Assolim CN Mataró did not miss its appointment with history and qualified for its first final of the Women's Champions League, in its second final four, beating Hungarian Dunaujvaros 12-9. The host team, Astralpool CN Sabadell, awaits them in the final this Saturday (5:30 p.m.) in Can Llong, who will seek their sixth crown after defeating Orizzonte Catania with suffering (12-13).
It will be a historic final, since for the first time in the 35 years of the competition, two teams from the same country will face each other for the title; a reflection of the dominance of the Catalan teams in women's water polo.
CN Mataró came to the event, its second final four (the previous one, in 2017) as a feared rival, the fittest in Europe, since it was the only unbeaten team in the competition. But it is that he had also just struck down the current two-time champion, Olympiacos, whom he defeated in the two quarterfinals (9-11 in Piraeus and 15-12 in the Joan Serra pool). The players coached by Dani Ballart faced a very powerful Hungarian rival, Dunaujvaros, who eliminated CE Mediterrani (9-8 in the second leg).
Pushed by the Maresme team with a couple of hundred very noisy fans, the duel started with a Vaseline shot from Anni Espar to the crossbar and with 0-1 from the international Krisztina Garda, as well as two saves from goalkeeper Aarts. But Mataró responded with an intense defense, good circulation of the ball and a great goal from Vivian Sevenich from mid-distance.
Mataró began to put the road to the final on track with Rita Kesthelyi's 2-1 draw and immediately afterwards Anni Espar's 3-1 draw from a penalty, a few seconds from the buzzer. The seasoned defense, hallmark of Dani Ballart's men, with two saves by María Elena Sánchez, gave the Catalan team consistency.
The semifinal was practically resolved already in the second quarter. In two minutes, Sevenich, with a superb reverse goal, made it 4-1, and Anni Espar made it 5-1 with a powerful shot close to the base of the post. The Maresme team was a gale. Only Garda, the tremendous Magyar international, resisted with her shooting power (5-2), and the Dutch goalkeeper Aarts with her 5 saves. Morell replied to Dobi's goal with the 6-3 to maintain calm, and Sevenich answered to Horvath's to continue with the 3 before the intermission (7-4).
After the break, CN Mataró reached 5 rental goals (8-4) with the third goal from Anni Espar, sensational on her return from Australia, and with a penalty from Kesthelyi (9-5) and the first goal of the Italian Silvia Avegno (10-5). The final could not be escaped, with 4 rental goals (10-6) to face the last quarter.
In the last eight minutes, the Catalans did not let themselves be surprised. They were not disturbed by Dobi's 10-7, and they tightened the defense, recovered the 4 (11-7 from Van der Kraats; 12-8 from Cambray) and managed the income at will to get into their first Champions League final in his second final four.
Assolim CN Mataró: M. Elena Sánchez, Sílvia Morell (1), Van de Kraats (1), Anna Gual, Sevenich (3), Kesthelyi (2, 1p), Clara Cambray (1), Cristina Nogué, Avegno (1) , Queralt Bertran, Anni Espar (3, 1p), Martina Claveria, Carmona.
Danuajvaros: Aarts, Jonkl, Sajben, Dobi (2), Horvath (4), Mahieu, Szabo (1), Garda (2), Kardos, Somogyvari, Pal, Sumegi, Maczko.
Umpires: Daskalopoulou (GRE) and Margeta (SLO).
Partials: 3-1, 4-3, 3-2, 2-3.
