Ferencvaros set up Pro Recco clash in Champions League final after Novi Beograd victory

FERENCVAROS 18

NOVI BEOGRAD 17

(4-4, 3-2, 5-4, 1-3)

(after penalties)

FERENCVAROS D. Szakonyi, D. Mandic 5, E. Molnar, D. Merkulov 3, S. Argyropoulos 2, E. Di Somma 1, G. Fekete, V. Vigvari 1, A. Nagy, D. Varga, S. Jansik 1, L. Diamonte , S. Vogel.

NOVI BEOGRAD L. Dobozanov, V. Martinovic, D. Skoumpakis 1, A. Granados Ortega, M. Cuk 1, D. Pijetlovic 2, R. Drasovic 1, M. Radulovic 2, M. Perkovic, F. Filipovic 1, N. Lukic 1, A. Vlachpoulos 4, F. De Michelis

Referees Boris Margeta, David Gomez.

Penalty sequence Varga (scored) – Ferencvaros; Perkovic (scored) – Novi; Mandic (scored); Martinovic (scored); Merkulov (scored); Cuk (scored); Fekete (scored), Vlachpoulos (scored); Argyropoulos (scored); Skoumpakis (missed).

Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros secured their spot in the Champions League final after beating Serbian side Novi Beograd in the semifinal, after the second penalty shootout of the day on Wednesday at the National Pool.

When Novi Beograd and Ferencvaros meet in the Champions League, they never disappoint, always producing high-scoring games with both teams reaching double digits. And in Malta, it was no exception. These matches are usually destined to go to the wire no matter the earlier episodes, which could see a team taking a decisive lead. In the third session, the Hungarians were 9-6 up as their opponents lost their influential player Filip Filipovic for brutality. But a stunning comeback saw the Serbians clawing back and it was another thrilling shoot-out that decided the outcome of this encounter.

Before the match, the supporters lifted a large banner as the Hungarians turned up in larger numbers to support Ferencvaros.

The first session ended all square on 4-4 with the lead alternating. It was balanced all the way but when Daniil Merkulov, Dusan Mandic and Stylianos Argyropoulos all netted their second goal, the Hungarians went on to lead 9-6 at the start of the third session.

But Novi were not yet dead. Their reaction in the third session was remarkable when Angelos Vlachpoulos and Filip Filipovic kept Ferencvaros within reach on a 10-9 scoreline.

But the Serbians were again caught out by Mandic who netted five goals to again go in arrears. At this point, Filipov was sent off for brutality after a VAR review for violent play on a 12-10 Ferencvaros lead with one session to go. 

But Vlachpoulos came strongly into the picture to level matters before Francesco De Michelis put his team 13-12 ahead and then Milos Cuk brought the teams back on level terms. Only Dimitrios Skoumpakis’ missed penalty separated the two sides.