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Last day in Catania was full of heartbreak and triumph as Amrahbank, SC Braga, FC Vybor and BSC Kristall won final matches
BSC Kristall wins back-to-back Euro Winners Cups after defeating hosts
The 6-2 win for BSC Kristall over the home team, Domusbet BS Catania was a great showing of the Russian club teams’ power. The Russian team is built for a long and difficult tournament such as the Euro Winners Cup and the results prove that. The first period began with both teams on a high as the clouds parted and the sun shone, along with the stadium lights on the main pitch and made for an emotionally charged final between two well-deserving teams Kristall began with a first minute goal, from their captain and Russian National Selection player, Romanov. The energy continued to build, even after the second goal from Romanov, but the hosts were hard-done to face a 2-0 deficit when the first break came. The big names for Kristall more than came to play as the second period had goals from Llorenç and Bruno Xavier. The latter giving the St. Petersburg based club to 4-0 lead. That score would not change and the middle frame ended with the visitors up 4-0.
Catania has some of the worlds’ best players and they did not make it to the final by mistake so they started the final 12 minutes with the crowd and determination on their side. The fortitude and pride in their play showed, but it did not translate to any goals, though alternatively beneficial was that Kristall did not score either and the score remained the same, 4-0, going into the heart of the period. Datinha made sure that a big comeback was not in the cards for the hosts and he nailed home the Russian clubs’ fifth goal of the day. Not long after, Rodrigo got the Italian club on the board, but his score alone would not be enough and when the final whistle sounded, the score was 6-2 for Kristall.
Goals: 1-0: Romanov, min. 11 (1); 2-0: Romanov, min. 7 (1); 3-0: Llorenç, min. 8 (2); 4-0: Bruno Xavier, min. 4 (2); 5-0: Datinha, min. 5 (3); 5-1: Rodrigo, min. 3 (3); 6-1: Romanov, min. 2 (3); 6-2: Fred, min. 1 (3).
Vybor rebounds from semis loss to earn 3rd in OT win
The 3-2 overtime win for FC Vybor over BSC Lokomotiv was a very sound victory in every facet of the game, defense, offense, transitions, and goalkeeping. It is an admirable consolation for this side to have earned 3rd place in such a deep tournament. The penultimate match of the event started with a thinking man’s approach as the two sides were cerebral in their strategizing and how they were trying to figure each other out. That went out the window when the Ukrainian side, Vybor, connected on the first goal of the match, followed shortly after by a perfectly executed corner involving a heading pass and finish to level the score at 1-1, which is how the first period would end. The middle frame began with a change in goal for Lokomotiv and the results were the same, stingy defense and great saves, but the Russian clubs´offense struck again when they were on the attack. The aggressive nature led to a direct kick on a dangerous part of the sand and Zborovskyi made sure to connect, putting the score at 2-1 for the Moscow based team.
Lokomotiv were not interested in leaving Catania in 4th place, especially after winning the inaugural event in 2103 and then after losing in heartbreaking fashion for the second straight year to rivals BSC Kristall, both in shootout fashion, none the less. The final frame was played at a faster pace than the previous periods, in part to the intense nature of the game and the desire to leave everything on the sand. There was no doubt that Vybor was scrambling more for a goal than Lokomotiv, who were calm and collected, but the teams were still both looking for the right time to pounce and add goals to the scoreboard. As per the usual with the Russian sides, every move is calculated and there are no wasted movements or dilly dallying, and with a lead they looked poised to win in regulation but the Swiss Bomber, Stankovic, scored in the final minute to send the game to overtime. The momentum swing was obvious as Stankovic used his golden leg to score again, giving his team the lead for the second time, and for the first time since the opening period. The lone overtime goal proved to be enough for the 3-2 victory for FC Vybor.
Goals: 0-1: Andrieiev, min. 4 (1); 1-1: Peremitin, min. 2 (1); 1-2: Zborovskyi, mi. 2 (2); 2-2: Stankovic, min. 0 (3); 2-3: Stankovic, min. 1 (et).
SC Braga finishes EWC 2015 with 2 straight wins and 5th
The 9-3 win for SC Braga over Goldwin Pluss Bodon FC was not as one-sided as the score looks. The two sides battled and fought throughout, on offense and defense, but lady luck was not on the side of Goldwin as Braga slowly pulled away. Two of the best goalkeepers, Sydorenko of Goldwin and Eliton for SC Braga, were squaring off in this game with significant repercussions. They both ceded an early goal, but at the same time, both teams have prolific scoring offenses and the two keepers did make their fair share of splendid saves in the opening minutes of the match. The score sat at 2-1 for Braga going into the final minutes of the opening frame, and they looked like the team more thirsting for victory and two late goals gave them the 4-1 advantage going into the first break. The Portuguese squad was nearly part of historic proportions on Saturday, and while a 4-1 deficit is not quit like the 7-2 disadvantage that Braga managed to tie at 7-all in the quarters against FC Vybor, Goldwin Pluss had high hopes, especially after their second goal of the day, left the score at 4-2 in the opening minute of the second period. The remainder of the period belonged to Braga and they finished the period up 6-2.
