Defeated CSM Bucharest cleanly and Panathinaikos took a qualification step!

Panathinaikos took the first step towards their qualification to the “8” of this year’s Challenge Cup, as they beat CSM Bucharest with a 3-1 set at Metz’s stadium.

Following this result, the ‘green’ need two sets to punch their ticket to the quarter-finals – or else, if they lose 3-0 or 3-1 they will have to prevail in the ‘golden set’ – where they will face the winner of Menorca (Spain)-Nade (France)!

The first two sets had the same… script, but also the same ending. In the first the hosts escaped 10-7, but CSM found a way to cover the difference (10-10, 15-15) with Panathinaikos turning 21-19 into 24-19 with consecutive counterattacks and closing the set at 25-21.

In the second the “clover” got even bigger differences (4-1, 8-4, 14-10) but the mistakes made brought the balance to 14-14 with the Romanians leading 17-18. But Panathinaikos reacted, with two Karkase counters, it took the lead 20-18 and won the 2nd set with 25-21.

The Romanian team’s response came in the third set where they had an early lead with PAO tying the score at 15-15 around the halfway point and leading 20-17. There, however, the guests ran a 0-5 streak for 20-22 and were able to give new interest to the match by reducing it to 2-1.

Panathinaikos didn’t want to get involved in any mishaps, they started the fourth set brilliantly, quickly getting to 11-6, but CSM’s pressure brought the score to 13-11. However, after Kalmazidis’ timeout, Panathinaikos responded with a new run of their own for 17-12 and that’s basically where it all ended.

Fluctuation:

1st set: 8-7, 16-15, 21-18, 25-21

2nd set: 8-4, 15-16, 21-19, 25-21

3rd set: 7-8, 14-16, 20-21, 23-25

4th set: 8-4, 16-12, 21-14, 25-19

The sets: 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19) in 113′

*Panathinaikos’ points came from 6 aces, 60 attacks, 11 blocks and 23 opponent errors and CSM’s points came from 2 aces, 49 attacks, 7 blocks and 28 opponent errors.

PANATHINAIKOS A.O. (Yiannis Kalmazidis): Hatziefstratiadou 11 (3/9 ref., 3 aces, 5 blocks), Karkases 15 (13/36 ref., 2 aces, 47% sub.-06% excellent), Atkinson 25 (24/56 ref., 1 block ), Grotous 17 (16/35 ref., 1 block, 67% sub.-33% excellent) Papafotiou 3 (2/2 ref., 1 ace), Samadan 5 (1/10 ref., 4 blocks), / Roga (l, 71% sub.-53% excellent), Belia (l), Fumaki, Metaxas, Genitsaridis, Kelesides 1 (1/1 ff.).

CSM Bucharest (Marius Matsikasan): Sobo 4 (4/11 ff.), Evans 5 (3/5 ff., 1 ace, 1 block), Zadoroinai 15 (14/38 ff., 1 block), Correa 10 (8/27 ff., 2 block), Diouf 11 (9/38 ff., 1 ace, 1 block, 27% sub.-00% excellent), Ikic 12 (10/25 ff., 2 blocks, 75% sub.-32% excellent) / Guimaraes (l, 64% of the people – 31% of the left), Radou, Kikuchi, Alexandrou 1 (1/1 ff.).