Priego’s team has made good of the victory recorded 10 days ago at the Technique Center by 3-1, since this Sunday they lost 3-2 in departmental territory against an opponent who was running as a great favorite based on their enviable record of achievements. . Like it shows, UCAM had been proclaimed champion of this continental competition on four occasions.

As for the match, the particular card game of the previous pairings was going to be important. If in the first leg it was surprising to see Galonja as a “three”, a strategy that the Francisco Morales Almendra Museum has repeated, in the second leg UCAM responded with Ye, its best asset, lined up in that intermediate match. Therefore, a good part of the match was going to rely on that confrontation to define the fate of the tie.

An unequal duel

While that moment arrived, the first point brought about an apparently unequal duel between Santos and Xiao. The Portuguese was very close in the first two rounds, although the Spanish international from UCAM was always ahead. In the third game, Santos was not so successful and Xiao soon resolved.

Zhang, spurred on by her partner’s performance, began by cornering Jiaqi Meng. The Chinese from the Almond Museum Francisco Morales was surpassed by her opponent in the first round. However, he was able to turn the tide of the point starting in the second game. He knew how to dry up Zhang’s offensive flow and collected three partial victories enough to make the score 1-1. Therefore, the Francisco Morales Almond Museum was presented with three options to qualify for the next round.

The first of them corresponded to the expected duel between Ye and Galonja. The first set had alternatives and even two balls to be awarded to the Prieguense from Serbia. However, Ye resisted and ended up winning. That outcome took its toll on Galonja, who had no ability to respond in the second game and had a hard time entering the third. All in all, he put Ye in trouble by raising up to four match points. In the fifth, the UCAM player made it 2-1 on aggregate.

The decisive encounters

The next opportunity was Meng’s shovel, who faced Xiao. Meng started strong, taking the first round and giving the impression that the point could go on the fast track. But UCAM has a winning character and Xiao brought it out in the next game. The Spanish international scrambled and hit Meng back. The tie entered a tense moment, but the player from the Almendra Museum Francisco Morales reacted with vigor. He made it 2-1 and the fourth set began well. Xiao tried to rebel, but fate had a Priegu accent this time. A cross hit was synonymous with glory. With that 3-1, Meng made it 2-2 and the tie already had a winner.

The file had to be closed with the match between Zhang and Santos, who is still doing a master’s degree in highly competitive sports. And the Portuguese, relieved of pressure, also showed her best game. She went on to win a set, but Zhang took the match. In the end, 3-2 for UCAM, but insufficient considering the 3-1 in the first leg at the Technical Center.

The next rival

The Almond Museum Priegowill now focus on the next round, which will take place against Constanta of Romania, which has surpassed Quevilly in this phase. On the other side of the four, Mirandela from Portugal will face Budaors from Hungary. The dream continues for the Francisco Morales Almond Museum, which has written a golden page in sports in Córdoba, because no one came this far.