Maccabi Tel Aviv is playing today (Wednesday) for a ticket to the European Challenge Cup final in Portugal against Ponte Bastardo. The Yellows won 1:3 in Israel and a victory here will give them a ticket to the final of the third most important European event.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is the first team to reach the semifinals of a European volleyball event, and wants to make history after the impressive game in Israel. The team landed in Portugal after an arduous journey that included three flights and nearly 24 hours.
The Yellows, who won the last 3 sets in the game in Israel, wanted to keep the momentum in a particularly important game before the final. Along the way, the team knocked out Cypriot Omonia Nicosia in the quarterfinals and PAUK Thessaloniki in the eighth.
the progress of the game
Act 1: 18:25 to Punta Bastrada
Ponte broke the yellow serve early and went up to2:6, which later became3:8. The Portuguese kept serving and managed to maintain a large gap that was enough to9:15 in the middle of the campaign and13:20, when they kept all their submissions. The yellows managed to reduce the gap to three points, but the Portuguese took a timeout and the trend continued until18:25 At the end of the first act.
Campaign 2: 23:25 to Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Yellows started the second set well and went up to1:4 Early, the first time they broke Ponte Bastrada’s serve. The Portuguese showed character and managed to come back all the way to10:10. The Portuguese continued the momentum and rose to15:17, while Bachala stands out on the yellow side. Maccabi Tel Aviv regained control and with a lot of character managed to win 23:25, After a series of mistakes by the champion of Portugal.
Scheme 3
Valencia, Ponte’s star, led the Portuguese to3:4 Early against the Galili boys.