AZERRAIL BAKU REACHES PLAY-OFF ROUND

Women's Indesit European Champions' League 2004/05

Luxembourg, January 12, 2005. Azerrail BAKU from Azerbaijan reached the play-off round of the Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League after this week’s action in the world’s strongest club competition. The semifinalist of last year defeated Turkish Besiktas ISTANBUL 3:2. Another upset was caused by Polish Stal BIELSKO-BIALA who defeated Italian Foppapedretti BERGAMO. 

With only two matches left to play in the league round of the Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League, everything is clear in Pool B after the 3:2 victory of Azerrail BAKU over Besiktas ISTANBUL. After Italian Sant’Orsola Asystel NOVARA already claimed a place in the play-off round last week, the team from Azerbaijan now join the Italians in the next round. Also, due to Besiktas ISTANBUL losing their match, defending champion TENERIFE Marichal from Spain will now advance to the next round.
The Turkish team played a great match in Azerbaijan, being so close to a victory after winning the second and third set, but the home team finally claimed success in the fifth set tiebreaker.Azerrail BAKU spiker Natalya Mammadova was the best scorer with 24 points with Eda Erdem being best scorer for the Turks with 18 points.“This was an extremely difficult match for us”, Azerrail BAKU coach Faig Garayev said, “the Turkish team really surprised us.”
Whilst the three teams who proceed to the next round are established for Pool B, all is still possible in Pool A after the sensational victory of Polish Stal BIELSKO-BIALA over Italian Foppapedretti BERGAMO. As the Italian team had already secured a place in the play-off round of the Indesit European Champions’ League last week, coach Giovanni Caprara decided to stay home himself and send only eight players to Poland with assistant coach Marco Breviglieri. For Poland this was a fortunate decision as they went on to beat the Italians 3:2. Although Foppapedretti BERGAMO lost the clash, Francesca Piccinini was the best scorer with 25 points. On the Polish side, national team player Agata Mroz made 20 points.
Thus in Pool A only Foppapedretti BERGAMO has so far qualified for the next round. French RC CANNES is one victory away, whilst Stal BIELSKO-BIALA need to win their remaining two matches. Even Turkish Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL, Spanish Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS and Russian Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG still have chances to qualify.
The matches scheduled for Tuesday will therefore be extremely important. One of the key clashes is the match between RC CANNES and Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL, whilst Stal BIELSKO-BIALA will have a tough match in Russia against Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG.

Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League
Results eighth leg

Preliminary Pool A

Stal BIELSKO-BIALA (POL) - Foppapedretti BERGAMO (ITA)	3 :2	25-23, 25-23, 20-25, 12-25, 15-10
Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR) - Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG (RUS)	1 :3	24-26, 25-22, 20-25, 21-25

Preliminary Pool B

Azerrail BAKU (AZE) - Besiktas ISTANBUL (TUR)

3 :2

25-19, 24-26, 23-25, 25-18, 15-7

Pool Ranking after 8th week

Pool A:
1. Foppapedretti BERGAMO 8-15 (23-6), 2. RC CANNES 8-13 (18-13), 3. Stal BIELSKO-BIALA 8-12 (13-17),
4. Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL 8-11 (15-15), 5. Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS 8-11 (13-18), 6. Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG 8-10 (9-21)

Pool B:
1. Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA 8-16 (24-4), 2. Azerrail BAKU 8-14 (18-10), 3. TENERIFE Marichal 8-13 (19-12),
4. Besiktas ISTANBUL 8-10 (12-21), 5. Calisia Winiary KALISZ 8-10 (10-21), 6. Crvena Zvezda BEOGRAD 8-9 (6-21)
Match schedule (all times are local)
Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League

Tuesday 18 January 2005

Pool A	18.00	Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG (RUS) - Stal BIELSKO-BIALA (POL)
	20.30	Foppapedretti BERGAMO (ITA) - Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS (ESP)
	20.30	RC CANNES (FRA) - Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR)
Pool B	20.00	TENERIFE Marichal (ESP) - Azerrail BAKU (AZE)

 

Wednesday 19 January 2005

Pool B	15.00	Besiktas ISTANBUL (TUR) - Crvena Zvezda BEOGRAD (SCG)
	18.00	Calisia Winiary KALISZ (POL) - Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA (ITA)

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Enjoy & Be There:
11-13 January 2005:  Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 1/4 final Away matches.
11-13 January 2005: Top Teams Cup Women, 1/4 final Away matches.
18-20 January 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Women 9th leg, Men 10th leg.
20 January 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Men Drawing of Lots, Luxembourg.
25 January 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Women 10th leg.
26 January 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Women Drawing of Lots, Luxembourg.
29 January 2005: Youth European Championships 2005, Drawing of Lots, Riga, Latvia.
08-10 February 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Playoffs Women & Men, Home matches.
15-17 February 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Playoffs Women & Men, Away matches.
01-03 March 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Playoffs Men, Home matches.
08-10 March 2005: Indesit European Champions’ League, Playoffs Men, Home matches.