Portugal pre-booked a ticket for the final four of the 2010 CEV European League cruising past Austria this weekend in Paso de Regua. The Portuguese are the only team that did not suffer any single loss in this year’s competition and join organizer Spain in the event scheduled for mid July in Guadalajara. Portugal clipped the first match in three straight sets (25-23, 28-26, 25-16) and needed four sets on Sunday to complete its perfect run.
Despite the fact that they presented a different line-up from their usual, the local team its winning streak in the 2010 season to a total of 13 matches out of the 14 so far played for the CEV European League and the CEV European Championship. Since this weekend the CEV European League matches were being held in Peso da Regua, the Portuguese Volleyball Federation decided to pay homage to Carina Ferreira, a Volleyball player of Clube Caça e Pesca e Alto Douro that was victim of a car accident and whose body was missing for almost a month, a drama that was followed emotionally by the Portuguese media. In this occasion, the Portuguese Federation presented to the parent’s of the deceased player a photo of the senior women club C.C. Pesca Alto Douro, signed by all the players of the men’s senior national team. A minute of silence was observed in memory of Carina Ferreira.
With a very different line-up from their usual – Carlos Fidalgo, Manuel Silva, Frederico Siqueira and the libero Joao Fidalgo played from the beginning -, Portugal set the tempo for most of the opening set (16:11 at the second technical break). Watching that his team couldn’t shorten the distance (20:15), Austrian coach Michael Warm stopped the Portuguese spread using a time-out request with the strategy paying off, with Gavan and Philip Schneider being able to dangerously approach to the leaders (20:19). An ace kept the “suspense” about the winner (23:23), but Valdir Sequeira scored an attack and Schneider, with a failed spike, granted Portugal the final point of the set (25-23). In the second set the story was quite different. Austria arrived in advantage (8:7) at the first technical time-out, with a block from Gavan, but taking well advantage of the Portuguese difficulties in blocking, stretched the lead even more for the second stop (16:12). The instruction received from coach Juan Diaz were productive for the Portuguese players. Portugal awakened and after tying at 16, went ahead on the score (18:17). Gavan tied shortly after at 19 and walked his team ahead (21:20), but Joao Malveiro tied with a tip and granted Portugal once again the lead with a block shared by Flavio Cruz (22:21). A block from Simon Fruhbauer pulled Austria once again to the front (23:22), but Frederico Siqueira, with an ace allowed Portugal to win also this section of the game 28-26. The Portuguese team seemed unstoppable in the third set (5:1 and 8:2). Austria reacted, mainly through Schneider and reduced the difference (6:9), but Flavio Cruz and teammates, driven by Manuel Silva’s stamina, reached the second technical time-out with a precious advantage (16:11). Aware that they would have to play all their cards, Austria, with Gavan serving and Schneider in attack, decreased the gap (14:16), but Portugal went back charging and Joao Malveiro scored, categorically, the point nr 19 (19:14), indicating the path for the Portuguese triumph. Disoriented, Austria “offered”, through Thomas Zass, 3 points to Portugal (22:16), that closed the triumph in the match with an uneven 25-16. Flavio Cruz, with 14, was the best scorer of the match, followed by the Austrian Philip Schneider and Thomas Zass, both with 13.
Austrian coach Michael Warm said after the match: “We played a very good match. I believe that the team is growing, but on the other side there was a very strong team. We played with much discipline, but that wasn’t enough to win”. Portuguese mentor Juan Diaz added: “I am very pleased with the result. It’s necessary to observe that we didn’t play with the usual line-up, but the players that played maintained the team at a good level. In the most critical moments of the game, the team always reacted very well”. Captain Manuel Silva concluded: “It was a very good match and not easy. We were a little bit down in the first sets, but we were able to turn around. I believe that I played a good match, mainly taking into consideration that I didn’t play for a while”.
Despite the fact that they presented a different line-up from their usual, the local team its winning streak in the 2010 season to a total of 13 matches out of the 14 so far played for the CEV European League and the CEV European Championship. Since this weekend the CEV European League matches were being held in Peso da Regua, the Portuguese Volleyball Federation decided to pay homage to Carina Ferreira, a Volleyball player of Clube Caça e Pesca e Alto Douro that was victim of a car accident and whose body was missing for almost a month, a drama that was followed emotionally by the Portuguese media. In this occasion, the Portuguese Federation presented to the parent’s of the deceased player a photo of the senior women club C.C. Pesca Alto Douro, signed by all the players of the men’s senior national team. A minute of silence was observed in memory of Carina Ferreira.
With a very different line-up from their usual – Carlos Fidalgo, Manuel Silva, Frederico Siqueira and the libero Joao Fidalgo played from the beginning -, Portugal set the tempo for most of the opening set (16:11 at the second technical break). Watching that his team couldn’t shorten the distance (20:15), Austrian coach Michael Warm stopped the Portuguese spread using a time-out request with the strategy paying off, with Gavan and Philip Schneider being able to dangerously approach to the leaders (20:19). An ace kept the “suspense” about the winner (23:23), but Valdir Sequeira scored an attack and Schneider, with a failed spike, granted Portugal the final point of the set (25-23). In the second set the story was quite different. Austria arrived in advantage (8:7) at the first technical time-out, with a block from Gavan, but taking well advantage of the Portuguese difficulties in blocking, stretched the lead even more for the second stop (16:12). The instruction received from coach Juan Diaz were productive for the Portuguese players. Portugal awakened and after tying at 16, went ahead on the score (18:17). Gavan tied shortly after at 19 and walked his team ahead (21:20), but Joao Malveiro tied with a tip and granted Portugal once again the lead with a block shared by Flavio Cruz (22:21). A block from Simon Fruhbauer pulled Austria once again to the front (23:22), but Frederico Siqueira, with an ace allowed Portugal to win also this section of the game 28-26. The Portuguese team seemed unstoppable in the third set (5:1 and 8:2). Austria reacted, mainly through Schneider and reduced the difference (6:9), but Flavio Cruz and teammates, driven by Manuel Silva’s stamina, reached the second technical time-out with a precious advantage (16:11). Aware that they would have to play all their cards, Austria, with Gavan serving and Schneider in attack, decreased the gap (14:16), but Portugal went back charging and Joao Malveiro scored, categorically, the point nr 19 (19:14), indicating the path for the Portuguese triumph. Disoriented, Austria “offered”, through Thomas Zass, 3 points to Portugal (22:16), that closed the triumph in the match with an uneven 25-16. Flavio Cruz, with 14, was the best scorer of the match, followed by the Austrian Philip Schneider and Thomas Zass, both with 13.
Austrian coach Michael Warm said after the match: “We played a very good match. I believe that the team is growing, but on the other side there was a very strong team. We played with much discipline, but that wasn’t enough to win”. Portuguese mentor Juan Diaz added: “I am very pleased with the result. It’s necessary to observe that we didn’t play with the usual line-up, but the players that played maintained the team at a good level. In the most critical moments of the game, the team always reacted very well”. Captain Manuel Silva concluded: “It was a very good match and not easy. We were a little bit down in the first sets, but we were able to turn around. I believe that I played a good match, mainly taking into consideration that I didn’t play for a while”.
