Allianz overwhelms Aalst 3-0, on their return home they can close the practice and lift the cup for the second time
Lindemans Aalst-Allianz Milan 0-3 (18-25, 19-25, 22-25)
Milan books the second Challenge Cup in its history by winning the first leg of the final 3-0 in Aalst. Piazza’s team, led by Kreling’s excellent direction, did not find too much opposition against Lindemans, making the most of their different physical and technical qualities. MVP is Reggers, who scores 23 points, 11 of which in the final half. Allianz will now be able to lift the trophy in front of their home crowd next Wednesday; to do so, he will have to win two sets, or the possible golden set in case of a 1-3 or 0-3 defeat.
the match
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Kreling immediately shows his desire to direct the operations by masterfully distributing the balls among all his attackers. Aalst struggled to put the ball on the ground, finding only a continuous finisher in Rempel (17 at the end). Allianz moves away from 10-all to 18-25. The home attack was a little better in the second set, but it wasn’t enough because the Lombards continued to attack, breaking away immediately (4-9) with Otsuka and Reggers: 19-25 and 0-2. The locals’ ball exchange works, but when Reggers starts to push, Milan escapes: 12-17 with Reggers at 8 in the half. Rempel is the last to give up, and Lindemans gets closer (20-22), and then Kreling plays it safe, with the Belgian opposite keeping the guests at a distance before the attack of the young Benacchio who closes the game 22-25, for a 0-3 that smacks of a mortgage, because Milan, in a season plagued by many injuries, shows that it wants to give itself another important trophy.
