As Asterix Avo Beveren take on FC Porto in the Champions League and Brabo Antwerp face Sliedrecht Sport in the Challenge Cup, Darta Bevo Roeselare are also fighting to extend their European campaign. Beaten by E.S. Charleroi Volley in the first leg of their Challenge Cup tie, Roeselare must win Thursday’s return match. A win by any scoreline would force a golden set to decide who goes through.

For Bram Van den Hove’s side, a meeting with Israeli champions Maccabi Ashdod or Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon, whose squad includes former Tchalou player Kunikova, could be next. “We really want to get through so we can finally face a team from another country,” says Bevo’s Laure Flament.

“Playing against another Belgian side had nothing to do with why we lost the first leg,” says the 28-year-old from Wevelgem. “We started well, but then we each made a mistake in turn. That’s part of the learning process. We only have ourselves to blame for the defeat. It wasn’t like the Super Cup, when we all had an off day. This time, it was more about learning to handle the pressure. We have a young squad, with six players aged 19 or 20. They’re all full of talent. Now it’s up to us to respond on Thursday and put what we learned last week into practice.”

Roeselare showed they had plenty of confidence at the weekend, bouncing back with a Belgian Cup win over Tchalou. The first team will face Waregem in the quarter-finals on 6 December. It may be St Nicholas’ Day, but Roeselare have no plans to hand out gifts to their West Flemish neighbours. Bevo’s B team also reached the last eight after beating Limal Ottignies. They now face favourites Asterix Avo Beveren, a remarkable achievement for a club with two women’s teams in the Belgian Cup quarter-finals.

Reaching the Belgian Cup final and the play-off finals remains the club’s main ambition. “But playing in Europe is a great way for this group to learn,” says Flament. “First, let’s get past Charleroi on Thursday.”

Words by Walter Vereeck
Photo by Rudy Pollé