HC Braga in the ″final four″ of the European Roller Hockey Cup

In the quarterfinals, the Portuguese team beat Igualada (Spain), ​​​​​​​thanks to a 6-3 victory.

This Saturday, HC Braga qualified for the “final four” of the European Roller Hockey Cup, beating the Spaniards from Igualada, in Braga, by 6-3, after extra time, in the second leg of the quarterfinals.

Tó Neves’ team took the lead through Vítor Hugo, after three minutes, and after Diogo Seixas missed a penalty to increase the advantage, at 14 minutes, Igualada drew 1-1 by Aleix Marimón, at 15 minutes.

HC Braga broke the tie through Gonçalo Meira (2-1), in the 21st minute, converting a direct free-kick, and increased it through Tomas Korosec (3-1), in the 23rd minute, taking advantage of the temporary exclusion of Bernat Yeste (‘ power play’), leveling the tie after losing the first leg 4-2 in Spain.

Even before the break, Igualada reduced to 3-2 by Gerard Riba, in the 23rd minute, reloading a direct free kick saved by Nelson Filipe, who denied Aleix Marimón the tie, in the 25th minute, authoritatively imposing himself to a punishment maximum.

In just five minutes of the second half, HC Braga increased the advantage to 5-2 with two goals from Vitor Hugo, in the 27th and 30th minutes, the latter from a penalty, and put themselves in advantage in the tie.

Igualada reacted immediately and reduced to 5-3 by Aleix Marimón, in the 31st minute, and after two flagrant opportunities for each of the teams, it was, once again, Nelson Filipe who denied the goal to Gerard Riba, in the 48th minute , and ‘pushing’ the game into extra time.

In the complementary stage of the match, HC Braga increased to 6-3 by Gonçalo Meira, in the 55th minute, sentencing the tie, which ended with the Spanish team installed in Braga’s half and with goalkeeper Nelson Filipe in the spotlight.

HC Braga is present for the third time in the “final four” of the European Cup (formerly the CERS Cup), the second most important competition for clubs, after 2010/11, in which it was eliminated in the semi-finals, and 2011/12, in which lost the final to Bassano, on penalties (2-2, 3-1).