Barceloneta ends FTC’s 40-game winning streak

By Gergely Csurka

In a thrilling match, Zodiac CNAB managed to beat FTC Telekom Waterpolo on Day 4 of the Champions League Quarter Final Stage. Not in regular time, though, as a fantastic fight ended 9-9, but Unai Aguirre’s two penalty stops earned two points for the Spaniards in the shootout. It was the title-holders’ first loss in the entire season, after 40 straight victories. Elsewhere, Savona delivered an expected win against Oradea, but still face an uphill battle to catch the two giants.

Champions League Men
Quarter Final Stage
Group B – Day 4 Results
Tuesday 1st April 2025

Zodiac CNAB (ESP) 9-9 (4-3P) FTC Telekom Waterpolo (HUN)
RN Savona (ITA) 14-9 CSM Oradea (ROU)

Standings: 1. FTC 10pts, 2. Zodiac CNAB 8pts, 3. Savona 6pts, 4. Oradea 0pts

The game of the day was between the two big heavyweights – Zodiac CNAB and FTC-Telekom Waterpolo – and after two minutes of intense battling, Hungarian Vince Vigvari opened the scoring for Barceloneta, as he stunned his national team-mate Soma Vogel from the wing with a fierce shot.

Fradi missed their first extra, then Unai Biel beat the blocks and the goalie to make it 2-0. After Vigvari’s earlier strike, it was fitting Ferencvaros’ opening hit came from a Spaniard, as centre-forward Miguel de Toro put the title-holders on the scoreboard with a fine backhand shot.

Both sides missed their following six on fives, before Barceloneta’s Gergely Burian continued his team’s trend of Hungarians scoring against the Hungarians as he finished off a well-worked counter.

FTC missed their third extra shortly before the first break and wasted their fourth early in the second too.

It was Serbian ace Dusan Mandic who could finally bring Fradi closer with his usual rocket while barely rising above the water for 3-2. Soon it was 3-3, as after CNAB also remained silent in a six on five, Edoardo di Somma put the ball away from a counter after Vogel’s 28m pinpoint pass.

Vince Vigvari replied from the penalty line to score the first non-action goal of the game for 4-3, then Stylianos Argyropoulos’ shot sneaked under Aguirre’s arm to break Fradi’s bad run in man-ups.

FTC killed another man-down, but couldn’t take the lead – instead, Alberto Munarriz buried a six on four, while Aguirre came up with big saves twice within one man-down to keep the Spaniards’ 5-4 advantage at half-time.

The reigning champions caught a wave early in the third, as after two and a half minutes, Krisztian Manhercz put away a man-up, and just 45 seconds later Akos Nagy sent Fradi ahead for the first time at 5-6.

CNAB’s veteran Felipe Perrone – who else? – then calmly stepped up and fired one in from the perimeter for 6-6.

Aguirre was sensational as he stopped Mandic’s penalty, then Fradi killed a man-down, but failed to score from their one, and Martin Famera beat Vogel from distance as CNAB moved back in front at 7-6.

Aguirre had another stop in a man-down, but couldn’t do much eight seconds from time when Argyropoulos converted a six on five after a time-out, so Fradi climbed back to 7-7 with eight minutes to go.

At the start of the fourth, Barceloneta had lots of possession, including a man-up, but three shots weren’t enough to go ahead – then Bernat Sanahuja needed just one and that was quite a blast from the right wing to put the hosts 8-7 up.

Aguirre – who was having an incredible game – stopped Manhercz’s shot, then Vogel, who was off his best, made a crucial save and Marton Vamos levelled it up at the other end with 3:31 on the clock.

The reply came immediately, as Alejandro Bustos put away a man-up – but similarly, Fradi also converted from close. It was a feat as Akos Nagy scored with his right, though he is left-handed.

Vogel then produced two big saves, both in man-downs, with the last one 26 seconds from time to give his side the chance to win the game, but they couldn’t do it as di Somma’s effort was caught by Aguirre in the last second.

So, the decision was left to the shootout and this time it was Aguirre who delivered two moments of magic. He stopped Mandic’s penalty again, then headed out Manhercz’s shot and that was enough as Vogel couldn’t touch the ball this time.

Biel hit the bar in the fourth round to give some hope for Fradi, but it ended as it had begun – Vince Vigvari sent the ball home to seal CNAB’s big win and spark some wild celebrations.

Indeed, a Hungarian ended the Hungarians’ grand winning streak, at the same stage as last year, when Fradi suffered their first loss on Day 4 in the Champions League.

It’s yet to be seen if this is going to remain their only loss this season.

Elsewhere, RN Savona made few mistakes against CSM Oradea as they stormed into a 7-2 lead by half-time, which practically decided the outcome.

The Italians started off exactly how overwhelming favourites are expected to begin a game like this. They jumped to a 3-0 lead in less then five minutes, while killing a man-down, then a six on four where Gianmarco Nicosia came up with stunning back-to-back saves.

Though the Romanians pulled one back, Alessandro Gullotta buried another extra to make it 4-1 before the first break.

The hosts’ intensity levels dropped a bit in the second, as their next goal came midway through this quarter, then Ivan Gusarov was able to blast one in from 6m for 5-2, but shortly before the half-time interval, Gullotta and Lorenzo Bruni both scored from action within 44 seconds for 7-2.

Midway through the third, Savona were 9-2 up, but this is when the hosts’ concentration levels began to deteriorate a little. Mostly in defence, as after limiting Oradea to two goals in 20 minutes, they conceded seven in the remaining 12.

However, their win was never in danger as they also scored five in an action-packed final eight minutes that saw 10 goals fly in.

This victory was mandatory for the Italians this week, as next for them is the uphill battle – a visit to Budapest, then a trip to Barcelona.

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