The first day of this year’s edition of EMF Champions League started with twenty teams taking the fields in Terme Čatež 9 a.m., on Friday morning, to open the three-day tournament. By the end of the day all teams have played two rounds and the best 19 began to take shape.
Last year’s champions, Aramis Mad Dogs, started the tournament with their well-know confidence, and defeated Bulgarian Active Sofia 4:0 during their first match. So did Romanian Golden Boys, who won 4:1 against other Bulgarian team, HP Sofia in the first round.
One of the morning’s most exciting matches was the one between Old Boys Bukuresti and IKZ Graz in Group G, which ended by the Romanian team’s 7:2 win. By noon thirty matches have been played and even the sun came out over the fields of Terme Čatež.
The runner up of EMF Champions League 2016, Juventus Sibiu lived up to the expectations against Valyatsite Sofia with a comfortable 6:0 win. The Irish newcomers proved themselves worthy of being part of the Champions League after both Transylvania FC and WhoYaPlayin’ FC won their first matches. While other newcomer, Estonian Kopli City, drew 2:2 against Caffe Verona.
The second round of the group stage started with two matches from Group A at 1 p.m. After another confident win, Aramis Mad Dogs is now looking forward to face Portugal’s Bonde Sem Freio on Saturday, in the last round of the group stage. After a sweeping 7:1 victory over MNK Črešnjevo, with 6 points on their account FC Boromir Ramnicu Valcea now tops Group F ahead of the final group-stage match on Saturday.
Israeli South Regional Champion, Mexicans gave themselves hope to progress into the round of 32, when they beat Giro CF 3:2, after losing their first group-stage match. Group D’s KCM AD Plovdiv and MNK Biljevec drew 3:3 in the second round, while Ary & Roby secured their first place in the group by defeating the still-pointless JT International 6:1.
Dentim Klinic Katowice of group H has also finished the day in an unbeaten fashion, after winning 2:1 against Laguna Pardubice and 5:1 against L Lourosa FC/ Florgrade. In Group J both Transylvania FC and Restaurace u Pecků Praha have four points after two games and will play against each other on Saturday for the top position.
MAV Glissando played a tough match against Minifudbal klub Napoli Tivat in Group S, but their 3:2 win kept their hopes of progressing to the last 32 alive. While in Group T Juventus Sibiu and FC Nikers both finished the day with 6 points, and will face each other on Saturday for the first place.
On Saturday the third round of the group stage will be played in the morning. The best 19 teams will automatically qualify to the round of 32. The second teams of the groups and the best 7 third-place teams will put into pairs by a draw around 2 p.m. The winners of the pairs will be drawn into pairs again with the best 19 teams of the group stage to form the final schedule for last 32.