Dinamo București made a strong bid for a place in the CEV Cup quarterfinals after defeating French Alterna SPVB Poitiers 3:0 (25:21, 25:20, 25:23) in the first leg of the 1/8-finals. The match was played in Bucharest in front of approximately 800 spectators and lasted 94 minutes.
In all three sets, Dinamo won the decisive rallies after the 15th point. Particularly indicative was their stability at the end of the third set, when the hosts prevented Poitiers from taking the match into a riskier scenario.
Team Statistics
| Statistic | Dinamo București | Poitiers |
|---|---|---|
| Attack points | 39 | 37 |
| Block points | 17 | 8 |
| Serve points (aces) | 1 | 2 |
| Opponent errors | 17 | 15 |
| Total points | 74 | 62 |
Blocking was Dinamo's main weapon – 17 direct points that completely disrupted Poitiers' attack. In attack, the two teams were close in effectiveness, but superiority at the net proved decisive.
Branimir Grozdanov played his second official match for Dinamo București in European competitions. After his debut against Lokomotiv Avia (Plovdiv) in the 1/16-finals, the Bulgarian once again earned confidence in the first and second sets.
Grozdanov finished the match with:
6 points
1 block point
42% attack efficiency
The second leg of the CEV Cup 1/8-finals is in a week in Poitiers. The French team will be looking for a mandatory victory at home, while Dinamo will rely on their solid lead and their demonstrated superiority in blocking and game organization.
photos: CEV.eu
