Lille sweep into commanding position while Pontoise Cergy edge win

Lille Metropole TT put itself in a strong spot in the ETTU European Cup Round of 16 first-leg on January 15, 2026, delivering a clinical 3–0 home victory over SKST Havirov. Romain Brard opened the tie with a 3–1 win before Amir Hossein Hodaei and Tom Closset closed out the clean sweep with 3–0 victories, leaving Lille with full momentum and an enviable cushion for the return meeting.

The straight-forward scoreline masks the practical advantage Lille now holds. A 3–0 first-leg win at home reduces pressure on lineup choices for the away leg and gives the coaching staff room to rest a player or to tweak tactics without surrendering control of the tie. For club supporters, it means travel to the second leg comes with optimism rather than must-win anxiety.

By contrast, AS Pontoise Cergy TT survived a far tighter encounter at home, edging SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt 3–2 in a match that went the distance. The tie was decided in the fifth rubber when Flavio Mourier clinched the decisive point, preserving a narrow advantage that keeps the overall matchup very much alive ahead of the return leg. That slender margin underscores how quickly momentum can swing in knockout-format team play.

These two outcomes illustrate two contrasting paths through a European Cup knockout round. Lille’s clean sweep offers a buffer that can be managed strategically; Pontoise Cergy’s win demands urgency and focus in the second meeting, since a single away victory by Wiener Neustadt would flip the tie. Teams that lost at home now face pressure to secure away wins or to rely on strong home performances in the second leg.

Community relevance is immediate. Club captains and roster managers will be weighing selection and order carefully this week, and local fans have cause to plan travel or to rally behind home return fixtures. Coaches will be studying match footage for serve-return patterns and shot selection that decided key rubbers, especially in tight ties like Pontoise Cergy’s.

What comes next is straightforward: return legs will determine which clubs advance to the quarterfinals, and both Lille and Pontoise Cergy have very different tasks. Lille can approach the return leg with controlled aggression, protecting its lead; Pontoise Cergy needs to defend a one-game cushion and guard against swings in momentum. Expect tactical adjustments, contested serves, and high-stakes matchpoints when these ties conclude.