Champions League Men | 25 Nov 2014
Orenburg-Pontoise, clash for the primacy
From Wednesday to Saturday Round 5 of 2014/15 Men`s European Champions League will be held. Three out of 16 clubs are still unbeaten: Orenburg, UMMC and Borussia. Orenburg hosts Pontoise in the reprise of last season`s final and it will be decisive match
From Wednesday to Saturday Round 5 of 2014/15 Men`s European Champions League will be held. Three out of 16 clubs are still unbeaten: Orenburg, UMMC and Borussia.
Orenburg hosts Pontoise in the reprise of last season`s final and it will be decisive match for the top spot of Group A. These two clubs had a latest meeting in France on October 4th, playing Round 2, when Russian champion beat convincingly 3:0 (9:3) actual MECL winner.
As the most equal group, Group B guarantees excitements in last two rounds. This Friday Chartres (2-2 score) expects Werder Bremen (1-3), while the leading Eslovs (3-1) goes to Austria to play against the 2008 MECL winner Wienviertel Niederosterrecih (2-2). Last weekend Swedish champion beat the 2013 Bundesliga winner Bremen 3:2, so “The Greens” now have just mathematical chances. But, if German side managed to beat Chartres, everything would be possible in the latest Round 6.
One of three unbeaten teams in the league, UMMC plays tomorrow at home to secure top spot of Group C. Tatiana KUTERGINA`s side, which has 4-0 score, hosts Saarbrucken in the remake of unforgettable 2012 semi-final, when Russian club reached final after several dramatical moments. In this season UMMC beat away Saarbrucken 3:1.
“Saarbrucken is very serious opponent. When we met in Germany they couldn’t count on European team`s champion Tiago APOLONIA, so it`s clear that they will be stronger now. We are aware that we need to play much better than in first encounter and we don’t need special motivation because the victory brings top spot of our group”, said UMMC`s coach Zoran PRIMORAC speaking for UMMC`s website.
Angers still has a chance for quarter final, but first of all they must defeat Sten Marketing at home.
In Group D ten times European champions Borussia plays confidently like three years ago, when they reached their last MECL trophy. The team has all four wins after away clash with Bogoria and now in ARAG CenterCourt arrives Hennebont (2-2). Borussias manager Andreas PREUSS emphasized for club`s website after the game in Poland that Timo BOLL “was once again outstanding”. Six times individual European champion, who has 6-0 score, added:
“We feel a big relief knowing that we are in quarter-final. Now we want, of course, to secure the first place in the group to avoid tough rivals from other groups.”
In other Group D match Austrian champion will host the best Polish club: Walter Wels – Bogoria. Both teams have 1-3 score.
MECL Round 5
Group A: Orenburg – Pontoise (November 28th, 13h20 CET); Olimpia Unia – Roskilde 3:1 (played on November 23rd)
Group B: Chartres ASTT – Werder Bremen (November 28th, 19h00 CET); Wienviertel Niederosterreich – Eslovs (November 29th, 17h00 CET)
Group C: UMMC – Saarbrucken (November 26th, 14h00 CET); Vaillante Angers – Sten Marketing (November 28th, 19h30 CET)
Group D: Borussia Dusseldorf – Hennebont (November 28th, 19h00 CET); Walter Wels – Bogoria Grodzisk (November 29th, 19h00 CET)