Looking to be in the driver seat, SC Braga was comfortable sitting back and trying to suffocate the Hungarian clubs’ attacks, and the early strategy worked as Goldwin had the ball for much of the opening minutes but they could find a big enough window to squeeze a high-quality shot through. The tactic created open space for Braga and they countered after a Goldwin offensive push and the goal by Fernando DDI, his second straight to push the lead to 7-2. The five goal difference was short lived with the Hungarian side scoring on a looping shot from Spacca to draw to within four goals at 7-3. The comeback was stopped in its tracks with that goal as the Portuguese club rattled off more goals and finished the match up, by a score of 9-3.
Goals: 0-1: Tiago Melo, min. 11 (1); 1-1: Badalik, min. 9 (1); 1-2: Gori, min. 4 (1); 1-3: Ramacciotti, min. 2 (1); 1-4: Bruno Torres, min. 1 (1); 2-4: Vernyik, min. 11 (2); 2-5: Gori, min. 5 (2); 2-6: Fernando DDI, min. 1 (2); 2-7: Fernando DDI, min. 8 (3); 3-7: Spacca, min. 7 (3); 3-8: Gori, min. 5 (3); 3-9: Ze Maria, min. 2 (3).
Amrahbank earns 7th in Catania after late push
The 5-4 win for Amrahbank over KP Lodz looked to be a loss for much of the day, but in the final period they took their first lead and then had hold off the Lodz side, which they barely did. Playing in their last match of this prestigious clubs event, KP Lodz and Amrahbank were ready to leave on the highest of notes, with a win. The Polish side, Lodz, was able to score the first goal on a direct kick just outside the Amrahbank penalty area. The 1-0 lead held for the remainder of the frame and KP Lodz took the 1-0 lead into the second period. Lodz came out of the break looking fresher and they scored their second goal of the match, off of a rebound, to push the advantage to two goals. The second goal proved to be a good concession for the Azerbaijan club as they scored their first, shortly after, making the score 2-1 for the Polish club. The equalizer came soon after that on a strike from Rami and the 2-2 score showed how even the match was but also how the quality steadily improved from the opening minutes. The rest of the period went scoreless and the match went into the final frame with a score of 2-2.
The final frame may have begun as a tie but both sides started by doing everything they could to make sure they ended on top. It was the Polish club that took the lead for the second time, this time with the use of a direct kick rocket into the bottom corner of the net from Kubiak. Amrahbank only waited seconds before scoring the next goal, to level things at 3-3. The first lead of the day for the Azerbaijani side came late in the final period when Elvin slotted home his second goal of the match to put the score at 4-3 for Amrahbank. That lead turned into a 5-3 advantage when Hikmat nailed home his first goal on the day. Tied for the biggest lead from either team, at two goals, created a little too much comfort as Lenart struck for Lodz, to bring the score to 5-4, but the comeback came up just that short, with Amrabank winning 5-4.
Goals: 1-0: Klepczarek, min. 8 (1); 2-0: Kucharski, min. 11 (2); 2-1: Sabir, min. 8 (2); 2-2: Ramil, min. 5 (2); 3-2: Kubiak, min. 9 (3); 3-3: Elvin, min. 9 (3); 3-4: Elvin, min. 4 (3); 3-5: Hikmat, min. 3 (3); 4-5: Lenart, min. 3 (3).
EURO WINNERS CUP 2015
Results Today:
Sunday 07.06.15
15:45 – KP Lodz 4-5 Amrahbank (7th Place)
17:00 – Goldwin Pluss Bodon FC 3-9 SC Braga (5th Place)
18:15 – BSC Lokomotiv 2-3 (aet) FC Vybor (3rd Place)
19:30 – BSC Kristall 6-2 DomusBet BS Catania (Final)
Final Standings:
Winner: BSC Kristall (RUS)
Runner-up: DomusBet BS Catania (ITA)
3rd Place: FC Vybor (UKR)
4th Place: BSC Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
Individual Award Winners:
Best Goalkeeper: Del Mestre (DomusBet BS Catania)
Top Scorer: Brishtel (FC Vybor)
MVP: Datinha (BSC Kristall)
