Sabadell and FTC drop points after letting big leads slip on opening day of women’s Champions League

The key matches in the opening round of the Champions League Women Group Stage didn’t disappoint on Saturday, as both delivered plenty of drama. In Catania, Sabadell squandered a five-goal lead against Orizzonte, missing three penalties in regular time – but redeemed themselves in the shootout, converting all their attempts to secure two points. Meanwhile, Ferencvaros looked in control with a four-goal cushion early in the fourth against Vouliagmeni, only for the Greeks to stage a late surge that forced another shootout. This time, the visitors prevailed in a marathon that stretched to the 10th round. Elsewhere, the other favourites cruised to victory, including title-holders Sant Andreu and bronze medallists Olympiacos.

2025/26 Champions League Women
Group Stage, Day 1
Saturday 25 October

Group A

Alimos NAC Betsson (GRE) 8-17 Olympiacos SFP (GRE)
UVSE Helia-D (HUN) 17-11 DFVE Vizilabda (HUN)

Group B

Ekipe Orizzonte (ITA) 10-10 (2-4P) Astralpool CN Sabadell (ESP)
CN Terrassa (ESP) 8-11 Assolim CN Mataro (ESP)

Group C

FTC-Telekom (HUN) 11-11 (7-8P) Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)
Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 9-20 Rapallo Pallanuoto (ITA)

Group D

CN Sant Andreu (ESP) 19-8 ONE Eger (HUN)
SIS Roma (ITA) 12-10 ZV De Zaan (NED)

Group A

Alimos NAC Betsson (GRE) 8-17 Olympiacos SFP (GRE)
UVSE Helia-D (HUN) 17-11 DFVE Vizilabda (HUN)

The favourites made light work of their opponents on day one, securing all three points with commanding displays and netting 17 goals apiece. In stark contrast to last season – when Alimos managed to push Olympiacos close in an all-Greek battle – this time the reigning bronze medallists swept them aside with ruthless efficiency.

Although the home side briefly rallied after slipping 0-3 behind early on, drawing level at 4-4, Olympiacos immediately reasserted their authority. A devastating 0-4 surge put them back in control, and from there they never looked back.

Holding a 5-9 advantage at half-time, the visitors added three more goals within the first four minutes of the third period to stretch the lead to 5-12. From that point, they maintained the same commanding distance until the final buzzer.

Elsewhere, in the all-Hungarian clash, UVSE lived up to expectations by downing Dunaujvaros. A blistering 4-0 opening run set the tone in the first quarter, and though DFVE clawed their way back to 6-4 in the second, UVSE restored their four-goal cushion by half-time at 8-4.

The contest was effectively settled early in the third period, as the hosts struck twice in quick succession (35 seconds separated their two goals) to put the game beyond reach.

Dunaujvaros managed to reduce the deficit to 11-8, but once again UVSE responded immediately with another two-goal burst to lead 13-8 heading into the final quarter. From there, they were able to cruise safely to victory.

Group B

Ekipe Orizzonte (ITA) 10-10 (2-4P) Astralpool CN Sabadell (ESP)
CN Terrassa (ESP) 8-11 Assolim CN Mataro (ESP)

Orizzonte produced an absolute thriller against Sabadell, despite the Spaniards appearing to have firm control early in the second period. After racing to a 1-4 lead in the opening eight minutes, Sabadell struck twice more within a devastating 50-second spell right after the restart. They killed back-to-back exclusions and converted both ensuing counters to surge 1-6 ahead.

Orizzonte managed to pull one back, but Sabadell stood firm, denying two more six-on-fives before earning a penalty – only for Giuseppina Condorelli to block Simone van der Kraats’ shot. The momentum began to shift. Instead of 2-7, it was soon 3-6 as Bronte Halligan converted an extra-player chance, and before the break Sabadell missed two further six-on-five chances.

An exchange of woman-up goals opened the third period, before two fine perimeter strikes brought the Italians back to 6-7 in the space of 84 seconds. Then, after another defensive stand, Dafne Bettini fired home from distance to level at 7-7, while Condorelli further ignited the home crowd with another penalty save – this time denying Paula Crespi.

The final quarter started at a frenzied pace, with three goals in the opening two minutes. At 8-9, Sabadell earned yet another penalty, but Condorelli once again outwitted van der Kraats.

This time, the Spaniards were punished immediately, as Danijela Jackovich converted Orizzonte’s next extra-player chance to level at 9-9. Isabela Piralkova responded with a 9-10 strike, and Sabadell’s defence held firm through the next exclusion as the clock ticked into the final four minutes.

A tense battle followed until Claudia Marletta equalised from an extra with 1:28 remaining. Sabadell squandered a six-on-five of their own, and with 36 seconds left, Orizzonte had a match ball – another extra, but failed to find the winner, sending the game to penalties.

Despite missing three penalties in regular time, Sabadell made no mistake in the shootout, converting all four attempts. Orizzonte missed their first two, which sealed the victory for the Spaniards.

Elsewhere in Group B, where three of Barcelona’s satellite towns have been drawn together, Mataro visited Terrassa for the first all-Spanish encounter – and came away with the expected three points, though not without a fight.

Terrassa held Mataro scoreless for seven minutes at the end of the second quarter and, with two perimeter strikes, built a 4-3 half-time lead.

