Champions League Men | 25 Jan 2014
Pontoise savour magic moments
French club AS Pontoise Cergy showed one of its best games ever on European scene, beating at home German champion Werder Bremen 3:0 (9:2 in sets) to progress into the 2013/14 MECL semi-final. “The Greens” went to France with big advantage from 1st leg (3
French club AS Pontoise Cergy showed one of its best games ever on European scene, beating at home German champion Werder Bremen 3:0 (9:2 in sets) to progress into the 2013/14 MECL semi-final. “The Greens” went to France with big advantage from 1st leg (3:0, 9:5), but suffered one of their toughest losses in last couple of years. Pontoise reached its second MECL semis in a row and this Sunday will see who will be its next opponent, Niederosterrecih or Angers.
One more MECL game was held tonight in which Hennebont beat at home UMMC 3:2. It was 1st quarter final leg.
The same two players opened the game at Pontoise as in Bremen, world`s no. 15 Marcos FREITAS against no. 9 CHUANG Chih Yuan. Taiwanese won previous clash in five sets, while tonight Portuguese beat him in four. FREITAS led the game, having just one small fall in late third set (8:7, 9:11). It could say that the crucial moment was one when the host took the point on 9:8 in fourth set.
WANG Jian Jun and Adrian CRISAN (no. 27) again played second encounter, but now Chinese won in straight sets (Romanian beat him 3:2 at Bremen). Guest missed two set balls in second set. In that moment it was quite clear that he has no power to stop former Charleroi`s player.
The most interesting clash was seen between Kristian KARLSSON (no. 92) and Constantin CIOTI (no. 150). Romanian won opening set, but next three belonged to Dane who had stronger nerves in last two sets. Romanian missed four set balls in total (two in each of last two sets), while host concluded these chapters with three points in a row (13:14, 16:14 3rd set, 12:13, 15:13 4th).
Hennebont`s victory against UMMC was the work of whole team. On the other side, Russian champion kept its chance for returning clash thanks to Japanese Jun MIZUTANI who brought them two points.
Former individual vice-champion of Europe Kalinikos KREANGA (actual world`s no. 71) defeated Alexander SHIBAEV (no. 40) in four sets of opening game. UMMC leveled after Jun MIZUTANI`s win against Dmitrij PROKOPCOV.
CHEN Chien-An (no. 25) overcame Joao MONTEIRO (no. 81) in five games, but Jun MIZUTANIO (no. 13) again leveled the result. Japanese lost opening set from KREANGA, but his game started to improve from late second set and Greek managed to save two set balls.
Finally, world`s no. 74 Dmitrij PROKOPCOV beat Alexander SHIBAEV in straight sets. Returning game will be held on January 28th at Verkhnaya Pyshma.
MECL quarter final, leg2
AS Pontoise Cergy – Werder Bremen 3:0
Marcos FREITAS – CHUANG Chih-Yuan 3:1 (11:8, 11:9, 9:11, 11:9)
WANG Jian Jun – Adrian CRISAN 3:0 (11:4, 13:11, 11:5)
Kristian KARLSSON – Constantin CIOTI 3:1 (7:11, 11:9, 16:14, 15:13)
MECL quarter final, leg1
Hennebont – UMMC 3:2
Kalinikos KREANGA – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:1 (11:4, 7:11, 11:9, 11:9)
Dmitrij PROKOPCOV – Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (11:9, 9:11, 8:11, 8:11)
CHEN Chien-An – Joao MONTEIRO 3:2 (8:11, 11:3, 11:5, 7:11, 11:7)
Kalinikos KREANGA – Jun MIZUTANI 1:3 (11:6, 11:13, 6:11, 10:12)
Dmitrij PROKOPCOV – Alexander SHIBAEV 3:0 (11:7, 11:7, 11:0)
