CHALLENGE CUP M: Weakened Fakel show strength, 1 of 3 Belarussian teams advances to 8th Finals

Fakel vs. Shakhtior

This match precisely shows how big is the deifference between Russian league, as one of top 5 European leagues, comparing to so-called ’small’ leagues in the Old Continent such as Belarussian. Fakel, only seventh-placed in Russian Superliga, lost only one set in two matches against Belarussian Division 1 leaders Shakhtior Soligorsk. It was 3-1 in the second leg for Fakel with 17 points from Egor Kliuka had. Fakel performed without two important players Ilya Vlasov and Valentin Bezrukov. Both returned from injuries and were only in protocol. Vitalii Bondar scored 12 for Shakhtior.

Unlike Shakhtior, other Belarussian representative was more successful. Well, at least one. Bate-BGUFK Borisov needed to win two sets in the second leg against home country rivals Legion Obuhovo to reach next stage. And they did it. So, a 3-2 defeat was not a big deal for them. Viachaslau Shmat from Legion scored game-high 20 points. Aliaksei Rabeka had 15 on the other side.

Croatian Mladost Zagreb had the same assignment against Austrian Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel but they did it much harder. Waldviertel got 2-1 lead and were close to reach golden set but Mladost leveled at 2-2 and advanced to 8th Finals. Matija Sabljak scored 18 for Mladost while Brazilian Rudinei Boff ‘Rudi’ noted 27 for Waldviertel.

MAIN PHASE / 16TH FINALS / 2ND LEG

DATE/TIME	TEAMS	SCORE	1	2	3	4	5	6	STATS	VIDEOS
18.12.18:00	IBB LONDON POLONIA FINO KAPOSVAR SE KOMETA KAPOSVAR; PINI KAPOSVAR ; DIAMANT KAPOSVAR	3 1	25 17	25 22	19 25	25 19		15 10
20.12.19:00	FAKEL NOVY URENGOY SHAKHTAR SOLINGORSK SHAKHTOSPETSSTROI SOLIGORSK ; SHAKHTIOR SOLIGORSK	3 1	25 12	24 26	25 20	25 16
20.12.19:00	SG RAIFFEISEN WALDVIERTEL HAOK MLADOST ZAGREB	3 2	23 25	25 19	25 18	17 25	15 9
20.12.20:30	BATE-BGU BORISOV LEGION OBUHOVO	2 3	21 25	25 21	27 25	20 25	9 15
21.12.18:00	VK JIHOSTROJ CESKE BUDEJOVICE VEGYÉSZ RÖPLABDA CLUB KAZINCBARCIKA	0 0
21.12.18:00	LMV TRICOLORUL PLOIESTI PETROM PLOIESTI AJ FONTE BASTARDO AZORES	0 0
21.12.19:00	SG VCA AMSTETTEN NÖ/HOTVOLLEYS SG VCA AMSTETTEN NÖ TJ SPARTAK MYJAVA	0 0
21.12.19:00	MOK JEDINSTVO BRČKO ACS VOLEI MUNICIPAL ZALAU CVM REMAT ZALAU	0 0
21.12.19:00	ZIRAAT BANKASI ANKARA STUDENTI TIRANA ( M )	0 0
21.12.19:30	CITY OF EDINBURGH VIKING TIF NYBORG BERGEN	0 0
21.12.20:00	CHAUMONT VOLLEY-BALL 52 HAUTE MARNE CHAUMONT VOLLEY BALL RSR WALFER	0 0
21.12.20:00	LAUSANNE UC SV DRAISMA DYNAMO APELDOORN PIET ZOOMERS APELDOORN	0 0
22.12.18:00	SIP ŠEMPETER OKM CENTROMETAL	0 0
22.12.19:00	KV LUBOTENI FERIZAJ MACCABI TEL-AVIV	0 0
22.12.19:30	BIOGAS VOLLEY NÄFELS CONCORDIA MTV NÄFELS ; SEAT VOLLEY NÄFELS SL BENFICA LISBOA	0 0