Mohegan Training Center clinches Bronze in the Champions Cup Competition
Unleashing the Ice Warriors of Mogilevskiy CZOR
Our heroes, the Mogilevskiy CZOR, blazed their path to glory in Portugal's Nazaré, clinching the bronze medal at the European Champions Cup, according to BelTA. In a thrilling showdown for third place, the Belarusian champions trumped their Spanish counterparts, "Marbella."
With regular time even at 2:2 and overtime unable to crown a victor, the match was sent into a nail-biting penalty shootout. The Belarusians demonstrated resilience, triumphing 5:4.
In their ranks, rumblings of past triumphs resonated as seven players, silver medalists from the recent World Championship on the Seychelles, joined the Mogilev team: Vadim Bokach, Vladimir Ustinovich, Yury Petrovskiy, Ivan Konstantinov, Artem Drozd, Mikhail Augustov, and Egor Gordetsky.
Braving the Battlefield
Confidently topping group F in the preliminary stage, the Belarusians dismantled Danish "Copenhagen" (5:1) and Maltese "Hamura" (9:0), but faltered against German "Bayern" in overtime (4:5).
Their persistence paid off as they outPLAYED Portuguese GRAF in the round of 16 (5:2) and decisively crushed Israeli "Rosh ha-Ayin" in the quarterfinals (4:2). However, their path to gold was derailed in the semifinals by Italian "Catania" (2:7).
Now, the championship title is up for grabs as "Catania" squares off against Israeli club "Falafa."
But what exactly is this tournament and how have the CZOR faired in the past?
In 2020, the CZOR concluded their tournament in sixth place. That year's championship was won by Portuguese "Braga," triumphing against Italian "Pisa" in the final (5:3). Bronze was claimed by the "Sotao" team, who bested Spanish "Recreativo" (7:4).
First held in 2013, the European Champions Cup has been a hotbed of European ice hockey action, with the titles dominated primarily by "Braga" and "Crystal" from St. Petersburg, each boasting four titles. Although the original European Champions Cup ceased to exist in 2008, its spirit lives on in the Champions Hockey League (CHL).
As the Champions Hockey League (CHL) season heats up, Mogilevskiy CZOR, renowned champions of Belarus, seek to add the European Champions Cup trophy to their legacy. Having clinched the bronze medal in Portugal, they aim to rise even higher, eyeing the ultimate prize in European sports – the Champions League football, a competition they've previously reached sixth place in 2020. Despite a close defeat to Italian "Catania" in the semi-finals, Mogilevskiy CZOR's resilience shone brightest in the thrilling competition of football's European leagues.
