Volleyball champion Levski lost to German Lüneburg with 1:3 (28:26, 15:25, 24:26, 21:25) in their first home match in Group 4 of the Champions League. The 'Blues' dramatically won the first set, and lost the second by a significant margin. Nikolay Zhelyazkov's team also had a set point in the third but missed it and lost. In the fourth set, the guests were more focused in the decisive moments.
This was the 'Blues'' second loss, after they fell to Polish group favorite Jastrzębski 0:3 a week ago.
The match was watched by national team coach Gianlorenzo Blengini, as well as federation president Lyubomir Ganev.
Levski Sofia Hall was almost full, with about ten visiting fans in the stands.
Levski started the match with the lineup: Svetoslav Gotsev, Todor Skrimov, Vladimir Garkov, Stoil Palev, Livan Osoria, Venislav Antov, and libero Damyan Kolev.
The first point in the match went to Lüneburg after an attack by Katarzynski, but Todor Skrimov quickly equalized with a powerful spike through the center. The guests took a 3:1 lead after a block against captain Gotsev. The 'Blues' narrowed the gap with a triple block. The hosts did not allow themselves to fall behind and reduced the score to 7:8, but the Germans pulled away after a difficult serve by Skrimov, and then built up a lead at 7:10, which prompted the first timeout from coach Nikolay Zhelyazkov. It came at a good time, as Levski scored two consecutive points, although the guests requested a video challenge for a net touch. A block by Gotsev led to a tie – 11:11, and two more blocks gave the 'Blues' a 14:12 lead and a timeout for the guests by their coach Stefan Hübner. The serving run by Garkov continued with two more points and another timeout for the Germans. Levski continued to maintain a four-point lead after a service error by Simon Torwie. The guests started to take more risks with their serves and made more mistakes as the set progressed. At 21:19, Zhelyazkov called his second timeout to give tactical instructions. At 22:21, Lüneburg won an important video challenge for no block touch and equalized. After that, a net touch was called against the Germans, and Levski took the lead again. A set point for the 'Blues' at 24:23 was saved by an attack into the block and out by Norwegian Oskar Espeland. Lüneburg reached set point at 25:24, but Levski defended well in this long set. The hosts won the first set with another successful block by captain Svetoslav Gotsev for 28:26.
The first three points in the second set went to Lüneburg after a reception error, a long rally, and an ace from a serve. The Germans continued to increase their lead to 5:1, which prompted a timeout for Zhelyazkov. The guests continued to cause difficulties with their serve and led 11:4. After two blocks by Gotsev, the difference was reduced. The 'Blues'' coach called a second timeout when the opponent's lead was already 15:7. Levski narrowed the gap to 14:20, but the difference was still large. Lüneburg reached set point after a reception error on a serve by captain Theo Möllenkamp, and then the Germans closed the set with a successful block for 25:15.
The third set started with an exchange of points for 3:3. Levski opened the first gap at 7:4 after attacks by Antov and Osoria, which led to a timeout for the guests. However, the Germans came back with an ace from Torwie's serve. Three consecutive aces by Venislav Antov followed for 11:6 and another timeout for the guests. The Germans narrowed the gap to 10:11 after an ace by Michael Wright, which prompted Zhelyazkov to call a timeout, and after that, the American made a service error. Lüneburg equalized at 17:17. Levski again pulled away by two points after an attack through the center and a successful block by Livan Osoria. The opponent equalized again, and even took the lead after a double block, which prompted a timeout for the 'Blues'. At 21:21, Kostadin Kozelov came in for Osoria to serve, but the Germans took the lead again. Levski reached set point with a successful block. The next set point was for Lüneburg after an attack by Katarzynski, and then the guests also had luck when Espeland's serve hit the net and fell into the hosts' court - 26:24.
In the fourth set, the first point went to Levski after a long rally, and the second came from a Lüneburg attack out of bounds. After an ace by Antov, the hosts led 6:3, and guest coach Hübner took a timeout. The guests equalized at 7:7 after an ace by Torwie. Then the Germans pulled ahead with an attack by Möllenkamp. The game went point for point. Lüneburg opened a gap at 15:13 after a successful block against Skrimov. Nikolay Zhelyazkov called a timeout. After serving, Skrimov felt pain and was replaced by Petyo Ivanov. Towards the end of the match, the 'Blues' were unlucky with Garkov's serves, which fell close to the end line but went out. Zhelyazkov used another timeout at 17:21, after the guests won a video challenge. Hübner also called a timeout for the Germans after Levski cut the deficit to 20:22. The guests reached match point on captain Möllenkamp's serve. Levski narrowed the gap, but then Petyo Ivanov hit the net with his serve and the match ended.
The most effective player in the match was Levski's opposite hitter Venislav Antov, who finished with a remarkable 28 points. Vladimir Garkov contributed 12, and captain Gotsev scored 11, including seven successful blocks.
Levski will play their next home match against French team Chaumont, led by Silvano Prandi, in Sofia on December 4.
Bulgarian Cup winner Deia Sport (Burgas) was eliminated in a very dramatic fashion from the second strongest European club tournament, the CEV Cup. Coach Francesco Cadedu's players decisively beat Cypriot Omonia (Nicosia) 3:0 (25:15, 25:18, 25:19) at home in the second leg of the 1/16 finals of the tournament, played tonight in front of only about 200 spectators in Arena Burgas hall. Thus, after losing 1:3 in the first match, the Burgas team went to a 'golden set'. In it, however, Deia failed to cope and lost 12:15.
Photos: Nikolay Varadinov
