Conference Cup Women: Chania stage late fightback to earn two points on opening day of qualifiers
The opening day saw seven lopsided contests in the Conference Cup Women’s Qualification Round, while the clash between Chania and ZVL-1866 produced a thriller. The Dutch were on their way to win the game at 4-7, but Chania came up with three connecting goals in the last two minutes and then won the shootout.
2025/26 Conference Cup Women
Qualification Round, Day 1
Friday 14 November
Group A
Goztepe Sport Klub (TUR) 8-20 CN Sant Feliu (ESP)
San Giljan ASC (MLT) 7-18 SV Blau Weiss Bochum (GER)
Group B
VK Jadran Split (CRO) 16-3 ZVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (ROU) 3-13 Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto (ITA)
Group C
Clube Fluvial Portuense (POR) 5-19 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
Dalton Koleji SK (TUR) 6-25 ASD Brizz Nuoto (ITA)
Group D
Sirens ASC (MLT) 7-24 AC PAOK (GRE)
NC Chania (GRE) 11-9 ZVL-1886 (NED)
Group A
Goztepe Sport Klub (TUR) 8-20 CN Sant Feliu (ESP)
San Giljan ASC (MLT) 7-18 SV Blau Weiss Bochum (GER)
The favourites delivered big wins on the opening day. Goztepe managed to hold on until half-time against St Feliu, trailing just 5-7 after two periods, before the Spaniards blew the game open in the third with a 0-8 run.
The Turks couldn’t match their rivals’ speed and conceded five goals in just 2:48 minutes – a true blowout.
Elsewhere, Bochum didn’t leave the decision for the second half, storming to a 2-9 lead by half-time against hosts San Giljan. Aylin Fry led the German charge with five goals.
Group B
VK Jadran Split (CRO) 16-3 ZVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (ROU) 3-13 Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto (ITA)
The men’s edition of a Jadran Split v Crvena Zvezda match a decade ago would have been a standout in any competition, but the women’s meeting proved entirely one-sided.
The Croats dominated from start to finish, with the Serbs unable to withstand the pressure.
Cosenza left no doubt either against hosts Alba Iulia. The Romanians struggled to break through the Italian defence, going more than 25 minutes without a goal, while Cosenza pulled away from 1-2 to 1-13.
Group C
Clube Fluvial Portuense (POR) 5-19 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
Dalton Koleji SK (TUR) 6-25 ASD Brizz Nuoto (ITA)
Portuense led 3-2 against Tenerife after eight minutes, but the miracle didn’t last. The Spanish response was clinical – they allowed the Portuguese only two more goals for the rest of the game while netting 17 themselves to gear up for their meeting with Brizz Nuoto.
The Italians held nothing back against Türkiye’s Dalton either. A 1-7 opening set the tone, and though the second quarter was more balanced at 4-4, a 0-7 blast in the third was a powerful show of force.
All seven goals came from open play, with no exclusions needed. The fourth brought more physical battling, but the hosts still added seven, edging PAOK’s scoring record in Group D by one as they closed the evening with 25 goals.
Group D
Sirens ASC (MLT) 7-24 AC PAOK (GRE)
NC Chania (GRE) 11-9 ZVL-1886 (NED)
The day’s biggest battle erupted between Chania and ZVL-1866. For three periods the Dutch kept the game firmly under control, building a three-goal lead by the end of the third while shutting out the Greeks for 5:30 minutes.
With 2:33 left, they looked safe when Anna Pauli finished off a counter for 4-7, but Chania hit back immediately, converting a six-on-five on their next possession and adding another from open play with 1:22 remaining.
Entering the final minute, they forced an exclusion and Virginia Niarchakou equalised after a time-out, 46 seconds before the buzzer.
The Greeks missed first in the shootout, but the Dutch failed to put away their final two attempts, and Chania’s big comeback secured two points.
Fellow Greek side PAOK had no such trouble against hosts Sirens. They raced to a 0-4 lead inside four minutes, and two late counterattacks stretched it to 1-7 before the first break.
They were 3-12 up by half-time and doubled their tally in the second half to finish on 24.
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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
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