Ferencváros’ incredible 40-game unbeaten run in the 2024/25 season has finally come to an end.
In a dramatic Champions League Group B showdown, Barceloneta edged past the Hungarian powerhouse in a penalty shootout, securing a 13:12 victory after a 9:9 deadlock in regular time.
Despite the loss, Ferencváros remains in a strong position to top the group, holding a two-point lead over Barceloneta with two home games left against Savona and Oradea.
Aguirre’s Heroics Lead Barceloneta to Victory
Barceloneta’s goalkeeper, Unai Aguirre, delivered a match-winning performance, making 11 crucial saves—nine in regular time and two in the shootout—proving to be the difference-maker in front of the home crowd.
In the other Group B fixture, Savona kept their Final Four hopes alive with a 14:9 win over Oradea. However, the Italians’ chances of finishing in the top two remain slim.
2024/25 Champions League – Round 4, Group B
Barceloneta – Ferencváros 13:12
(3:1, 2:3, 2:3, 2:2, PSO 4:3)
Barceloneta Scorers:
Vince Vigvári 2, Famera 1, Munárriz 1, Sanahuja 1, Burian 1, Perrone 1, Biel 1, Bustos 1
Ferencváros Scorers:
Argyropoulos 2, Ákos Nagy 2, Mandić 1, Manhercz 1, Vámos 1, Di Somma 1, De Toro 1
Penalty Shootout:
• Mandić – Saved by Aguirre
• Perrone – 1:0
• Manhercz – Saved by Aguirre
• Granados – 2:0
• Fekete – 2:1
• Sanahuja – 3:1
• Vámos – 3:2
• Biel – Hit the crossbar
• Argyropoulos – 3:3
• Vince Vigvári – 4:3 (Game-winner)
Match Recap: A Battle from Start to Finish
Barceloneta started strong, quickly taking a 2:0 lead. Ferencváros responded with a stunning backhand goal from Miguel de Toro, but the hosts regained their two-goal cushion through Gergely Fekete. That would be the last time the teams were separated by more than one goal.
The second quarter saw a flurry of action in a two-minute span. Ferencváros struck twice in 37 seconds, with Mandić and Di Somma leveling the score at 3:3. Barceloneta quickly regained control when Vince Vigvári converted a penalty. Argyropoulos answered, but Munárriz netted a crucial double man-up goal just before halftime to give Barceloneta a 5:4 lead.
The third period followed a similar pattern, with Ferencváros taking their only lead of the game at 6:5 after goals from Manhercz and Ákos Nagy. But Barceloneta immediately hit back—Perrone equalized from distance, and Famera added another long-range strike for a 7:6 advantage. Aguirre then saved a penalty from Mandić, though Argyropoulos capitalized on a man-up to make it 7:7 heading into the final quarter.
The final eight minutes were a tense back-and-forth battle. Barceloneta twice pulled ahead through Sanahuja and Bustos, only for Vámos and Nagy to respond for Ferencváros. With two minutes left, Ferencváros’ keeper Soma Vogel made two crucial saves on Barceloneta power plays. The visitors had the last attack and a chance to win, but Aguirre denied Di Somma to force the shootout.
The penalty drama saw Aguirre make two clutch saves, while Vince Vigvári stepped up to bury the game-winning shot, sealing Barceloneta’s stunning victory.
Savona Stays in the Hunt with Comfortable Win Over Oradea
Savona – Oradea 14:9
(4:1, 3:1, 2:2, 5:5)
Savona Scorers:
Gullotta 3, Occhione 2, Bruni 2, Erdelyi 2, Patchaliev 2, Figlioli 1, Rizzo 1, Merkulov 1
Oradea Scorers:
Gardasevic 5, Negrean 1, Gheorghe 1, Gusarov 1, Velkić 1
Savona controlled the game from the start, racing to a 3:0 lead within five minutes and holding a 4:1 advantage after the first quarter. A late first-half surge saw the Italians extend their lead to 7:2, effectively putting the game out of reach. Oradea’s Filip Gardasevic led a late rally, but the damage was already done.
Group B Standings (After Round 4)
- Ferencváros – 10 points
- Barceloneta – 8 points
- Savona – 6 points
- Oradea – 0 points
Upcoming Group A Matches (April 2)
• Marseille vs. Novi Beograd
• Olympiacos vs. Jadran Split
Group A Standings
Jadran Split – 0 points
Novi Beograd – 9 points
Marseille – 6 points
Olympiacos – 3 points