Challenger Cup Men: Galatasaray among seven teams to book ticket to Final Eight

Seven berths in the Final Eight have already been booked, though the top spots are still up for grabs in three of the groups. Vitoria Sport Clube claimed their second win, another tough one, and have already clinched first place in Group D.

2025/26 Challenger Cup Men
Qualification Round II
Saturday 14 February

Group A (Elektrenai)
Sliema ASC Nexawin (MLT) 23-14 Cetus Espoo (FIN)

The Finns could keep up with the favourites until half-time, though they fell behind by three in the action-packed first two periods.

Sliema never let Espoo lead, but the Finns managed to stay close and even halved the distance to come back to 11-9.

However, the Cachia brothers always found a way to score a late action goal before the end of each of the first two quarters – Jake netted one with 0:40 to go in the first, and Benjamin finished off a counter 25 seconds before the middle break.

The killer blow was delivered right away in the third, as three action goals in a row gave Sliema a massive 15-9 advantage, and they never looked back.

The Maltese, with veteran superstar Aleksandar Ivovic and former Italian national team member Niccolo Gatto in their line-up, stopped at 23, and since this was the second defeat for the Finns, they cannot move from third place.

Sliema will clash with Zaibas for first place on Sunday.

Group B (Maribor)
VK Banja Luka (BIH) 2-27 San Giljan ASC (MLT)

San Giljan did not hold back and stormed to a 0-7 lead inside eight minutes. Though the Bosnians scored twice in the second period, that was all they managed in the entire match, as the Maltese shut them out for the whole second half.

The scene is the same here as in Group A: a second loss cemented Banja Luka’s third place, so they are out of contention, while San Giljan will face hosts Maribor on Sunday for the top spot.

Group C (Istanbul)
Galatasaray SK (TUR) 28-4 Carouge Natation (SUI)

Galatasaray followed fellow Turkish side Enka to the Final Eight as they also crushed Carouge in a lopsided match. The hosts rallied to a 9-0 lead before the Swiss scored their first goal, and it was obvious this group belongs to the two Istanbul sides. It is going to be a tremendous showdown on Sunday between the two teams, with the top spot at stake.

Group D (Maribor)
Heybeliada ASC (TUR) 9-11 Vitoria Sport Clube (POR)

Vitoria pulled off another huge win, again with a brilliant fourth-period effort. After turning the game around with a fantastic 3-0 rush in the last two minutes against Belgian side Mouscronnois, they produced another thriller with their Turkish rivals.

They jumped to a 0-2 lead, but Heybeliada responded with three connecting goals to set the tone.

The Portuguese managed to take a 4-5 half-time lead with a late goal from Joao Costa. Even though they doubled it early in the third, the Turks soon hit back and went ahead at 8-7, and again at 9-8. However, Aleksandar Radosavljevic levelled with a fine action goal 43 seconds from time.

Miguel Mariani sent the ball home from a dying man-up for 9-10, 45 seconds into the fourth.

The Turks then missed two extra-player chances, and it cost them the game as Radosavljevic converted Vitoria’s next six-on-five for 9-11 with 4:16 to go.

The Portuguese survived two more man-down situations; in fact, they did not concede any goals in the fourth, and that secured not only their F8 berth, but also first place.

Meanwhile, Heybeliada are facing a do-or-die game with Mouscronnois on the closing day.

For places 13th-18th (Ljubljana)

Clube Naval Povoense (POR) 13-11 Apoel Nicosia (CYP)
VK Ljubljana Slovan (SLO) 13-17 Hapoel Palram Zvulun (ISR)
West London Penguin (GBR) 10-9 Welsh Wanderers (GBR)
Hapoel Palram Zvulun (ISR) 21-9 Apoel Nicosia (CYP)
Clube Naval Povoense (POR) 14-16 West London Penguin (GBR)
VK Ljubljana Slovan (SLO) 21-13 Welsh Wanderers (GBR)

Standings: 1. Hapoel 12pts, 2. Slovan 9pts, 3. West London Penguin 6pts, 4. Apoel 4pts, 5. Povoense 3pts, 6. Welsh Wanderers 2pts

Despite playing with only 11 players, Hapoel already secured 13th place in this tournament as they managed to down hosts Ljubljana in a 30-goal epic. They pulled away after 10-10 with a 0-4 rush and never looked back. The Slovenians consoled themselves with a fine win against Welsh Wanderers – who were edged by their fellow Brits, West London Penguin, in the morning in a nail-biter – and that also secured 14th position for them before the last round on Sunday.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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