Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) v Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 9-21
The Greeks learned from their own mistakes committed here last season – they were defeated which was still stunning though by then they had lost the chance to make the F8 –, and perhaps were also aware that Barceloneta had made a sluggish start two weeks ago and had to dig deep to push the game onto its desired path.
After an early exchange of goals, Olympiacos hit four in a row, the first three from action and later closed out the first period with a great one-timer by Konstantinos Genidounias for a 2-6 lead. They were rolling on in the second, with three more in 2:10 minutes they jumped to a 2-9 lead so after just 12 minutes they settled the bill. One goal apiece inside the last minute before the middle break made it 3-10 at halftime, but more came in the third.
The Greeks were really flying high, scored eight goals in this period. Dinamo fell apiece, in the last two minutes Olympiacos had four connecting counter-attacking goals. The visitors laid back a bit in the fourth, the game was more balanced as three goals came at both ends. The Greeks finished with 21, one better than last season, when they beat Dinamo 20-9 at home (and two shy of Recco’s last season single game scoring record of 23 goals).
Ioannis Fountoulis was the top scorer of the afternoon with 7 hits, it was a bit strange though that Serbian great Filip Filipovic produced 0/5 while his team staged such a scoring feast in the pool.
