Champions League Men | 23 Jan 2019
TTCLM: Huge advantage for Fakel Gazprom
Photo: Courtesy FAKEL GAZPROM ORENBURG
First quarter-final leg: AS Pontoise Cergy – TTC Fakel Gazprom 0:3
Russian club Fakel Gazprom, four-time TTCLM champion, secured huge advantage in the first quarter-final leg held in France this evening, January 23rd. Actual no.2 seed beat two-time winner AS Pontoise Cergy 3:0 (9:3 in sets). Second match is scheduled for February 8th and will take a place in the Russian city of Orenburg.
The opening encounter determined the entire game, as Mattias FALCK missed good chance to provide the lead for the host side. He won first two games against former Pontoise’s member Marcos FREITAS, but guest responded by three sets in a row, all three taken by a narrow margin. Portugal's player got two consecutive points in the most exciting moment, at 2:2 (8:8).
Tristan FLORE managed to extend Dimitrij OVTCHAROV to full distance, but German showed his persistence and strength in the concluding game.
The youngest player in the clash faced the most experienced one in the third match, as Vladimir SAMSONOV beat Can AKKUZU in straight games. Young Frenchman did everything he could, but Belarus just displayed his usual quality.
2018/19 TTCLM quarter-finals, 1st leg
AS Pontoise Cergy – TTC Fakel Gazprom 0:3
Mattias FALCK – Marcos FREITAS 2:3 (11:7, 11:7, 12:14, 9:11, 9:11)
Tristan FLORE – Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 2:3 (5:11, 17:15, 8:11, 11:4, 6:11)
Can AKKUZU – Vladimir SAMSONOV 0:3 (5:11, 4:11, 4:11)
