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AN Brescia vs. SPD Radnički (9–9)
Radnički Kragujevac of Serbia and AN Brescia of Italy battled to a 9–9 tie in Brescia. The home team got off to a fast start, leading 3–2 at the end of the first quarter and 6–5 at the half. Brescia even took a two-goal lead early in the third period, but Radnički, who is managed by Uroš Stevanović, the coach of Serbia’s national team, rallied with four goals in a row to take a 9–7 lead. Brescia rallied in the last quarter as Mario Del Basso added a goal to equalize the score and Vincenzo Dolce completed a four-goal display. Radnički had to settle for the draw after missing a penalty earlier, which proved costly. While Radnički’s well-balanced attack, which included goals from players like Nikola Jakšić and Nikola Muršić, set the tone for a tight second leg, Dolce’s offensive heroics (four goals) stood out for Brescia. With this outcome, the tie is open going into the rematch in Serbia.
HAVK Mladost vs. PVK Jadran Herceg Novi (12–8)
Mladost Zagreb of Croatia defeated Jadran Herceg Novi of Montenegro 12–8 at home, extending their lead by four goals. Jadran was suffocated early by Mladost’s defense; the visitors only managed one goal in the first half, which ended 5-1 in Mladost’s favor. With a barrage of goals on the counterattack late in the third quarter, the home team increased their lead to as much as six (10–4). In the last session, Jadran fought back, putting together a run that reduced the score to 10–7, but Luka Bukić’s goal stopped them in their tracks. Jadran had a man-up opportunity to cut the lead even more, but Konstantin Kharkov’s late goal won the victory for Mladost, 12–8. With three goals in a hat-trick, Lovre Miloš led Mladost’s scoring, while Bukić, Ante Vukičević, and Josip Vrlić all contributed two goals apiece. Vasilije Radović, on the other hand, scored a game-high four goals to keep Jadran in the match. The victory puts Mladost in a solid position ahead of the second leg and ends Jadran’s 14-game winning streak across all competitions.
CN Sabadell vs. VK Primorac Kotor (17–9)
In a high-scoring match, CN Sabadell of Spain defeated Primorac Kotor of Montenegro 17–9. Primorac, the underdogs, got out to a strong start, leading 1-0, 3-2, and 3-2 in the first quarter. However, at the end of the quarter, Sabadell had pulled even at 4-4. The hosts opened the scoring in the second quarter with a 3–0 run, and while Primorac rallied for a short while to tie the score at 7–6, Sabadell led 8–6 at the break. Sabadell’s depth and firepower took control after the break. They took advantage of Primorac’s weariness to increase their lead in the fourth quarter after outscoring them 4-1 in the third to move ahead 12–7. With four goals for Sabadell, Spanish international Alberto Barroso stood out as the team’s top scorer. Nikola Brkić scored a hat-trick and Đorđije Stanojević added two goals for Primorac, but their efforts were unable to keep up. Due to this lopsided outcome, Primorac will have a “almost impossible mission” in the return leg as Sabadell leads Montenegro by eight goals overall.
A-Híd Vasas Plaket vs. Pro Recco (9–11)
Pro Recco, the reigning Italian champions, defeated Vasas Plaket of Hungary 11–9 on the road in Budapest after a fierce battle. For the majority of the evening, the fight was fierce and hotly contested. Vasas equaled the visitors goal for goal for the first twenty-four minutes, giving Recco a small 5–4 advantage at halftime and a 7–6 edge after three quarters. Recco’s quality was evident in the last quarter as they jumped out to a 10–6 lead, which was capped off with a goal from Matteo Iocchi Gratta that gave them their biggest lead. The home team, led by former Recco player Slobodan Nikić, recovered to cut the score to 10–9, rousing the local audience. Vasas refused to give up. However, Recco won 11–9 thanks to a clutch goal from Francesco Di Fulvio with 19 seconds left. Recco’s star player, Giacomo Cannella, led their assault with four goals (or “poker”). With a hat-trick that included a penalty shot, Serbian sniper Bogdan Đurđić led Vasas’s attack and kept his club within striking distance. Recco has a definite advantage thanks to their victory in this first leg, but Vasas’ performance demonstrated that the Italian powerhouse cannot afford to be relaxed in the rematch.
Significance for the Upcoming Phase
The semifinal picture is beginning to take form now that the first legs are finished. The match between Brescia and Radnički is still very close; the 9–9 tie means that everything is up in the air for the rematch on March 20 in Kragujevac. The match in Serbia will be a winner-take-all since neither Radnički nor the four-time Euro Cup winners Brescia have a distinct advantage. On the other hand, Jadran, supported by their home crowd, will try to overcome the 12–8 deficit with better offensive play and a tighter defense. Mladost Zagreb leads Herceg Novi by a solid four goals. With eight goals ahead of Primorac Kotor, Sabadell has by far the biggest lead; unless they pull off a spectacular comeback, the Spanish team is set to progress. Last but not least, Pro Recco’s thrilling victory away from home puts the Italian team in control versus Vasas; they are heavy favorites to advance after bringing a two-goal lead back to Recco’s home pool. Vasas is still in the running, though, thanks to the slim margin, and the Hungarians will attempt to duplicate their impressive runs from the first leg in order to challenge Recco in Italy. The four clubs that go to the Euro Cup semifinals will be determined by the results of all second-leg matches, which are set for March 20, 2025.
