The quest for a spot in the Women’s Euro Cup semi-finals begins this weekend, as the quarter-final first-leg matchups take center stage across Italy, Spain, and Greece. This stage has drawn thrilling pairings, highlighted by two fierce local rivalries: Greece’s Ethnikos OFPF clashes with ANC Glyfada iRepair, while in Spain, CN Tenerife Echeyde meets EPlus CN Catalunya. Meanwhile, last year’s finalists, Pallanuoto Trieste, take on III. Keruleti TVE from Hungary, and Panionios GSS faces the Dutch powerhouse ZV De Zaan.

Women’s Euro Cup Quarter Finals First-Legs Schedule

Saturday, November 16, 2024

• 18:30 Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA) vs. III. Keruleti TVE (HUN)
• 19:00 Ethnikos OFPF (GRE) vs. ANC Glyfada iRepair (GRE)
• 19:00 Panionios GSS (GRE) vs. ZV De Zaan (NED)
• Sunday, 13:30 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP) vs. EPlus CN Catalunya (ESP)

Pallanuoto Trieste vs. III. Keruleti TVE
After narrowly missing out on the Euro Cup title last season, Pallanuoto Trieste is determined to go all the way this year. Coach Paolo Zizza emphasized the importance of fan support in their clash with III. Keruleti TVE, a team they narrowly defeated 14-13 last month in the Champions League Qualification Round. Reflecting on the previous match, Zizza praised Kerulet’s talent and warned that this quarter-final will be fiercely competitive, with both legs likely to be tight.

In their last encounter, Trieste started strong, securing a 7-3 lead, only for Kerulet to rally back and even briefly lead in the fourth quarter. Late goals from Emma De March and Vera Koptseva sealed a thrilling 14-13 win for Trieste, setting the stage for another electrifying face-off.

Ethnikos OFPF vs. ANC Glyfada iRepair
A classic Greek derby unfolds as Ethnikos OFPF faces ANC Glyfada iRepair, a team they recently encountered in domestic league play. Glyfada triumphed 8-5 last weekend, building on their third-place league standing and a strong Euro Cup Qualification performance, which saw them top Group A. Ethnikos, on the other hand, sits ninth in the Greek league and placed third in Group B of the Euro Cup Qualification. As underdogs, Ethnikos will need a top-tier performance to overcome their in-form rivals on home turf.

Panionios GSS vs. ZV De Zaan
Panionios GSS confronts a daunting challenge as they square off against ZV De Zaan, who delivered a convincing 14-7 victory over the Greeks in last month’s Champions League Qualification. ZV De Zaan’s dominance is powered by their captain Lieke Rogge, whose five goals in that match underscored her attacking prowess. Having cruised through the Qualification Round unbeaten, De Zaan enters as clear favorites, while Panionios will need to tighten up defensively and find inspiration if they are to reach the semi-finals.

CN Tenerife Echeyde vs. EPlus CN Catalunya
The quarter-finals feature an all-Spanish showdown as Tenerife Echeyde, led by British centre Annie Clapperton, hosts EPlus CN Catalunya. For Tenerife, this European campaign marks an exciting milestone as their women’s team competes on the continental stage for the first time. “Catalunya are a hard match-up, but we’ll give everything,” Clapperton remarked. The teams last met in the 2023/24 Division De Honor playoffs, with Tenerife emerging victorious in both legs by narrow margins. This weekend, they’ll aim to replicate that success and secure a historic win in front of their home fans.

Catch all the action live on http://www.euroaquaticstv.com