The Women’s Euro Cup Semi-Finals delivered high-octane action on Saturday, with ZV De Zaan and Pallanuoto Trieste emerging victorious in their respective first-leg matches. De Zaan secured a hard-fought 9-6 win over ANC Glyfada iRepair in Greece, while Trieste powered past CN Tenerife Echeyde 15-9 at home in Italy, putting themselves in commanding positions ahead of the second leg.
First-Leg Results: Women’s Euro Cup Semi-Finals
- ANC Glyfada iRepair (GRE) 6-9 ZV De Zaan (NED)
- Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA) 15-9 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
De Zaan’s Grit Seals Victory in Glyfada
ZV De Zaan delivered a professional performance to claim a vital three-goal advantage in Greece. Last season’s bronze medalists displayed their trademark resilience, shutting out Glyfada’s attack for the final nine minutes.
The Dutch side opened the scoring with quick goals from captain Lieke Rogge and Nerida Drewes, establishing a 2-0 lead early on. While Great Britain international Lily Turner’s stunning long-range shot briefly reduced the deficit, De Zaan maintained control with goals from Christina Hicks and Bente Rogge to close the first quarter at 4-2.
Glyfada turned the tide in the second quarter with a 3-0 scoring run, highlighted by a brilliantly orchestrated goal from Anastasia Loudi. However, a missed penalty by Zoi Tzortzakaki proved costly, and De Zaan leveled the score at 5-5 before halftime.
The third quarter saw both sides locked in a tactical battle, but De Zaan edged ahead 7-6 with contributions from Drewes and a hat-trick-sealing strike by Lieke Rogge. The visitors took full control in the final period, as Hicks and Bente Rogge struck decisive goals from distance to seal a 9-6 victory.
The win marks De Zaan’s third consecutive triumph over Glyfada, putting them in pole position to advance to the final.
Trieste’s Dominance Leaves Tenerife with a Mountain to Climb
In the evening’s second semi-final, Pallanuoto Trieste delivered a commanding display at the Bruno Bianchi pool, dismantling CN Tenerife Echeyde 15-9. The Italian side, last season’s runners-up, showcased their firepower in attack and took a six-goal advantage into the second leg.
Trieste exploded out of the blocks, with Arianna Gragnolati netting twice alongside goals from Giorgia Klatowski and Vera Koptseva, giving the hosts a 4-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. Jelena Vukovic and Giusy Citino extended the advantage early in the second, as Tenerife struggled to cope with Trieste’s dynamic offense.
Despite some encouraging moments from Tenerife’s Elena Borg, who tallied three goals on the night, the Spaniards went into halftime trailing 9-4.
While Tenerife tightened their defense and found more scoring opportunities in the second half, Trieste’s clinical finishing proved too much to overcome. Gragnolati starred with four goals, and captain Lucrezia Cergol added a hat-trick to steer the Italians toward a comfortable victory.
Second-Leg Preview
De Zaan and Trieste head into the second legs with significant leads, but both Glyfada and Tenerife showed flashes of brilliance that could make the return fixtures competitive.
The second legs will take place on Saturday, February 15, and fans can watch the action live on Euro Aquatics TV. Will De Zaan and Trieste capitalize on their commanding leads, or can Glyfada and Tenerife mount a comeback on home soil?