Challenge Cup: second leg of 8th finals start today without major upsets

Second leg of 2024/25 CEV Challenge Cup 8th Finals started today with 4 teams who progressed to the next stage of the competition.
The first one is Greece’s PAOK Thessaloniki who, after a thrilling five sets success in Hungary, needed four sets to prevail over MÁV Foxconn Székesfehérvár, 3-1 (32:30, 23:25, 25:16, 25:19), with an impressive performance in blocking, scoring as many as 19 points from this element compared to the rivals’9.
Aleksandar Ljaftov led the charge with 18 points, while Redi Bakiri was top scorer of the game with 23 points (57% in attack, with 1 ace and 1 block) for the Hungarians, but he wasn’t enough.
Quarterfinals also for Belgium’s Decospan VT Menen, who triumphed over CSKA Sofia after a thrilling 3-2 (25:20, 25:10, 28:30, 19:25, 22:20), the same result of first leg in Bulgaria, with 20 points each from Grégory Gempin and Gilles Vandecaveye, and 16 from Eliot De Vleeshhauwer.
Tie break win also for Romania’s Dinamo Bucuresti over Nova Tech Lycurgus Groningen, 3-2 (17:25, 16:25, 28:26, 25:18, 15:8), but nothing to do for the hosts because, thanks to a straight sets win in The Netherlands in first leg, the visiting side needed only two sets to progress to quarterfinals.
Predictions respected also in France, where Bogdanka LUK Lublin from Poland celebrated another four sets win over Tourcoing Lille Métropole 1-3 (16:25, 25:22, 21:25, 19:25), to claim their tickets to the next stage of the competition. Better in almost all elements, the winners were led in score by superstar Wilfredo Leon, top scorer of the match with 21 points through 57% in attack and 5 of his team’s 8 aces, and Kewin Sasak, who added 15.

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🏐| 2024/25 CEV Challenge Cup | 8th Finals

FIRST LEG

Tuesday December 3, 2024
📍Pabellon Javier Ortiz Imbroda Melilla
• 18.00 (Local Time) | CV Melilla
(ESP) – Volley Näfels (SUI) 3-1 (25:18, 23:25, 25:16, 25:22)
📍Tatabányai Multifunkcionális Csarnok
• 18.00 (Local Time) | MÁV Foxconn Székesfehérvár (HUN) – PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 2-3 (25:22, 17:25, 25:15, 21:25, 13:15)
📍Hristo Botev Sofia
• 19.30 (Local Time) | CSKA Sofia (BUL) – Decospan VT Menen (BEL) 2-3 (28:26, 27:29, 25:18, 21:25, 10:15)
📍Hala Globus Tomasz Wójtowicz Lublin
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Bogdanka LUK Lublin (POL) – Tourcoing Lille Métropole (FRA) 3-1 (21:25, 25:18, 25:19, 25:16)

Wednesday December 4, 2024
📍OS Karađorđe Topola
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Karađorđe Topola (SRB) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 0-3 (18:25, 20:25, 16:25)
📍MartiniPlaza Groningen
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Nova Tech Lycurgus Groningen (NED) – Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) 3-0 (25:19, 25:17, 25:22)

Thursday December 5, 2024
📍Viialan Liikuntahalli Akaa
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Akaa Volley (FIN) – Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) 1-3 (25:21, 22:25, 23:25, 21:25)
📍Nikolaushalle Herrsching
• 19.30 (Local Time) | WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) – SK Ankara (TUR) 1-3 (19:25, 25:23, 17:25, 21:25)

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👉🏼Tuesday December 17, 2024
📍PAOK Palace Sport Thessaloniki
• 19.00 (Local Time) | PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – MÁV Foxconn Székesfehérvár (HUN) 3-1 (32:30, 23:25, 25:16, 25:19)
📍CC de Steiger Vauban Menen
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Decospan VT Menen (BEL) – CSKA Sofia (BUL) 3-2 (25:20, 25:10, 28:30, 19:25, 22:20)
📍STAB Vélodrome Roubaix
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tourcoing Lille Métropole (FRA) – Bogdanka LUK Lublin (POL) 1-3 (16:25, 25:22, 21:25, 19:25)
📍Dinamo Bucuresti
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU) – Nova Tech Lycurgus Groningen (NED) 3-2 (17:25, 16:25, 28:26, 25:18, 15:8)

Wednesday December 18, 2024
📍TVF Ziraat Bankkart Volleyball Hall Ankara / A
• 14.00 (Local Time) | SK Ankara (TUR) – WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) 3-2 (25:19, 22:25, 27:29, 25:15, 15:7)
📍Linth Arena Näfels
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Volley Näfels (SUI) – CV Melilla (ESP) 1-3 (21:25, 19:25, 25:16, 15:25)

Thursday December 19, 2024
📍Pavilhão João Rocha SCP Lisboa
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) – Akaa Volley (FIN) 3-0 (25:22, 25:16, 25:21)
📍Eurosuole Forum Civitanova Marche
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – Karađorđe Topola (SRB) 3-1 (25:22, 25:18, 21:25, 25:9)

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