Challenge Cup: Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok to 1/8 Finals and the others of Thursday

After Romania’s SCM Zalau, who eliminated Montenegro’s Budva yesterday, another team will progress to 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup 1/8 Finals: Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok from Ukraine, who celebrated their second win over Serbia’s Karađorđe Topola, today with a clean 0-3 (16:25, 14:25, 23:25) sweep, mostly thanks to a large turnover and a great team performance with 11 winning blocks (11 to 6) and the same number of aces, 5 only from Artem Smoliar.
In last games of 1/16 finals first leg, Volley Näfels from Switzerland celebrated a great success in Czech Republic, on the field of Volejbal Brno, closing the game also in straight sets, 0-3 (21:25, 23:25, 18:25).
Struggling only at the very beginning of second set, the winners were led in score by Pablo Denis Cabanas, who scored 20 points through 59% in attack and 1 ace, while Manuel Figueiredo also reached a double digit with 11.
Four sets win for Romania’s C.S. Arcada Galati over Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal, 3-1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:20), with 10 winning blocks and 4 players in double digit: top scorer Ian Iereshchenko tallied 18 points with 1 ace, 1 block and 52% in attack, closely followed by Aaro Nikula, who added 16, while Sašo Štalekar and Marian Bala also contributed with 15 and 13, respectively.
Close the picture a 2-3 (25:15, 19:25, 21:25, 25:19) away win of Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda Beograd on the field of Croatia’s Mladost Zagreb with 24 points from Milan Krstić (61% in attack with 1 block and 1 ace) and 18 from Alija Bekric (63% in attack with 2 blocks and 1 ace).

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🏆| 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup | 1/16 Finals

FIRST LEG

Tuesday December 9, 2025
📍Ministry of Emergency Situations Gym Baku
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) – Lindemans Aalst (BEL) 0-3 (17:25, 22:25, 23:25)
📍Kaposvár Arena
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Fino Kaposvar (HUN) – Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) 3-2 (25:23, 19:25, 25:17, 18:25, 15:10)
📍Sala Sporturilor “Gheorghe Tadici” Zalau
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Budva (MNE) – SCM Zalau (ROU) 0-3 (19:25, 15:25, 21:25)
📍Afrodite Pafos
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Pafiakos Pafos (CYP) – PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 1-3 (25:21, 23:25, 21:25, 17:25)
📍Dimitros Vikelas Halla Syros
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Foinikas Syros (GRE) – Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) 3-2 (25:23, 21:25, 25:20, 21:25, 16:14)

Wednesday December 10, 2025
📍OS Karađorđe Topola
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) – Karađorđe Topola (SRB) 3-1 (25:22, 25:21, 23:25, 25:20)
📍Sport Hall Gopass Arena Bratislava
• 19.00 (Local Time) | VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) – Prima Donna Kaas Huizen (NED) 3-0 (25:20, 25:23, 25:18)
📍Sports Hall University of Tartu
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Bigbank Tartu (EST) – WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) 3-1 (24:26, 25:17, 25:14, 26:24)
📍Dvorana Tabor Maribor
• 19.00 (Local Time) | OK i-Vent Maribor (SLO) – Norwid Czestochowa (POL) 1-3 (21:25, 26:24, 13:25, 15:25)
📍SRC 25 Maj Radovis
• 19.30 (Local Time) | UGD Stip Stip (MKD) – Allianz Milano (ITA) 0-3 (12:25, 14:25, 20:25)
📍University Sports Hall SOS II / Dorigny Lausanne
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Lausanne UC (SUI) – Dukla Liberec (CZE) 0-3 (21:25, 17:25, 16:25)
📍Sporthal De Basis Sliedrecht
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sliedrecht Sport (NED) – Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) 1-3 (22:25, 25:23, 19:25, 20:25)

👉🏼Thursday December 11, 2025
📍SH Sokol Brno I
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Volejbal Brno (CZE) – Volley Näfels (SUI) 0-3 (21:25, 23:25, 18:25)
📍Sports Hall Galati
• 20.00 (Local Time) | C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) – Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 3-1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:20)
📍Dom Odbojke Bojan Stranic Zagreb
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Mladost Zagreb (CRO) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) 2-3 (25:15, 19:25, 21:25, 25:19)

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SECOND LEG

Wednesday December 10, 2025
📍Sala Sporturilor “Gheorghe Tadici” Zalau
• 19.00 (Local Time) | SCM Zalau (ROU) – Budva (MNE) 3-0 (25:16, 25:18, 25:21)

👉🏼Thursday December 11, 2025
📍OS Karađorđe Topola
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Karađorđe Topola (SRB) – Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) 0-3 (16:25, 14:25, 23:25)

Tuesday January 6, 2026
📍Ustanova Sportski Centar “Voždovac” Belgrade
• 17.30 (Local Time) | Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:23)
📍Centro Pavesi Milano
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Allianz Milano (ITA) – UGD Stip (MKD) 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:17)
📍Polideportivo Nou Moles Valencia
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) – Fino Kaposvar (HUN) 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:21)
📍HSC Czestochowa
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Norwid Czestochowa (POL) – OK i-Vent Maribor (SLO) 3-1 (24:26, 25:16, 25:17, 25:17)
📍Sports Hall Benfica Lisboa – Pavilhão n.º2
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) – C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) 3-1 (25:22, 19:25, 26:24, 25:20) GOLDEN SET: 15-13
📍Palestra Chaumont
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) – Foinikas Syros (GRE) 3-0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:19)

Wednesday January 7, 2026
📍Atatürk Voleybol Salonu Izmir
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) – Sliedrecht Sport (NED) 3-0 (25:15, 25:21, 25:21)
📍Linth Arena Näfels
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Volley Näfels (SUI) – Volejbal Brno (CZE) 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:22)
📍Wolfskamer Huizen
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Prima Donna Kaas Huizen (NED) – VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 3-1 (16:25, 25:15, 25:23, 25:18) GOLDEN SET: 10-15
📍“Boycho Branzov” Sports Hall Burgas
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Neftohimik Burgas (BUL) – Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) 1-3 (22:25, 22:25, 25:21, 23:25)
📍“Sportcentrum Schotte Aalst
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Lindemans Aalst (BEL) – Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) 3-1 (21:25, 25:15, 25:19, 25:22)

Thursday January 8, 2026
📍Dukla Liberec
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Dukla Liberec (CZE) – Lausanne UC (SUI) 3-1 (21:25, 25:23, 25:22, 25:13)
📍PAOK Palace Sport Thessaloniki
• 18.30 (Local Time) | PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – Pafiakos Pafos (CYP) 3-0 (25:22, 25:17, 25:23)
📍BMW Park München
• 20.00 (Local Time) | WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) – Bigbank Tartu (EST) 3-0 (25:17, 25:22, 30:28) GOLDEN SET: 12-15

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