Sant Andreu stun Sabadell to secure Champions League crown

CN Sant Andreu led just once in the women’s Champions League final – 2.4 seconds from time. Queralt Anton’s winning goal completed a miraculous comeback as they staged a 0-3 run in the last three minutes of the game, which title-holders Astralpool CN Sabadell were dominating – especially at three goals up in the middle of the third – but they were unable to break their fellow Spaniards. This is a historical first for Sant Andreu, while Sabadell’s plan for a three-peat and an all-time record-tying eighth trophy was ruined. Elsewhere, on a dramatic final day, the bronze went to hosts Olympiacos SFP after they swept FTC Telekom Waterpolo aside 18-11.

2024/25 Champions League Women
Final Four, Finals
Saturday, 3 May 2025

Olympiacos SFP (GRE) 18-11 FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN) – Bronze Medal Game
Astralpool CN Sabadell (ESP) 8-9 CN Sant Andreu (ESP) – Gold Medal Game

Sabadell may have been dominant in the Spanish league, but it was St Andreu that managed to break their reign in single-game finals, notably by claiming back-to-back Spanish cup titles.

Still, this was the Champions League final – the biggest match in the club’s history – and it unsurprisingly took some time for the underdogs to settle.

In the opening four and a half minutes, title-holders Sabadell went about their business and quickly established a 3-0 lead, thanks to a stunning Simone van de Kraats hat-trick.

The Dutch star put away two man-ups and lobbed a nice one from a counter, while St Andreu looked a little bewildered in attack.

But once they got going, the contest really began to heat up. Olympic champion Elena Ruiz opened St Andreu’s account after five minutes with a fierce shot from the perimeter, then, after killing a Sabadell six on five, Paula Camus scored a great goal from the centre for 3-2.

St Andreu also forced two more six on fives to go even before the first break, but they couldn’t beat Sabadell’s defence and goalkeeper Laura Aarts.

That proved painful as Sabadell struck first in the second quarter, with Rita Keszthelyi’s exquisite lob doubling the defending champions’ lead. They were far from playing perfect, as they missed two six on fives, but St Andreu also lacked the necessary energy to catch up their arch-rivals.

After three minutes of back-and-forth, Sabadell could finally launch a clean three on two counter and Bea Ortiz gently put the ball in the net for 5-2.

Their fellow Catalans also overcame their difficulties, as after an eight-minute-long drought, Nona Perez sent the ball home from a six on five. Since the remaining two minutes of the half brought only battling with no real chances, the game remained tight at 5-3.

Perez’ great individual action goal reduced the gap to one shortly after the restart, and after another denied six on five, St Andreu had a possession to go even. Aarts’ saves kept them at bay, though, and van de Kraats returned to the stage with a fantastic shot from distance.

St Andreu then missed a crucial six on five and Ortiz’s rocket gave Sabadell a three-goal lead once more.

It didn’t last long, though, as Alba Munoz’s great centre shot, plus a brilliant six on five play and Perez’s third of the night cut St Andreu’s deficit to one again, with 1:38 to go.

Both sides had a woman-up, but each side’s defence worked hard to keep the score at 7-6 before the final quarter.

The chess-like game continued there – it was a big tactical battle, where defences ruled the field. Sabadell couldn’t create any real danger in their first six on five, and St Andreu couldn’t even force an exclusion.

Sabadell had another woman-up, played after a time-out, and even though their first attempt hit the frame of the goal, their second attempt succeeded – Keszthelyi’s blistering shot bouncing in off the post for 8-6.

The Hungarian star then let two more shots fly, but couldn’t hit the target, so Sabadell missed the opportunity to maybe end the contest.

Instead, a time-out 3:07 from the final buzzer helped St Andreu to regroup and Ariadna Ruiz hammered in a stunning strike from action for 8-7.

And soon it was even, for the first time since 0-0, as Queralt Anton’s shot was an even more spectacular rocket from the perimeter with 1:58 to go.

St Andreu had a chance to take the lead, but Aarts produced a massive stop. Van de Kraats’ lob then hit the woodwork and the chasers had their golden moment coming – a six on five after another time-out with 19 seconds on the clock.

And it was sheer joy for St Andreu. It looked for a while that Sabadell’s defence could clear the ball, but Anton somehow found it among the defenders and fired it in from 7m – with just 2.4 seconds remaining.

There was no way back for Sabadell, as an easy block sealed a famous victory for St Andreu and completed a remarkable comeback.

Indeed, it was a miracle in the water – a 0-3 run in the last three minutes. It was a special way to write history and lift the most prestigious trophy for the first time in the club’s histroy – as well as denying Sabadell a three-peat.

Sabadell – stuck on seven titles – will now have to wait at least another year to catch up Orizzonte on the all-time ranks where the Italians still lead with eight trophies.

Earlier on Saturday – in the bronze medal game – hosts Olympiacos started brightly and jumped to a 4-1 lead in a span of two and a half minutes.

That was bad news for FTC, as the game was following a similar pattern to their semi, where they scored first then conceded four in a row.

The Hungarians fought back to 5-3 early in the second, but two fine perimeter shots from Vasiliki Plevritou and Abby Andrews quickly put the hosts on the path to the medal podium.

Vanda Valyi pulled one back from a penalty, then the Magyars killed three Greek six on fives, but they were still unable to penetrate Olympiacos’ stubborn defence, and their French international goalkeeper Mia Rycraw was also doing a splendid job.

The hosts’ Maria Myriokefalitaki then did what they were failing to do in their six on fives, as she scored from the centre with a brilliant backhander to make it 8-4, 22 seconds before the turnaround.

To have a small chance of a close match, FTC needed to convert their extras, but they kept on struggling, just like they did on Friday. After netting their first, they missed their next six, while Olympiacos hit two from action in 31 seconds to make it 10-4.

Even though Fradi had a better spell a little later, when they scored two from back-to-back possessions, the Plevritou sisters on Olympiacos’ side were doing a way better job.

Vasiliki hit three goals in a row, and captain Margarita was outstanding in defence – while Fradi’s Eleftheria couldn’t come up with her usual great contributions in this match.

Indeed, Olympiacos were a class apart in the third period. After hitting eight in the first half, they added seven in the penultimate quarter to go 15-6 up to secure the bronze medal before the fourth had even started.

The Greek defence loosened up a bit once the game was sewn up, which allowed FTC to come a little closer, but Vasiliki Plevritou continued to fire in some brilliant shots – she stopped at seven goals, so considering the final result, 18-11, it could even be said she made the difference.

More photos from today’s action can be found by clicking here, credit Aniko Kovacs. Watch live water polo on www.euroaquaticstv.com, and stay up-to-date with live results/tables and real-time updates through the European Aquatics App. Download it here: Google Play.

Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

The post Sant Andreu stun Sabadell to secure Champions League crown first appeared on European Aquatics®.