The Champions League Group Stage kicked off in spectacular fashion, with Radnicki Kragujevac nearly pulling off another miraculous comeback in their opener away in Split. However, despite their heroics, Croatian star Loren Fatovic saved the day for the hosts, Jadran Split, who clinched a thrilling shootout win.

Meanwhile, title-holders Ferencvaros and Final Four participants Novi Beograd both kicked off their campaigns with fine home victories. Elsewhere, Romanian side Oradea stunned Waspo Hannover in a surprising result on German soil.

Group A Results

Novi Beograd (SRB) 10-7 Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
Waspo 98 Hannover (GER) 9-11 CSM Oradea (ROU)

In Belgrade, Steaua Bucharest caught the Serbian powerhouse off-guard, racing to a 3-0 lead within the first five minutes. The hosts needed some time to respond, with Dimitrios Skoumpakis getting on the scoresheet from a man-up situation, sparking a comeback. The game was neck-and-neck throughout, with Steaua’s Vlad-Luca Georgescu providing spectacular goals to keep his side level.

But in the fourth quarter, Novi Beograd’s class began to show. Two quick goals from Dorde Vucinic followed by another burst from Skoumpakis turned a tight game into a decisive 10-7 victory for the Serbs. Steaua’s struggles on the powerplay (0/7) ultimately cost them a shot at an upset.

Meanwhile, in Hannover, Oradea stormed to a 3-0 lead and never looked back. Despite a flurry of goals in the third period, Hannover couldn’t close the gap, and Oradea managed to control the game throughout. Marko Macan’s late goal for Hannover wasn’t enough to prevent a 9-11 defeat. Oradea’s Tiberiu Negrean played a pivotal role, helping his side secure a crucial away win to start their Champions League campaign.

Group B Results

FTC-Telekom (HUN) 16-7 Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)
Jadran Split (CRO) 10-10 (5-3 P) Radnicki Kragujevac (SRB)

Title-holders Ferencvaros, fresh off their Super Cup triumph, found themselves in a tougher-than-expected first quarter against Dinamo Tbilisi. The Georgians matched them goal for goal, ending the period 4-4. However, that would be as close as Dinamo would get. Ferencvaros took control in the second period, with a 5-1 run that buried the game early. Stylianos Argyropoulos led the charge with five goals, and despite some heroic saves from Irakli Razmadze, FTC cruised to a 16-7 win.

In Split, Jadran Split faced Radnicki Kragujevac in the game of the day. The Croatians looked comfortable at 9-6 with just over six minutes left, but Radnicki, known for their fighting spirit, mounted another incredible comeback. Two quick goals tied the game at 9-9, and when Dusan Vasic scored with just 11 seconds to go, it seemed like the Serbs had completed a stunning victory.

However, Jadran’s star, Loren Fatovic, had other ideas. With only 3.2 seconds left on the clock, he fired in a dramatic equalizer from distance, sending the game to a penalty shootout. The young goalkeeper Martin Celar came in for the shootout and made a crucial save, securing Jadran’s victory in a thrilling conclusion.