Champions League: what happened on December 20 in Pool A, C and D
4 min read
Fourth week of 2023/24 CEV Champions League continued today with other five games.
In a Pool A match, Knack Roeselare faced a tough challenge from Greek powerhouse Olympiacos Piraeus, resulting in a clear defeat for the Belgian team with set scores of 27:25, 25:21, and 25:12.
The top three scorers in the match were Toncek Stern, leading the charge with an impressive 15 points, closely followed by Salvador Hidalgo Oliva da Silva and Rafail Koumentakis who also contributed with 14 points each. For the Belgians, Seppe Rotty was the most prolific player with 11 points to his name.
This defeat at home has complicated Roeselare’s situation in their quest to advance to the next round of the competition while, as a result of the victory, Olympiacos Piraeus keeps their hopes alive in the European competition after the pool stage. Currently, Roeselare sits in 3rd place in the pool standings with 4 points, while Olympiacos occupies the 4th place with 3 points after 4 matches played.
In Pool C, Piacenza triumphs over Benfica, while BR Volleys overpower Halkbank Ankara!
Gas Sales Daiko Bluenergy Piacenza, holding a record of 2 wins and 1 loss, started the match in the second position, while Benfica, wanted to rise from the bottom. However, Piacenza concluded game with a hard-fought 3-0 (30:28, 25:21, 28:26) victory. Fabrizio Gironi emerged as the match’s MVP with 17 points through 58% in attack and 2 aces.
Meanwhile, Berlin Recycling Volleys marked a significant win against Halkbank Ankara with a great 3-0 victory (25:22, 25:23, 25:22). Despite a valiant effort by Earvin Ngapeth of Halkbank who was game’s top scorer with 15 points through 61% in attack, the German champions, also energized by a record crowd of 6,587 at Max-Schmeling-Halle, displayed really an exceptional performance. This victory marks a significant step for the winners in their journey to the CEV Champions League Playoff round. Their triumph not only bolstered their position in the group but also enhanced their chances of advancing on their own merits, led today by Czech Marek Sotola with 14 points.
In Pool D, last season runners-up Jastrzębski Węgiel from Poland faced Czech Republic’s Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice in a clash between two teams positioned at opposite ends of the standings. Jastrzębski Węgiel, with a strong record of three wins and no losses defeated the rivals 3-1 (21:25, 25:17, 25:17, 25:17) in a result that cemented their top position in the Pool standings.
MVP and match top scorer was Jean Patry with 16 points through 57% in attack with 2 aces and 2 blocks, while Tomasz Fornal added 14.
On the same Pool, Spanish team CV Guaguas triumphed in Germany, over SVG Lüneburg with a convincing 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 16:25) win. Paolo Zonca emerged as the top scorer for Guaguas with 17 points through 62% in attack, with 3 winning blocks and 2 aces.
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🏆| 2023/24 CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | Games of the Week
Pool A
Tuesday December 19, 2023
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Grupa Azoty Kęrzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – Ziraat Bank Ankara (TUR) 0-3 (21:25, 17:25, 21:25)
📍Azoty Kędzierzyn-Kozle
👉🏼Wednesday December 20, 2023
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Knack Roeselare (BEL) – Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 0-3 (25:27, 21:25, 12:25)
📍Tomabel Hall Roeselare
STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Ziraat Bank Ankara (TUR) 11
2. Grupa Azoty Kęrzierzyn-Kozle (POL) 6
3. Knack Roeselare (BEL) 4
4. Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 3
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Pool B
STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Trentino Itas (ITA) 9
2. Tours VB (FRA) 6
3. Asseco Resovia Rzeszów (POL) 3
4. ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 0
Thursday December 21, 2023
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Asseco Resovia Rzeszów (POL) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 3-0 (25:16, 25:16, 25:19)
📍RCWS Podpromie Rzeszów
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Trentino Itas (ITA) – Tours VB (FRA) 3-0 (27:25, 25:22, 25:18)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
📍ilT quotidiano Arena Trento
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Pool C
👉🏼Wednesday December 20, 2023
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) – Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 3-0 (25:22, 25:23, 25:22)
📍Mac-Schmeling-Halle Berlin
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza (ITA) – Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 3-0 (30:28, 25:21, 28:26)
📍Palabanca Piacenza
STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza (ITA) 9
2. Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 8
3. Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 7
4. Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 0
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Pool D
👉🏼Wednesday December 20, 2023
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Jastrzebski Węgiel (POL) – Jihostroj České Budejovice (CZE) 3-1 (21:25, 25:17, 25:17, 25:17)
📍Hala Widowiskowo – Sportowa Jastrzebie Zdroj
• 19.00 (Local Time) | SVG Lüneburg (GER) – Guaguas Las Palmas (ESP) 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 16:25)
📍LKH Arena Lüneburg
STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Jastrzebski Węgiel (POL) 12
2. SVG Lüneburg (GER) 6
3. Guaguas Las Palmas (ESP) 6
4. Jihostroj České Budejovice (CZE) 0
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Pool E
STANDINGS (updated on this day):
1. Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 9
2. VK Lvi Praha (CZE) 4
3. Greenyard Maaseik (BEL) 3
4. C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) 2
Thursday December 21, 2023
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – VK Lvi Praha (CZE) 3-0 (25:20, 25:23, 25:23)
📍Eurosuole Forum Civitanova Marche
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Greenyard Maaseik (BEL) – C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) 3-1 (25:23, 23:25, 25:23, 25:14)
📍Steengoed Arena Maaseik
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