December 2, 2021
• Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (ITA) – Itas Trentino (ITA) 3-0 (25:21, 25:18, 25:23)

| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
Fenerbahçe HDI Istanbul (TUR) 3
AS Cannes Volley Ball (FRA) 0
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (ITA) 0
Itas Trentino (ITA) 0

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