2022–23 LEN Challenger Cup

The 2022–23 LEN Challenger Cup was the inaugural edition of a water polo competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). It acts as the third tier, below the LEN Champions League and the LEN Euro Cup. GS Apollon Smyrnis of Greece became the first champions, defeating CN Terrassa of Spain in the final.[1][2]

2022–23 LEN Challenger Cup
LeagueLEN Challenger Cup
SportWater Polo
Duration11 November 2022 – 29 April 2023
Number of games35
Number of teams15 (from 11 countries)
Finals championsGreece GS Apollon Smyrnis (1st title)
  Runners-upSpain CN Terrassa
LEN Challenger Cup seasons

Creation edit

In June 2022, LEN announced the introduction of the LEN Challenger Cup. This tournament was designed to help developing countries and club grow and play more European club games.[3][4]

Format edit

Fifteen teams, who had been eliminated from the Champions League and Euro Cup, were divided into three groups of four and one group of three. The groups were held in one country. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams advanced to the Knockout Stage. In the Knockout Stage, the ties were played in a home and away format.

Composition of teams edit

(CL: Eliminated in Champions League; EC: Eliminated in Euro Cup).

Participating teams
  VK Banja Luka (CL)   VK Invictum Sarajevo (CL)   SK KVIK Kastrup (CL)   SV Ludwigsburg 08 (EC)
  GS Apollon Smyrnis (EC)   NC Ydraikos (EC)   ASA Tel Aviv (CL)   ZPC Het Ravijn (CL)
  KVP Nováky (CL)   SKP Kosice (EC)   Triglav Kranj (EC)   CN Terrassa (EC)
  Tenerife Echeyde (EC)   Enka Istanbul (CL)   Galatasaray (CL)

Schedule edit

Rounds and dates edit

Phase Round Round date
Group Stage Group Stage 11–13 November 2022
Quarter-Finals First Leg 24–25 January 2023
Second Leg 8–18 February 2023
Semi-Finals First leg 1 March 2023
Second leg 22 March 2023
Final First Leg 19 April 2023
Second Leg 29 April 2023

Draw edit

The draw took place on the 26th of October.[5]

Group Stage edit

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification   TEN   GAL   YDR   NOV
1   Tenerife Echeyde 3 3 0 0 40 30 +10 9 Knockout Stage 15–11
2   Galatasaray 3 2 0 1 42 30 +12 6
3   NC Ydraikos 3 1 0 2 44 49 −5 3 11–14 15–18
4   KVP Nováky (H) 3 0 0 3 33 44 −11 0 9–12 6–13 18–19
Source: LEN
(H) Hosts
11 November 2022
17:00
[1] NC Ydraikos   11–14   Tenerife Echeyde Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Ralf Mueller (GER), Ghislain Dehon (FRA)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 3–4, 2–3, 2–2
Suzuki 3 Goals Magana 4
11 November 2022
18:30
[2] KVP Nováky   6–13   Galatasaray Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Lukasz Krol (POL), Blaz Radonjic (SLO)
Score by quarters: 0–1, 1–3, 2–4, 3–5
Tasaj 2 Goals Destici 5

12 November 2022
17:00
[3] NC Ydraikos   15–18   Galatasaray Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Ralf Mueller (GER), Lukasz Krol (POL)
Score by quarters: 4–4, 3–3, 3–8, 5–3
Rompopoulos 7 Goals Senemoglu 5
12 November 2022
18:30
[4] KVP Nováky   9–12   Tenerife Echeyde Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Ghislain Dehon (FRA), Blaz Radonjic (SLO)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 2–1, 3–5, 1–3
Bielik 3 Goals Lifante 4

13 November 2022
09:30
[5] Tenerife Echeyde   15–11   Galatasaray Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Ralf Mueller (GER), Blaz Radonjic (SLO)
Score by quarters: 2–3, 5–3, 6–3, 2–2
Lifante, Lopez 4 Goals Destici 4
13 November 2022
11:00
[6] KVP Nováky   18–19   NC Ydraikos Novaky, Slovakia
Referees:
Lukasz Krol (POL), Ghislain Dehon (FRA)
Score by quarters: 4–5, 3–5, 7–5, 4–4
Zatovic 5 Goals Rompopoulos 7

