ISTANBUL - The two big favorites for the Europa Cup have presented themselves today (Saturday) to the audience.. The arena in Istanbul did not fill up for it (400 seats), because these matches are viewed as preliminaries only. Bahcelievler and Dallinga/AEJ are on course. The Dutch / Belgian foursome, a dream team this season in both their countries, are the main challenger for title holders and twice champions Bahcelievler. They started of with a win over Andernos from France: 6-2. Eddy Merckx was the odd one out, with a loss to Jérôme Barbeillon by a single point.
As coincidence would have it, both fourth board players were the best in round one: Adnan Yüksel won for Bahcelievler in fourteen innings (2.857 average), Jean Paul de Bruijn for Dallinga used sixteen (2.500).
It illustrates the collective strength of these two teams, who will most likely have to face FC Porto and Andernos in the cross-finals (Bahcelievler-Andernos, Dallinga-FC Porto). The Italians of All Games and the Danes of BK Gröndal are not expected to produce spectacular upsets in the last group matches.
Dallinga scored a team average of 1.987 against Andernos, Bahcelievler had produced 2.133 earlier in the day. That does not say a lot about the potential, because Merckx wasted six innings on his last point against Barbeillon. ,,It was not even deliberate defense, I just got impossible positions in the end'', said the two time world champion after the match he lost 39-40 in 26.
Jean Paul de Bruijn had amazed himself by being the quickest of the four Dallinga players, making his 40 points in an hour, helped by two runs of nine and one of seven. ,,I think that's first'', he said later in front of the Kozoom camera. ,,To beat Caudron in time is a miracle in itself.'' He had just beaten seasoned balkline player Francis Connesson, who could not get a grip on the opponent he had battled before in different disciplines. De Bruijn won the match 40-21 in 16.
Frédéric Caudron had his trademark quick opening against Filippos Kasidokostas (21-3), saw the Greek come back a bit but won 40-28 in 18. Dick Jaspers came across a desperately weak Roland Forthomme, making the match a one-way street. Forthomme, without focus, did not even get halfway: 40-14 in 20.
The last group matches are:
15.00: Bahcelievler-BK Gröndal
18.30: Dallinga/AEJ-All Games Alcamo.