Niederosterreich’s masterpiece

Werder Bremen put AS Pontoise Cergy in bad position after Men`s European Champions League quarter-finals leg1, as the 2008 winner Niederosterrecih did with Angers. “The Greens” beat Pontose on home soil 3:0, while Austrian champion defeated Angers at Fran,

Werder Bremen put AS Pontoise Cergy in bad position after Men`s European Champions League quarter-finals leg1, as the 2008 winner Niederosterrecih did with Angers. “The Greens” beat Pontose on home soil 3:0, while Austrian champion defeated Angers at France 3:1. Returning encounters are coming on January 24^th (Pontoise) and 26^th (Schwechat).

After poor performances in group stage, Werder Bremen showed its best face tonight. French team also played very well, but missed its chances in each of couple dramatically moments. CHUANG Chih-Yuan and Adrian CRISAN won their matches in five sets against Marcos FREITAS and WANG Jian Jun respectively, but it would not be undeserved in case of both wins of guests.

Fifth set between CHUANG and FREITAS was fully exciting, the lead was changed several times, rivals took point by point, but CHUANG won last two in a row. Chinese missed good chance for 2:0 lead, having 10:8 in second set. Finally, Constantin CIOTI overcame Kristian KARLSSON in four sets, despite Dane started better than him.

Niederosterreich again did a very good team work. Each its player took one point. Angers` Panagiotis GIONIS, the bronze medalist from 2013 LIEBHERR European Championships, had no his night. He managed to beat Orenburg`s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Vladimir SAMSONOV in same day, but tonight he was beaten by Daniel HABESOHN (3:1) in opening clash and by CHEN Weixing (3:2) in the last chapter.

When GIONIS opened with 6:0 lead against HABESOHN, it looked like he will do his job as usual, but Austrian answered by 7:1 in second, continuing with high level of play (4^th set 6:1 for the guest).

In the battle between two most experienced players, Jens LUNDQVIST defeated CHEN in four sets, to level on 1:1. Stefan FEGERL was twice one set down against Michel MARTINEZ, but managed to beat him. CHEN was in the same situation against GIONIS and did the same achievement.

Men`s European Champions League quarter-final (1^st leg)

Werder Bremen – AS Pontoise Cergy 3:0
CHUANG Chih-Yuan – Marcos FREITAS 3:2 (11:4, 11:13, 11:9, 7:11, 11:9)
Adrian CRISAN – WANG Jian Jun 3:2 (7:11, 15:13, 6:11, 11:7, 13:11)
Constantion CIOTI – Kristian KARLSSON 3:1 (8:11, 11:5, 11:9, 11:7)

Vaillante Angers – SVS Niederosterreich 1:3
Panagiotis GIONIS – Daniel HABESOHN 1:3 (11:3, 4:11, 9:11, 2:11)
Jens LUNDQVIST – CHEN Weixing 3:1 (8:11, 11:5, 11:5, 11:8)
Michel MARTINEZ – Stefan FEGERL 2:3 (11:8, 7:11, 11:8, 8:11, 6:11)
Panagiotis GIONIS – CHEN Weixing 2:3 (12:10, 9:11, 11:7, 7:11, 8:11)