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification   TER   HET   ASA
1   CN Terrassa (H) 2 2 0 0 28 17 +11 6 Knockout Stage 16–13 12–4
2   ZPC Het Ravijn 2 1 0 1 26 20 +6 3
3   ASA Tel Aviv 2 0 0 2 8 26 −18 0 4–14
Source: LEN
(H) Hosts
12 November 2022
10:00
[7] CN Terrassa   12–4   ASA Tel Aviv Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Karel Dvoracek (CZE), Alexandros Chatzigoulas (GRE)
Score by quarters: 2–0, 4–1, 4–2, 2–1
Baches 4 Goals four players 1

12 November 2022
18:00
[8] CN Terrassa   16–13   ZPC Het Ravijn Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Robert Prelovsky (SVK), Karel Dvoracek (CZE)
Score by quarters: 6–3, 3–3, 4–3, 3–4
Baches 5 Goals Gottmaker 3

13 November 2022
10:30
[9] ASA Tel Aviv   4–14   ZPC Het Ravijn Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Robert Prelovsky (SVK), Alexandros Chatzigoulas (GRE)
Score by quarters: 1–6, 1–4, 1–2, 1–2
Schlein 2 Goals Wouters 5

Group C edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification   ESK   KOS   SAR   BAN
1   Enka Istanbul 3 3 0 0 74 22 +52 9 Knockout Stage 22–10 19–6 33–6
2   SKP Kosice 3 2 0 1 59 36 +23 6 21–6 28–8
3   VK Invictum Sarajevo (H) 3 1 0 2 29 52 −23 3 17–12
4   VK Banja Luka 3 0 0 3 26 78 −52 0
Source: LEN
(H) Hosts
11 November 2022
19:00
[10] VK Invictum Sarajevo   17–12   VK Banja Luka Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Oriol Jaumandreu (ESP), Tomas Kaseta (LTU)
Score by quarters: 7–5, 3–2, 4–3, 3–2
Hadzic 7 Goals Djugum, Cosic 3
11 November 2022
21:00
[11] Enka Istanbul   22–10   SKP Kosice Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Martin Sand Kristensen (DEN), Maxim Gerasimov (GBR)
Score by quarters: 6–2, 6–5, 6–2, 4–1
Baskaya, Obradovic 4 Goals Motyl 4

12 November 2022
18:00
[12] VK Invictum Sarajevo   6–19   Enka Istanbul Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Maxim Gerasimov (GBR), Tomas Kaseta (LTU)
Score by quarters: 1–7, 0–3, 2–5, 3–4
Hadzic 2 Goals Alkan, Kaner 4
12 November 2022
20:00
[13] SKP Kosice   28–8   VK Banja Luka Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Oriol Jaumandreu (ESP), Martin Sand Kristensen (DEN)
Score by quarters: 7–1, 4–3, 7–1, 10–0
Orem 6 Goals Ganic 3

13 November 2022
09:00
[14] Enka Istanbul   33–6   VK Banja Luka Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Martin Sand Kristensen (DEN), Tomas Kaseta (LTU)
Score by quarters: 9–1, 4–1, 11–2, 9–2
Albayrak, Duzenli 7 Goals Kojcinovic, Vujkovic 2
13 November 2022
11:00
[15] VK Invictum Sarajevo   6–21   SKP Kosice Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Referees:
Oriol Jaumandreu (ESP), Maxim Gerasimov (GBR)
Score by quarters: 4–5, 2–7, 0–5, 0–4
Hadzic 2 Goals Dily, Orem 4


