Hapoel, Panionios and Bogliasco secure wins on day one of women’s Euro Cup qualifiers

Israel’s Hapoel Yoqneam lit up the opening day of the women’s Euro Cup qualifiers with a spectacular attacking performance against Hungary’s III Kerületi TVE, only to be denied maximum points by a late equaliser, before holding their nerve to win the shootout. Elsewhere, Panionios edged past Mladost Zagreb in a tight contest, while Bogliasco 1951 swept aside Galatasaray Zena with a dominant display.

2025/26 Euro Cup Women
Qualification Round, Day 1
Friday 17 October

Group A
(Zagreb, Croatia)

ZAVK Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 9-11 Panionios GSS (GRE)

Group B
(Ede, Netherlands)

Galatasaray Zena (TUR) 5-27 ASD Bogliasco 1951 (ITA)

Group C
(Novi Sad, Serbia)

III. Keruleti TVE (HUN) 15-15 (4-5P) Hapoel Yoqneam (ISR)

Group A
(Zagreb, Croatia)

ZAVK Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 9-11 Panionios GSS (GRE)

Panionios GSS began their Euro Cup qualification campaign with a narrow 9-11 win against ZAVK Mladost Zagreb in Croatia, edging a tense clash that was fiercely contested until the final buzzer.

The hosts struck first in a cagey opening quarter, but their lead lasted for just 11 seconds. After that, Mladost were chasing. Panionios looked sharper in attack and led 2-3 at the first break thanks to goals from Maria Rakintzi, Amalia Christodoulou-Out and Konstantina Xanthopoulou.

Mladost briefly drew level early in the second, but the Greeks refused to fall behind. Disciplined defence and ruthless finishing saw them restore their advantage to 5-4 at half-time.

The battle intensified in the third, with both sides trading blows, yet Mladost were unable to close the gap and trailed 6-8 heading into the final period.

Ria Glas, who was outstanding all night, hauled the Croatians back into contention with her fourth and fifth goals to make it 8-8, and when former Olympiacos star Margarita Plevritou was fouled out with just over four minutes remaining, the home crowd sensed the game might swing their way.

But Panionios held firm. After time-out to calm any nerves, Dimitra Papanastasiou fired them back in front, before Christodoulou-Out and Sofia Lampropoulou struck in quick succession to seal the win at 8-11.

Glas added a late consolation – her sixth of the game – to give the scoreline a fairer look, but it was Panionios who left with the points and the winning start.

Group B
(Ede, Netherlands)

Galatasaray Zena (TUR) 5-27 ASD Bogliasco 1951 (ITA)

Galatasaray Zena may have made the Final Four of the Challenger Cup last season, but the step up to the Euro Cup will have seemed a big one after they were totally outplayed by ASD Bogliasco 1951 on day one of the Qualification Round.

The Italians showed no mercy, winning all four quarters convincingly (1-7, 1-5, 2-5, 1-10) and smashed in double digits in the fourth to really rubber stamp the emphatic nature of their impressive victory.

Benedetta Bo, who was part of the young Italy team that finished fourth at the U16 European Championships in the summer, was the pick of the Bogliasco players, top scoring with six.

Dilara Yarayan offered brief resistance for Galatasaray with a well-taken hat-trick, but it was little more than a footnote on a night when the Italians were simply in a different class.

Bogliasco can now enjoy a rest day before returning to the pool on Sunday to face the hosts, Polar Bears, who meet Galatasaray on Saturday.

Group C
(Novi Sad, Serbia)

III. Keruleti TVE (HUN) 15-15 (4-5P) Hapoel Yoqneam (ISR)

An upset was brewing in Group C’s opening clash as Hapoel Yoqneam caught III Keruleti TVE cold and came within seconds of a famous win – only to be hauled back into a shootout by the Hungarians’ desperate late rally.

Belgrade-born Lara Luka – fresh from stints with Long Beach and Hawaii in the States – was in fine form for the Israelis, netting four. Carmel Rahum struck a hat-trick, while Carmel Arbiv, Shunit Strugo, Dar Menakerman and Nofar Hochberg all scored twice in a spectacular attacking display.

Strugo had arrived in Novi Sad calling her side the underdogs, but Hapoel looked anything but as they stormed to a stunning 0–3 lead midway through the first quarter. Kerulet looked stunned, and the gap stayed at three (2-5) at the first break.

Rahum converted a six-on-five early in the second, but that finally woke the Hungarians. Aniko Gyongyossy (twice) and Lila Raski hit back with three unanswered goals to make it 5-6.

Unfazed, Hapoel kept driving forward and replied through Israel internationals Arbiv and Menakerman to restore a two-goal cushion (6-8) at half-time.

In the third, Kerulet found themselves in more trouble, as Rahum and Luka stretched the lead to four (6-10), before the Hungarians hit back with another 3-0 surge to help them stay within reach at 10-12 heading into the final quarter.

With 5:38 remaining, Eniko Rajna’s penalty finally brought the Hungarians level for the first time, but Luka calmly dispatched two six-on-fives to edge Hapoel towards what looked like a memorable victory.

Then came the late drama. Roza Hajdu made it 14-15 with just over a minute to play, and in a last-gasp, keeper-less attack, Kerulet moved the ball crisply before Gyöngyössy rose in the centre to smash home the equaliser with nine seconds left.

After five rounds in the shootout, both teams had scored four, but Blanka Borsos missed again in the sixth, which handed Strugo the opportunity to win it, and she made no mistake to give Hapoel the crucial two points.

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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