In a riveting encounter at Lisbon’s Palazzetto dello Sport Pavilhao Fidelidade, Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza marked their first win in the second round of the CEV Champions League Pool C, defeating Sport Lisboa e Benfica with a score of 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23).
The team’s starting lineup featured Recine and Lucarelli, with Leal initially on the bench. Brizard and Gironi formed a dynamic diagonal, while Ricci and Simon dominated the middle. Scanferla started as libero. Lucarelli’s remarkable performance, achieving 83% attack efficiency with 10 points from 12 attacks, was a game-changer, especially in the first set where Piacenza maintained a steady lead.
The second set saw an unfortunate turn for Recine, who suffered a back injury, leading to Leal’s entry. The set was a tight affair, but key plays, including Gironi’s ace and Simon’s powerful serve, tipped the scale in Piacenza’s favor, despite a brief lead by Benfica.
Benfica bounced back in the third set, gaining a substantial lead. Piacenza’s comeback efforts fell short, allowing Benfica to secure the set.
The final set was a nail-biter, characterized by intense rallies and scorers’ table issues. Ultimately, Piacenza clinched the match, thanks to crucial contributions from Leal and a final misstep from Benfica’s Lucas Gaspar.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica vs. Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza 1-3 (21-25, 23-25, 25-22, 23-25)
Sport Lisboa e Benfica: Da Silva 1, Ryuma 13, Eshenko 7, Lucas Gaspar 11, Ventura Machado 17, Santos Luca 1, Casas (L), Raphal Thiago 1, Westermann, Marques 1, Wohlfahrtstatter 3, Bernardo (L), Banderò, Brito, Coach: Matz.
Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza: Simon 17, Brizard 5, Lucarelli 20, Ricci 2, Gironi 7, Recine 4, Scanferla (L), Dias, Leal 13, Caneschi 4, Andringa, Hoffer (L), Alonso, Coach: Anastasi
