Vakıfbank achieved one of its most impressive European victories this season, after overturning Scandicci from 0:2 to 3:2 and thus securing first place in the group and a direct ticket to the Champions League quarterfinals. The Turkish powerhouse won after true drama – 3:2 (24:26, 23:25, 25:20, 28:26, 15:12).
Scandicci was on the verge of closing out the match in the fourth set – at 23:20, the Italians needed only two more points for a 3:1 victory, which would have secured them the top spot. At the crucial moment, however, coach Marco Gaspari took off the leading duo Maja Ognjenović – Ekaterina Antropova, and the risk proved too costly. Vakıfbank came back, snatched the fourth set at 28:26, then imposed its will in the tie-break.
The Match – from control to a missed golden opportunity
The Italian team controlled the match in the first two sets and logically took a 2:0 lead. In the third, Vakıfbank found a better rhythm in serving and blocking, reduced the deficit, and in the fourth set – when Scandicci was already "seeing" victory – the Turks showed their typical European resilience and completely turned the momentum.
The Points: Antropova shines, but Vakıfbank had more weapons
Ekaterina Antropova was the top scorer for Scandicci with 33 points, but this time her maximum wasn't enough.
On the other side, Marina Markova exploded with 32 points and received significantly more stable support:
Tijana Bošković – 22 points
Zehra Güneş – 17 points
Katarina Dangubic – 8 points, entering from the bench and providing a tangible impulse in key rallies.
This "distribution of weight" proved crucial – Vakıfbank did not depend on a single source of points and had a second and third plan in the most intense moments.
Standings and Consequences: direct to quarterfinals for Vakıfbank, playoff for Scandicci
| Team | Wins | Losses | Position | What's Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vakıfbank | 6 | 0 | 1 | Directly to quarterfinal |
| Scandicci | 4 | 2 | 2 | Playoff for a quarter-final spot |
The reckoning is merciless for Scandicci
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Boskovic and Dangubic against Ognjenovic
The encounter also featured a strong Balkan presence – Tijana Boskovic and Katarina Dangubic played for Vakifbank, while Maja Ognjenovic orchestrated for Scandicci. In the end, however, it wasn't the illustrious resumes that decided the outcome, but the precision in managing the final rallies – Vakifbank was more accurate there, and Scandicci paid the price for a questionable tactical move.
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