Ferencvaros defeated Pro Recco in Genoa in the big game of Round 4 in the Quarter Final Stage, 16:14.
However, the hosts weren’t very disappointed, as they will probably remain atop the table thanks to a better aggregate score in the games against Ferencvaros, and a 13:9 win in Budapest.
It was a crazy duel, with two different halves. Ferencvaros, thanks to an excellent power play conversion, managed to overcome a 5-goal deficit from the first match already in the first half (10:4), scoring ine 6 on 5 goals in the first 16 minutes. However, Recco played far better in the second half and cut the deficit to one goal in the 32nd minute. In the dying seconds, it attempted to equalize and had a 7 on 6 attack, but failed, and Szilard Jansik set the final score by sending the ball into the empty net. But, the Hungarians will probably remain in 2nd place despite the win.
Anyway, Ferencvaros is still the only team to beat Pro Recco this season – in the Super Cup and today in the CHL.
Waspo Hannover collected the first points in the Quarter Final Stage. It upset Mladost 15:14.
Therefore, Recco and Ferencvaros both need only one point each to qualify for the Final Four mathematically.
2026 Champions League, Quarter Final Stage, Round 4, Group B
(quartrs 4:6, 0:4, 6:3, 4:3)
Pro Recco: Di Fulvio 5, Cannella 4, Irving 2, Granados 1, Durik 1, Pavillard 1.
Ferencvaros: Manhercz 5, Fekete 5, Haverkampf 2, Vamos 1, Di Somma 1, Jansik 1, Vismeg 1.
Ferencvaros avenged a 9:13 defeat to Recco in Budapest, despite the fact that injured Dusan Mandic, Vendel Vigvari and Akos Nagy weren’t on the roster. Still, the Hungarians didn’t improve their goal difference in the head-to-head matches. However, they proved they could go high this season, as they had in previous several seasons.
Luke Pavillard put Pro Recco on the scoreboard after 64 seconds of play. In the following four minutes, both teams forced three exclusions each. Pro Recco didn’t convert a single one of its man-up opportunities, while Ferencvaros scored all three goals with an extra player and took a 3:1 lead. Max Irving ended Recco’s goalless phase, but Krisztian Manhercz prolonged the Hungarians’ excellent series of man-up goals, scoring twice, making it 5:3. Granados halved the deficit from a penalty shot. Still, Manhercz closed the first quarter with his fourth goal – another one from a man-up.
Ferencvaros converted all six of its man-up possessions in the first eight minutes; Recco had four opportunities with an extra player but failed to score.
Ferencvaros missed a few man-up opportunities in the second period. However, the Hungarians managed to score three goals with an extra player advantage and one from a penalty, along with strong defensive performance, enabling them to establish a 10:4 lead by the 16th minute. Recco continued to struggle, as the hosts were also unable to score from a penalty shot; Vogel saved Granados’ penalty attempt in the middle of the quarter.
The Italians regrouped during the mid-break. They finally managed to score with a man-up (Durik), and Cannella scored twice from counterattacks for 7:10. Marton Vamos ended the hosts’ 3:0 run, scoring from a distance. It was the visitors’ first action goal in the game. Deep into the third period, Ferencvaros rebuilt a 5-goal lead (13:8). Still, Recco reduced the gap to three goals in the final 25 seconds. First, Giacomo Cannella converted a double man-up. The hosts defended well in Ferencvaros’ next possession and forced another exclusion with three seconds to go in this period. Francesco Di Fulvio beat the buzzer – 10:13 – keeping Recco’s chances alive.
The hosts, led by Cannella and Di Fulvio, came even closer (11:13 and 12:14), and Gergo Fekete responded both times with an extra player. Mahnercz was well guarded after the first quarter, so other players took more responsibility in the attack. Still, Recco cut the deficit to one with two late goals from Francesco Di Fulvio, who made it 14:15 from a penalty shot with 45 seconds to go.Rino Buric blocked Vamos’s shot during the visitors’ final possession. Recco initiated a 7-on-6 attack but lost possession, allowing Szilard Jansik to score into an unguarded net for 16:14.
Ferencvaros’s power play conversion was outstanding, successfully scoring on 12 out of 15 opportunities, while Recco managed only 3 out of 12. In addition to the scorers, goalkeeper Soma Vogel made a significant contribution with 10 saves.
(quarters 2:3, 3:4,6:5, 4:2)
Waspo 98 Hannover:Schipper 2, Kueppers 2, Strelezkij 2, Lozina 2, Milradovic 2, Van den Burg 2, Gansen 2, Bozic 1.
Mladost: Vrlic 3, Tonicic 2, Radulovic 2, Lazic 2, Nagaev 2, Biljaka 1, Bukic 1, Loncar 1.
Waspo Hannover offered solid resistance against all opponents in the previous three rounds. Now, the Germans achieved their first win, which came as a prize for big efforts. They trailed for most of the match but they showed their best in the final moments.
The Germans went ahead only once during the first three quarters, when Lozina scored the first goal in the game. However, they didn’t let Mladost establish a significant lead. The Croats earned a 3-goal lead for the first time in the 14th minute, when Bukic scored from a counterattack, but Kuppers replied immediately.
Early in the third period, Mladost rebuilt a 3-goal lead after Nagaev converted a penalty shot for 9:6. The visitors had a 10:7 lead shortly after. Still, Hannover had enough energy to respond. Just seven seconds before the last break, Mark Gansen equalized at 11:11 from a man-up, but Mladost managed to score in the remaining time, Josip Vrlic made it 12:11 from a distance.
Hannover leveled at 12:12 early in the fourth period. Josip Vrlic gave Mladost a 14:12 lead with 03:13 minutes left on the clock. But, it was the Croats’ last goal in the game. Hannover leveld with two goals within 15 seconds (Strelezkij and Gansen) A minute and nine seconds before the end, Kueppers converted a man-up fo 15:14. It was Hannover’s only second lead in the match, following by opening 1:0. They managed to keep a slim lead, and to defend with a man-down in the final minute.
Standings: 1. Pro Recco 9, 2. Ferencvaros 9, 3. Mladost 3, 4. Hannove 3.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: total-waterpolo.com
