Rookies CV MELILLA edge Sporting LISBOA at tiebreak

On Wednesday night, CV MELILLA continued their impressive run in the men’s CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup 2023 as the team from the Spanish enclave recorded a 3-2 home victory over Portugal’s Sporting CP LISBOA in the first round of the 8^th Finals.

The match was a very close affair right from the go – before Sporting used some mistakes made by the hosts to their advantage to claim a small lead (13-10) in the opening set. CV MELILLA did struggle in reception as the rivals broke away to 19-14 and despite a late comeback (20-21), the hosts ended up losing the first set 21-25. The head coach of the Spanish team stopped the game when his side trailed 9-14 in the second set. The break produced the desired results as CV MELILLA fought their way back to 17-18. Sporting broke away again at 18-21 but CV MELILLA rose to the occasion when it mattered the most – eventually taking the set 32-30 with the help of Juan Martin Riganti and Federico Martina.

CV MELILLA could keep their momentum in the early stages of the third set (4-1) and they managed to stay ahead from start to end (13-9, 22-19), using their blocking game to seal the set win at 25-21. At this stage of the match, the stakes were high – and Sporting played with much determination. CV MELILLA managed to claim a small lead (11-9), but Sporting responded with a terrific 8-0 run. This unanswered streak somehow defined the fate of the fourth set – which ended at 25-19 in favour of the Portuguese team.

The fifth set was as close as you could wish it to be – with Sporting leading 5-3 before CV MELILLA edged ahead 8-6 at the side switch with Jean Pascal Diedhiou the outstanding player for the home side. CV MELILLA managed to keep this lead until the end (15-11) to claim an all-important 3-2 victory ahead of the re-match in the Portuguese capital scheduled for December 14.