Group D edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification   APO   LUD   KRA   KAS
1   GS Apollon Smyrnis 3 3 0 0 68 20 +48 9 Knockout Stage 11–10 37–4
2   SV Ludwigsburg 08 3 2 0 1 41 28 +13 6
3   Triglav Kranj (H) 3 1 0 2 30 42 −12 3 6–20 11–13 13–9
4   SK KVIK Kastrup 3 0 0 3 19 68 −49 0 6–18
Source: LEN
(H) Hosts
11 November 2022
18:30
[16] GS Apollon Smyrnis   11–10   SV Ludwigsburg 08 Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Robert Horvath (SVK), Eurico Silva (POR)
Score by quarters: 5–2, 2–2, 2–5, 2–1
Hernandez 4 Goals four players 2
11 November 2022
20:15
[17] Triglav Kranj   13–9   SK KVIK Kastrup Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Alper Ozerengin (TUR), Sander Ransjean (NED)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 3–4, 3–3, 4–1
Troppan 5 Goals Koska 5

12 November 2022
18:00
[18] GS Apollon Smyrnis   37–4   SK KVIK Kastrup Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Eurico Silva (POR), Sander Ransjean (NED)
Score by quarters: 8–1, 11–2, 9–2, 9–0
Myrilos 9 Goals Koska 2
12 November 2022
20:15
[19] Triglav Kranj   11–13   SV Ludwigsburg 08 Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Alper Ozerengin (TUR), Robert Horvath (SVK)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 0–5, 4–1, 4–5
Justin 4 Goals Hernandez 4

13 November 2022
10:00
[20] SK KVIK Kastrup   6–18   SV Ludwigsburg 08 Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Eurico Silva (POR), Alper Ozerengin (TUR)
Score by quarters: 1–5, 2–2, 2–4, 2–7
Lange 4 Goals Andelic, Dzaja 3
13 November 2022
11:45
[21] Triglav Kranj   6–20   GS Apollon Smyrnis Kranj, Slovenia
Referees:
Robert Horvath (SVK), Sander Ransjean (NED)
Score by quarters: 5–4, 1–5, 0–5, 0–6
Justin, Lah 2 Goals Bogdanovic, Goniotakis Korderas 4

Knockout Stage edit

The draw for the Knockout Stage was made on the 20 November 2022.[6]

Bracket edit

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
  Tenerife Echeyde 22 13 35
  SKP Kosice 8 8 16
  Tenerife Echeyde 11 8 19
  GS Apollon Smyrnis 10 18 28
  GS Apollon Smyrnis 9 16 25
  Galatasaray 5 8 13
  GS Apollon Smyrnis 12 18 30
  CN Terrassa 11 14 25
  CN Terrassa 16 15 31
  Ludwigsburg 08 7 12 19
  CN Terrassa 15 12 27
  Enka Istanbul 12 8 20
  Enka Istanbul 14 15 29
  ZPC Het Ravijn 8 16 24


Quarter-Finals edit

25 January 2023
20:15
[22] Tenerife Echeyde   22–8   SKP Kosice Tenerife, Spain
Referees:
Erkan Turkkan (TUR), Philip Uhlig (GER)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 8–1, 3–2, 7–4
Lifante 7 Goals three players 2
8 February 2023
20:00
[23] SKP Kosice   8–13   Tenerife Echeyde Kosice, Slovakia
Referees:
Spyridon Achladiotis (GRE), Tomi Kavcic (SLO)
Score by quarters: 0–2, 3–3, 2–5, 4–3
Haluska, Muzhychuk 3 Goals Lopez 5

Tenerife Echeyde won 35–16 on aggregate


25 January 2023
20:00
[24] GS Apollon Smyrnis   9–5   Galatasaray Athens, Greece
Referees:
Sander Ransjean (NED), Vuk Milovic (SRB)
Score by quarters: 3–0, 2–1, 3–4, 1–0
Gardikas 3 Goals Colak, Destici 2
18 February 2023
20:15
[25] Galatasaray   8–16   GS Apollon Smyrnis Istanbul, Turkey
Referees:
Mihai George Balanescu (ROU), Boris Obradovic (MNE)
Score by quarters: 1–4, 2–2, 1–5, 4–5
Acar 3 Goals Bogdanovic 4

