Two opponents from the 2009 TTCLM final also met one another in the last year`s quarter-final
After all-German TTCLM quarter-finals finished last weekend in the next two months (14-16 March – 4-6 April) will see all-German semi-finals! TTF Liebher Ochsenhausen eliminated Saarbrucken in the very tense and close quarter-final clash which provided them new challenge and chance for revenge bearing in mind that Borussia Dusseldorf beat them in the exciting last season`s quarter-finals (5:4 on aggregate score). Other semi-final pair is composed by two Group A clubs reigning champion Fakel Gazrom and the TTCLM newcomer Sporting Clube De Portugal.
“It was a very tight game to make the semi-finals clear” stated Borussia`s Coach Danny HEISTER after second leg defeat 3:2 by UMMC (German side won 3:0 1st leg). “Anton has not brought his performance and conceded a clear defeat. Then it was really pressure on Timo (BOLL) but he mastered really well and with his victory got the missing point. Kristian (KARLSSON) also played really well made very good setbacks which made me very happy. With Stefan (FEGERL) I had hoped that he gets his performance from the training there he liked me a lot. In the last game Timo unfortunately had to give up and could not finish playing. I hope he gets fit for Sunday. I`m just so happy that we`ve reached the TTCLM semi-final”.
After Andrej GACINA`s win over Anton KALLBERG in the opener Timo BOLL has defeated Alexander SHIBAEV who played excellent having 2:1 lead. After that it was clear that ten-time TTCLM champion secured its place among the best four clubs.
Ochsenhausen and Saarbrucken played two very exciting games. Dubravko SKORIC`s side won 5:4 on aggregate score thanks to second leg win 3:1 (1st leg 2:3). They played without their best player Simon GAUZY who is still not fully recover after an injury.
“Compliments to all our players for this great team performance and the confident play. But also a compliment to the coaching staff! Everything was fine this time. We deserve it after all our efforts and injuries this season” stressed Ochsenhausen`s President Kristijan PEJINOVIC and added: “I’m confident that we will show our real face in the semi-finals but it will certainly depend on whether Simon GAUZY is in good shape by then.”
Two teams met also in the 2008/9 TTCLM finals. Borussia won 5:3 on aggregate score (2:3 3:0).
German clubs in the second quarter-final leg of 2017/18 TTCLM
FC Saarbrücken Tischtennis – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 1:3 (1st leg 3:2)
Tiago APOLONIA – Jakub DYJAS 2:3 (8:11 11:6 9:11 14:12 9:11)
Patrick FRANZISKA – Hugo CALDERANO 3:2 (7:11 11:6 11:9 6:11 11:6)
Patrick BAUM – Yuto MURAMATSU 1:3 (4:11 7:11 12:10 8:11)
Bojan TOKIC – Hugo CALDERANO 2:3 (12:10 5:11 5:11 12:10 8:11)
Borussia Düsseldorf – TTSC UMMC 2:3 (1st leg 3:0)
Anton KALLBERG – Andrej GACINA 0:3 (4:11 4:11 6:11)
Timo BOLL – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:2 (8:11 11:7 8:11 11:6 11:8)
Kristian KARLSSON – Mahary YOSHIMURA 3:0 (11:7 11:7 13:11)
Stefan FEGERL – Alexander SHIBAEV 0:3 (6:11 4:11 4:11)
Timo BOLL – Andrej GACINA 1:3 (11:4 0:11 0:11 0:11)
