The Maccabi Tel-Aviv volleyball team, the national champions, advanced to the quarterfinals of the Challenge Cup for the fourth time in its history tonight (Thursday) after defeating Pauk Thessaloniki 2:3 in the return match in Greece, after 1:3 in the first match in Tel Aviv.
The start of the game in the hall in Thessaloniki belonged to the Tel Avivians who led throughout the first set, in which they won 15:25 and came significantly closer to the quarter finals. The second set was closer, and in a situation of 10:10 tie Maccabi managed to escape a little, the Greeks equalized to 18:18 and later kept the advantage until they won 21:25.
In the third set, when coach Gal Galili’s trainees know that a victory in one more set will guarantee the team the ticket to the next stage, the close game continued, in which Maccabi had a slight lead but was unable to create a large advantage and the Greeks remained close throughout the set, until in the last part of it the yellows managed to increase the advantage and won 21:25.
The last two sets were held for protocol only, but were close and both teams maintained a high level of play. In the fourth set the Greeks won 24:26 and in the fifth set the Maccabi from Tel Aviv won 13:15 and gave the signal for the celebrations in yellow.
In the next stage, Maccabi Tel Aviv will meet Omonia Nicosia from Cyprus. The first match will be held in Hadar-Yosef. The games will be held in January, the final dates will be determined soon. The first match is expected to take place in Tel Aviv on 11-13.1 and the second leg in Nicosia on 24-26.1.
At the same time, Hapoel Meta Asher lost 3:1 to Stiava Bucharest, and was eliminated despite winning 2:3 in the first match.