GS Apollon Smyrnis won 25–13 on aggregate


24 January 2023
19:30
[26] SV Ludwigsburg 08   7–16   CN Terrassa Ludwigsburg, Germany
Score by quarters: 2–4, 2–3, 1–4, 2–5
Bauer 3 Goals Alarcon Tevar 4
8 February 2023
20:00
[27] CN Terrassa   15–12   SV Ludwigsburg 08 Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Haldun Toygarli (TUR), Rajmund Fodor (HUN)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 4–3, 6–3, 2–3
Baches, Martinez 4 Goals Blazevic, Hernandez 3

CN Terrassa won 31–19 on aggregate


25 January 2023
18:30
[28] Enka Istanbul   14–8   ZPC Het Ravijn Istanbul, Turkey
Referees:
Julien Bourges (FRA), Levan Berishvili (GEO)
Score by quarters: 3–0, 4–4, 2–2, 5–2
Obradovic 6 Goals Muller, Wouters 3
8 February 2023
18:00
[29] ZPC Het Ravijn   16–15   Enka Istanbul Het Ravijn, Netherlands
Referees:
Luca Castagnola (ITA), Alex Marquez (ESP)
Score by quarters: 5–3, 3–4, 3–3, 5–5
Loos 6 Goals Obradovic 5

Enka Istanbul won 29–24 on aggregate

Semi-Finals edit

1 March 2023
20:15
[30] Tenerife Echeyde   11–10   GS Apollon Smyrnis Tenerife, Spain
Referees:
Daniele Bianco (ITA), Hajmund Fodor (HUN)
Score by quarters: 1–3, 3–1, 4–3, 3–3
Lifante, Lopez 4 Goals Gardikas 5
22 March 2023
20:00
[31] GS Apollon Smyrnis   18–8   Tenerife Echeyde Athens, Greece
Referees:
Peter de Jong (NED), Veselin Miskovic (MNE)
Score by quarters: 6–1, 3–3, 5–2, 4–2
Bogdanovic, Gardikas 4 Goals Magana 3

GS Apollon Smyrnis won 28–19 on aggregate


1 March 2023
20:00
[32] CN Terrassa   15–12   Enka Istanbul Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Andreja Stanojevic (SRB), Gernot Haentschel (GER)
Score by quarters: 5–1, 4–6, 2–3, 4–2
Fernandez 5 Goals Ozbek 3
22 March 2023
18:30
[33] Enka Istanbul   8–10   CN Terrassa Istanbul, Turkey
Referees:
Gabor Vogel (HUN), Julien Bourges (FRA)
Score by quarters: 2–3, 2–2, 3–3, 1–2
Obradovic, Ozbek 3 Goals Fernandez 5

CN Terrassa won 25–20 on aggregate

Final edit

19 April 2023
19:45
[34] GS Apollon Smyrnis   12–11   CN Terrassa Athens, Greece
Referees:
Tamas Kovacs-Csatlos (HUN), Julien Bourges (FRA)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 3–4, 4–2, 2–3
Bogdanovic, Gardikas 4 Goals Fernandez, Tevar 3
29 April 2023
18:00
[35] CN Terrassa   14–18   GS Apollon Smyrnis Terrassa, Spain
Referees:
Raffaele Colombo (ITA), Andreja Stanojevic (SRB)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 4–4, 4–7, 3–3
Baches 4 Goals Vickovic 5

GS Apollon Smyrnis won 30–25 on aggregate


2022–23 LEN Challenger Cup
Champions
 
GS Apollon Smyrnis
1st title

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Boado, Carlitos. "Apollon stun Terrassa, claim historical trophy".
  2. ^ "LEN Challenger Cup Season 2022-2023". len-ws.microplustimingservices.com.
  3. ^ Curcic, Ivan (June 16, 2022). "New system of LEN competition for clubs; first Challenger Cup starts in season 2022/23".
  4. ^ Curcic, Ivan (July 18, 2022). "LEN Challenger Cup - opportunity for everyone".
  5. ^ "Teams Ready To Rock In LEN's New Challenger Cup Competition". SwimSwam. October 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Curcic, Ivan (November 20, 2022). "LEN Challenger Cup, quarterfinals draw: Greek-Turkish derby - Total Waterpolo".

External links edit