VfB Friedrichshafen – Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK
Even before starting the match there were high hopes among the Germans for a straight win in their last home game as they would add up the necessary points to qualify for the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup. Both teams opened up the first set with a tough match-up, play after play. After leading 20:19, the team from the Lake of Constance lost concentration and ultimately INNSBRUCK took the first set 20-25.
The second set opened up with a better appeal for the audience, as the locals fought to get into the game. The Austrians came back to play and made a few good points in a row, forcing a time-out from VfB coach Stelian Moculescu at 11:14. The locals eventually responded well to their mentor’s instructions and came back to fight for the win, but the team from Tirol wrapped it up once more at 22-25.
After the disappointment of the second set, the locals made some changes in their line-up to try to swap things around. Both teams battled to get the win, but FRIEDRICHSHAFEN was not ready to let the Austrians take the game, and fought to take the third set 25-21.
The hosts were paving the way to achieve their goal, not only they imposed their supremacy at the net by blocking and attacking better but also by putting pressure with their serves. By the second technical time-out the locals were ahead and ran away with it, taking the fourth set 25-17, forcing a tie break.
The fifth and final set of this match started with a quick pace. The Austrians were ahead 6:8 for the first half of the set, but VfB wasn’t ready to fail their mission and upset their supporters without putting up a fight, before the Austrians got the upper hand at 12-15.
“The whole Champions League season was not as we hoped. We didn’t start well and today it was no different than in the other matches. After the first two sets, we played really well but then in the fifth set we forgot to play” VfB coach Stelian Moculescu said.
INNSBRUCK mentor Stefan Chrtiansky commented: “I’m happy with the win because in the last games we lost after leading 2-0 and today we finally brought it home”.
