Home → Articles → European Champions League

Charleroi are European Club Champions

Defeat SVS Niederösterreich in final

Saturday, April 27, 2002

Royal Villette Europlus Charleroi have been crowned European Club champions after defeating SVS Niederösterreich in the second round of the Liebherr European Champions League final.

Royal Villette Europlus Charleroi - SVS Niederösterreich 3:1

26. 4. 2002, 20.30 - 3000 spectators

Samsonov - Schlager 11:6, 8:11, 11:9, 13:11
Saive - Chen Weixing 11:8, 7:11, 9:11, 8:11
Primorac - Lengerov 11:4, 12:10, 11:4
Samsonov - Chen Weixing 8:11, 11:8, 6:11, 11:9, 11:7

ETTU Press Release:

Unique atmosphere, a crowded hall and matches of high class, much tension and drama and spectators full with happiness! No miracle, this event with its professional organization fulfilled the wishes of the club’s world champion and its fans. Royal Villette Europlus Charleroi gained the title of our elite League for the second time in sequence. The encounter was already decided in the most important first meeting: Vladimir Samsonov was successful in two rarely seen fetch-huntings against Werner Schlager. In the third game, he turned a score of 5:8 against him to his favour, and in the fourth one he was already 1:9 behind, but Vladimir got point for point until the equalization of 10:10. A missed service of the Austrian at the score of eleven both brought him the first advantage and finally the victory and the lead for Charleroi. How important this was, appeared in the next match, which decided the Chinese born Austrian Chen Weixing with brilliant performance against local hero Jean-Michel Saive to his favour. Zoran Primorac then found only little resistance by Kostadin Lengerov, and at 2:1, everyone was waiting for a game won by Samsonov against Chen Weixing. This only game would have meant the better game ratio and therefore the successful defending of the title. However, Chen showed little respect of Europe’s world class-ace and obtained the first game. Samsonov increased himself and found a better attitude to his opponent’s defensive tactic and managed the equalization by games under the roaring jubilation of the audience. Therewith, the title and the goal of the season were reached; the rest remained only more formality. Chen Weixing fought for another 7:5 lead in the fifth game, but was not able to hold the lead, and the match ended as it had begun, with a victory by Vladimir Samsonov.

“This was a day of missed chances“, resigned Lower Austria’s Dr. Johann Friedschröder, “we were so near to the success, but unfortunately Schlager has mistaken the prelude, and therewith everything went wrong. But we can be satisfied with that we reached this year. Nevertheless, if Chen keeps his fantastic form further and Werner improves again a little bit, we hope to make it next year.“

„It was a very heavy match for us, and it is wonderful, that we reached our desired goal, the second title in sequence,” pulls Charlerois president Gilbert Delva joyful balance. Also we think already of next year where and with a new formation we will try to start for the third title. Since Zoran Primorac turns back to his home, Zagreb, it might become more difficult for sure but I think, our chances are intact.“

Click here to see the press release of the first final.

← View all Articles

Charleroi are European Club Champions

Related Articles