Panni Szegedi made it 5-3 with another action goal before Mataro broke their silence, as Martina Claveria struck twice in 31 seconds to level. Terrassa wasted a six-on-four, and Jewell Roemer scored from the centre for 5-6.

Miriam Ciudad equalised, also from the centre, but Laia Gil restored Mataro’s lead at 6-7 with 56 seconds left in the third.

The fourth quarter was even fiercer. The visitors struck first, Terrassa replied, and the pattern repeated for 8-9 with three minutes remaining. Then came the turning point, as Terrassa drew a penalty during a woman-up, but Mariona Terre spectacularly saved Nina Ten Broek’s shot.

Moments later, Clara Cambray finished clinically from open play for 8-10. Terrassa squandered yet another extra, and Claveria’s late goal from action secured an invaluable away win for Mataro.

Group C

FTC-Telekom (HUN) 11-11 (7-8P) Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)
Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 9-20 Rapallo Pallanuoto (ITA)

The national teams of Hungary and Greece met in both the World Cup and World Championship finals earlier this year – and now their respective domestic champions clashed on the opening day of the group stage.

Once again, it was the Greeks who celebrated at the end, though for much of the contest they appeared second best.

Ferencvaros (Fradi) made a blistering start, storming to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter. Vouliagmeni arrived eight minutes ‘late’, but then hit back with three goals in as many minutes, all from open play.

The Hungarians responded smartly, converting back-to-back extra-player opportunities, and after a late exchange of goals they took a 7-4 advantage into half-time.

The third quarter began with five minutes of tight defence before Eleftheria Plevritou converted an extra to restore Fradi’s four-goal cushion. Eleftheria Fountotou pulled one back with 58 seconds left, and though Vouliagmeni earned another extra, they couldn’t capitalise.

Their struggles continued into the fourth. After missing their first opportunity with a six-on-five, Rita Keszthelyi extended Fradi’s lead to 9-5, seemingly sealing the result. But Vouliagmeni weren’t done. Anna Krassa struck twice from action, either side of a missed Hungarian extra, to close the gap to 9-7.

Marina Kotsioni then produced a crucial save while a woman-down, and the Greeks forced a penalty from the counter. Eleni Xenaki converted to make it 9-8.

Keszthelyi briefly restored control with two long-range efforts, though Kyra Christmas’ strike kept Vouliagmeni within touching distance at 11-9.

With 2:34 remaining, Fradi still led by two, but after a time-out, Lola Moolhuijzen fired home on a six-on-five with 1:10 to play.

Moments later, a steal opened the door for the Greeks again – and Krassa hit her fourth of the night to equalise just 28 seconds from time. Fradi called a time-out, and Bea Ortiz took the final shot, but it was saved, sending the game to penalties.

The shootout turned into a marathon. Fradi were one strike from victory, but both Dora Leimeter and Ortiz missed their attempts. In the 10th round, Leimeter failed again, hitting the post, and that miss ultimately cost the Hungarians a point.

In the other group fixture, Spandau kept pace with Rapallo until late in the second quarter. After 5-7, however, the Italians struck twice in 44 seconds to double their lead – a burst that proved decisive. They added two more at the start of the third, and at 5-11 the contest was effectively over.

As Spandau faded, Rapallo extended the gap to 11 goals, finishing at 9-20 – the highest goal tally recorded on the opening day.

Group D

CN Sant Andreu (ESP) 19-8 ONE Eger (HUN)
SIS Roma (ITA) 12-10 ZV De Zaan (NED)

Title-holders Sant Andreu made no mistake in their home opener, dismantling Eger with a composed and highly effective display. The Hungarians stayed competitive until 5-3, but the Spaniards then shifted gear, adding four goals before half-time to open up a commanding 9-4 lead.

The third quarter proved an intriguing one, as after an early penalty conversion, the game flowed freely with seven more goals – all from open play, as no exclusions were called throughout the period.

By the end of the quarter, the hosts had stretched the gap to seven, but it could easlily have been more, as Eger’s goalkeeper Luca Torma produced five saves to prevent an even heavier deficit.

Torma added one more stop during a counter, but she too ran out of miracles as Sant Andreu finished with a dominant 5-1 final period to wrap up an 11-goal victory.

In Rome, the story was entirely different – a tense, evenly matched battle between SIS Roma and De Zaan. The lead changed hands a couple of times during the first half, which ended level at 5-5.

The Dutch side struck twice quickly in the third quarter, before Elizaveta Zaplatina pulled one back from action. Still, the Euro Cup winners held a slender 6-7 advantage heading into the final eight minutes.

Zaplatina converted an extra early in the fourth, and just 29 seconds later, Chiara Ranalli finished off a counter to put Roma ahead 8-7.

Roline Schuijt equalised from a six-on-five, but the next 87 seconds proved decisive, as the hosts produced three goals from as many possessions – all from open play – to surge 11-8 ahead.

De Zaan refused to fold. Lieke Rogge struck from a woman-up, and with 1:26 remaining, Christina Hicks found the target with a fine centre shot to cut the deficit to one (11-10).

But the Dutch side couldn’t keep the prolific Zaplatina quiet – the Russian sniper netted her sixth of the night from distance with 1:04 left, sealing a vital 12-10 win for Roma.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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