Great day for Greece in Cluj Napoca

2018 STAG European Youth Championships

As we progress to the closing stages of the 2018 STAG European Youth Championships in Cluj Napoca the the performance of Romania’s team is getting more powerful. In the Round of 16 of the Junior Boys Teams Event they overcame Spain in four matches. Next in line, in the duel for the medal rostrum will be Belgium. At the lower half of the draw France overcame Czech Republic.

Cristian PLETEA accounted for Alberto LILLO and Francisco RUIZ, whilst Rares SIPOS overcame RUIZ as well. Marc GUTIERREZ was the only to score for Spain.

“The match with Spain was though because now the pressure is very high. However, we have been in this stage of the competition so many times before and we know how to deal with such situations. Experience makes a big difference. We fell very well and we are more confident than yesterday that we will play at the maximum level. The chances to get to the finals are very high as we are the first favorites. We’ve lost before many semifinals and finals but I hope this time is going to be much better. We are also playing at home; the spectators are also with us so I’d say we have the best chance to win it,” said Cristian PLETEA.

SIPOS is delighted with the opportunity to play at home soil.

“This is my town, I was born here and it is so wonderful to have a chance to play in this Arena,” said SIPOS.

Belgium overcame Hungary. Laurens DEVOS overcame both Patrik JUHASZ and Csaba ANDRAS, whilst Olav KOSOLOSKY prevailed against ANDRAS. Italy proved too strong for Denmark and they will meet Russia. Russia’s Vladimir SIDORENKO, Maksim GREBNEV and Lev KATSMAN beat Switzerland in three matches.

Team of Greece with European champions Ioannis SGOUROPOULOS had to go through play off, but they survived to reach the quarterfinal. They did it in big style, by eliminated Sweden with Martin FRIIS and Truls MOREGARD. MOREGARD won both his matches, but FRIIS lost against SGOUROPOULOS and Ioannis DAMIANIS.

“It was a very good match, it was my first win and the whole team did very well too. We are very excited in a way we want to continue like this and we feel confident for the match tomorrow – we hope to win against Germany,” said Michail DIAMANTOPOULOS who overcame Jonatan MCDONALD.

Germany prevailed against Slovakia 3:0.

“This match was good, we won 3-0, easier than what we thought. In the beginning MENG FANBO played very good, he won easy with 3-0. I also played good and also prevailed in three games but each was very close – at 9 and 10,” said Kay STUMPER

France will meet Azerbaijan after French team prevailed against Czech Republic. Azerbaijan beat Poland.

ΠΗΓΗ:ETTU