EPlus CN Catalunya and Zodiac CNAB will meet in an all-Spanish Euro Cup Women final after both sides claimed impressive away victories in Saturday’s semifinal second legs.
Despite earning away draws in the first legs, BVSC Manna ABC and Pallanuoto Trieste were unable to make home advantage count. Catalunya produced a superb defensive performance to outclass BVSC in Budapest, while CNAB held off Trieste in a thrilling contest in northern Italy.
With both Spanish teams reaching the final for the first time, a new name will be engraved on the Euro Cup Women trophy next month.
2025/26 Euro Cup Women
Semifinals, Leg 2
Saturday 16 May
Aggregate scores shown
BVSC Manna ABC 4-11 EPlus CN Catalunya
Aggregate: 17-24
Pallanuoto Trieste 13-14 Zodiac CNAB
Aggregate: 25-26
Catalunya silence BVSC in Budapest
BVSC Manna ABC 4-11 EPlus CN Catalunya
Quarters: 1-3, 1-3, 0-1, 2-4
Aggregate: 17-24
Catalunya became the first team to book their place in the final after a defensive masterclass saw them restrict BVSC to just four goals in their own pool.
The Spaniards had surrendered a 6-2 lead in the first leg, but there was no repeat in Budapest. This time, Catalunya controlled the match from the start, smothering BVSC’s attack and never allowing the hosts to build any real momentum.
The atmosphere inside the arena was electric, but Catalunya were not intimidated. Ruth Arino sent an early warning by hitting the far post from the left wing, before Julia Frigola Navarro opened the scoring from distance.
Pien Gorter pulled one back for BVSC, but Toula Falvey forced the ball over the line after a loose rebound, and Emmerson Houghton squeezed her effort between the post and Tunde Schmuck to give Catalunya a 3-1 lead after the opening quarter.
BVSC had a chance to reduce the deficit when Zoe Lendvay stepped up for a penalty, but her shot crashed off the crossbar.
Lendvay made amends at the start of the second period, cutting the gap to one, but Catalunya quickly regained control. Arino and Houghton scored to move the visitors three goals clear, before Falvey struck again from a six-on-five with a high finish at the far post.
That goal gave Catalunya a 6-2 lead and left BVSC coach Gergely Beres calling a timeout as the tie began to slip away.
BVSC forced two exclusions before half-time but failed to convert either opportunity. Their attacking problems continued in the third quarter, where they missed four more six-on-fives and struggled to find clean shooting chances against an organised Catalunya defence.
Lucia De La Puente punished those misses with a fierce skip-shot from the perimeter, extending Catalunya’s lead to 7-2 heading into the final period.
BVSC needed a miracle and briefly threatened a late response. Anna Mucsy scored from the right wing before Lendvay added another to bring the hosts within three.
But Ona Tarrino quickly halted the momentum, arrowing in a shot from deep before celebrating with delight. Houghton then converted a penalty 25 seconds later, and Tarrino struck again from distance to make it 10-4 with 4:23 remaining.
Frigola Navarro capped an excellent individual display by scoring Catalunya’s eleventh goal, sealing a dominant win and sending the Spanish side into the final for the first time in the club’s history.
CNAB end Trieste’s final hopes
Pallanuoto Trieste 13-14 Zodiac CNAB
Quarters: 4-4, 2-3, 2-3, 5-4
Aggregate: 25-26
Pallanuoto Trieste’s hopes of reaching a third successive Euro Cup final were ended by Zodiac CNAB, who produced a composed and clinical performance away from home.
The Spaniards took the lead at the end of the first quarter and never trailed again. Trieste fought back to level on four occasions, including midway through the final period, but CNAB repeatedly found another answer and closed out a dramatic one-goal victory.
Unlike the first semifinal, which produced only 15 goals, this match burst into life immediately. Eight goals were scored in the opening quarter, with both attacks trading blows in a frantic start that ended level at 4-4.
The pattern continued early in the second period. Olympic champion Paula Leiton restored CNAB’s lead, only for Malia Allen to respond immediately and complete her hat-trick.
Nerea Martin then put CNAB back in front with a powerful finish from a tight angle on the right wing. Trieste answered through captain Lucrezia Cergol, who hammered home from an extra-player opportunity to level the match again.
But Clara Diaz had the final word of the half, scoring from the top of the perimeter on a six-on-five to give CNAB a 7-6 lead at the break.
Diaz struck again early in the third quarter, giving the visitors the first two-goal lead of the match. Allen replied almost immediately with her fourth goal, but CNAB continued to stay in front.
Itziar Martinez restored the two-goal cushion, before Veronica Gant brought Trieste back to 9-8 with a powerful finish from six metres. Alejandra Aznar responded from CNAB’s next extra-player attack, skipping her shot past Fabiana Sparano to make it 10-8.
Aznar had another chance to extend the lead, but her shot hit the post, leaving CNAB two goals ahead going into the final quarter.
Emma De March cut the gap to one early in the fourth, but Aznar completed her hat-trick to restore CNAB’s two-goal advantage. Allen then scored a thunderous long-range effort to make it 11-10, before Giorgia Klatowski equalised with a deflected shot that looped into the far corner.
Trieste’s resilience had carried them to the previous two finals, but CNAB responded with a moment of quality from Nada Mandic. The centre held off her marker and delicately lobbed the advancing Sparano to put the visitors back in front with 4:13 remaining.
After a timeout and protests from Trieste coach Paolo Zizza, which resulted in a yellow card, Aznar struck again to leave the Italians in trouble.
Cristina Nogue then converted from close range to give CNAB a three-goal lead for the first time at 14-11 with just over two minutes remaining.
Trieste refused to go quietly. Klatowski scored from distance, then added another from an extra-player chance to make it 14-13 and set up a tense final minute.
Aznar had a late goal ruled out, giving Trieste one last possession to force a shootout. But CNAB’s defence stood firm, winning the ball in the centre and closing out the game.
The result sends CNAB into the Euro Cup Women final at the first attempt, continuing a remarkable debut European campaign.
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