Salon Vilpas Vikings — CSM Oradea: 98:96, Champions League

Vilkpas Vikings edged CSM Oradea 98-96 in the Champions League on 20 September 2026. The hosts secured the win on their own floor. It was a close affair decided by the final possessions.

And here's the thing, the rebounding battle told the story. The Vikings grabbed 36 boards to Oradea's 31, including ten offensive rebounds. That extra possession count helped them maintain control.

To be fair, the visitors were efficient from the line. They made 26 of 32 free throws, outperforming the hosts who hit 22 from 25. However, the home side generated more field goal attempts overall. They finished with 33 successful shots against 31 for the guests. The extra volume compensated for the disparity at the stripe.

By then, the turnover count had swung heavily. Oradea limited errors to nine, while the hosts surrendered 17. The guests also recorded ten steals to the hosts' two.

Shooting percentages mirrored the attempt volume. The Vikings connected on 33 of 69 field goals and ten of 33 three-pointers. Oradea matched 31 of 71 shots and eight of 27 from beyond the arc.

Recent results point to different trajectories for the sides. The hosts have won their last three outings, beating Bakkens Bears 90-72 and Leviche 90-87. Oradea showed mixed form, winning against Batumi 93-77 but losing to U-BT Cluj-Napoca twice in June. The visitors will need to build on that consistency.

The two-point margin keeps the pressure on both squads. Both teams will look to improve their ball security in the next fixture. A tighter defence could change the outcome of future meetings.