Challenger Cup Women: London Otter secure second successive victory and ticket to next phase

London Otter goalkeeper Sophie Schonbach was the hero, saving a penalty with just five seconds remaining against Hapoel Emek Hayarden to preserve her team’s lead and secure their place in the next round of the women’s Challenger Cup. Meanwhile, all four teams in Group A are level on three points, setting up a final day in which every game will be a do-or-die contest.

2025/26 Challenger Cup Women
Qualification Round I
Group Stage, Day 2
Saturday 6 December

Group A
(Strakonice)

SSV Esslingen (GER) 12-7 Nevsehir Belediye SK (TUR)
Asten Johnson Strakonice (CZE) 10-12 Slavia UK Bratislava WP (SVK)

Standings: 1. Esslingen 3pts, 1. Strakonice 3pts, 1. Nevsehir 3pts, 1. Bratislava 3pts

Group B
(Belgrade)

London Otter (GBR) 10-9 Hapoel Emek Hayarden (ISR)

Standings: 1. Otter 6pts, 2. Hapoel 0pts, 2. ZVU Partizan 0pts

Group A

SSV Esslingen (GER) 12-7 Nevsehir Belediye SK (TUR)

SSV Esslingen got off to a strong start against Nevsehir Belediye SK, opening up a 4-1 lead in the first quarter.

When the Germans made it 5-1 midway through the second, they looked firmly in control and should have been further ahead, but Jamie-Julique Haas missed her penalty attempt.

Nevsehir pulled one back before half-time, but Esslingen continued to dominate in the third, scoring twice without reply to move 7-2 ahead.

The five-goal gap remained for the rest of the match, as Esslingen comfortably closed out the game to draw level on points with Nevsehir (and – as it turned out – Asten Johnson Strakonice and Slavia UK Bratislava WP).

Asten Johnson Strakonice (CZE) 10-12 Slavia UK Bratislava WP (SVK)

After drawing the first period 2-2, Slavia UK Bratislava WP produced a powerful 2-6 second quarter, which proved enough to edge past Asten Johnson Strakonice.

Captain Natalia Peckova was the hero, top-scoring with six goals and helping ensure this group will go right down to the wire on the final day.

The Slovakians led 4-8 at half-time, and although they lost the final two quarters 4-3 and 2-1, the Czechs were never able to pull level.

With all four teams locked on three points, both of Day 3’s fixtures will be winner-takes-all contests.

SSV Esslingen face Slavia UK Bratislava WP, while Asten Johnson Strakonice take on Nevsehir Belediye SK.

Group B

London Otter (GBR) 10-9 Hapoel Emek Hayarden (ISR)

London Otter became the first team to book a place in Qualification Round II after winning an entertaining battle with Hapoel Emek Hayarden.

Great Britain captain Kathy Rogers was once again the standout performer for Otter, scoring twice in the first half and four more in the second as she helped steer her side to back-to-back victories in Belgrade.

The Israelis may have been fresher, having not played on Friday, but Otter showed few signs of fatigue as they opened up a 3-2 lead in the first quarter – and it could have been 4-2 had Emma Lawson not seen her penalty saved midway through the period.

In the second quarter, both attacks started misfiring and defences tightened, with Otter’s and Hapoel’s goalkeepers – Sophie Schonbach and Roni Kakuzin – each making several saves as the eight minutes passed without a goal.

After an almost 11-minute drought, it was Rogers who finally broke the deadlock, 58 seconds into the third quarter. This was moments after Lawson missed another penalty and Hapoel’s Gili Borenstein struck the underside of the crossbar.

Rogers’ skill and strength in the centre created the breakthrough, as she turned her marker inside out, hit the post, and showed great composure to bury the rebound.

More goals arrived in quick succession – mainly for Hapoel – as they rattled in the next three to take the lead (4-5) for the first time in the contest with 2:55 left in the quarter.

Rogers struck again from Otter’s next six-on-five to level the scores, but Israel Under-20 star Mika Koren muscled past her defender in the centre to hammer home for 5-6.

Otter’s team talk during the final break worked wonders, as the Londoners roared out of the blocks in the fourth, scoring four without reply to open up a three-goal advantage (9-6).

Hapoel responded with two quick strikes to close the gap to one, but Rogers – given far too much space on the left – fired in her sixth of the night to make it 10-8.

There was still 2:56 on the clock and plenty of drama to come…

Otter missed a six-on-five, and Hapoel’s Daria Vaizberg punished a loose pass to cut the deficit to 10-9 with 45 seconds remaining.

In the dying moments, Hapoel pushed everyone forward and earned a penalty with just 0:05 left to play.

Borenstein swam up to take it, but Otter goalkeeper Sophie Schonbach was the hero, deflecting the bounce shot onto the crossbar to seal the victory.

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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