Water polo, Champions: Pro Recco in the semifinals, Brescia disappointment

The race of Pro Recco continues, that of Brescia stops surprisingly. In Belgrade, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the dream of an Italian derby vanishes: while the champions double Ferencvaros (8-4), Bovo’s team is put down by Vouliagmeni (11-10) who looked like the team less equipped than the Final Eight. It will be a special challenge against the ex Vujasinovic, who was first a flag in the water for the Ligurians and then a coach.

BITTERNESS

—

In front of Vouliagmeni, the bad copy of Brescia admired in this European season takes the field. The leaders of group B get ensnared by the patient game of the Greeks, who reached fourth place in group A. Contradicting all predictions, Vujasinovic’s boys unleash a capital performance: they only go down at the start (Alesiani’s 1-0 in counter-flight), show fast maneuvers, are never afraid in one-on-one. Dolce in just 4 minutes is conditioned by two serious fouls, the left-handed Kharkov and Vapenski are unable to make an impact, the rivals are up by 3 (8-5) at the end of the second half, when the pouring rain forces the referees to a long Suspension. A reaction arrives, but the Brescians don’t go beyond -1, even if in the last minute they find themselves the opportunity to equalize, wasted in vain when Kapotsis steals the ball from Renzuto: it closes on 11-10 and it is a sad withdrawal from the activity for forty-year-old Christian Presciutti, who will now pursue a coaching career with federal assignments.

APPLAUSE

—

Afterwards, Pro Recco leverages again on the sumptuous defense – as happened in the victorious championship final with Brescia – and folds Ferencvaros by neutralizing well the blue Damonte, one of the most feared on the eve. The decisive extension in the second half, with a 2-0 that is worth 5-2 and allows the match to be definitively downhill. Del Lungo shines between the posts. Tomorrow, therefore, under with Vouliagmeni (live on Sky Sport Arena at 20): in the preliminary round there was no story with two overflowing matches from Recco, 14-7 and 7-13.

THE OTHERS

—

In the other quarters, hard-fought successes: Barceloneta beat Jug 11-9 (hat-tricks by Pavillard and Biel for the Spaniards, by Zuvela for the Croatians) and Novi Beograd, the hosts, beat Olympiacos 13-11 with the unleashed Granados author of five goals (three by Vamos, Filipovic and Papanastasiou for the Greeks). It will be an electrifying semi-final.

VOULIAGMENI-BRESCIA 11-10

VOULIAGMENI: Tzortzatos, Chalyvopoulos, Almyras, Kalogeropoulos 3 (2 pens), Troulos 4 (1 pen), Nikolaidis 1, Papasifakis 1, Woodhead, Alafragkis, Kapotsis, Kourouvanis 1, Farmer 1, Andreadis. All. Vujasinovic. BRESCIA: Tesanovic, Dolce, C. Presciutti, T. Gianazza 1, D. Lazic, Vapenski 1, Renzuto 3, Kharkov, Alesiani 2, S. Luongo 2, E. Di Somma 1 rig., N. Gitto, Baggi Necchi. All. Bovo. REFEREES: Alexandrescu (Rom) and Ohme (Ger). NOTE: sup. no. Vouliagmeni 8 (5 goals), Brescia 13 (7). Out. 3 f. Woodhead on 27′, Kourouvanis on 28′.

PRO RECCO-FERENCVAROS 8-4

PRO RECCO: Del Lungo, F. Di Fulvio, Zalanki 2, Cinnamon, Younger 2, A.Fondelli 1, N. Presciutti 1, Echenique, A. Ivovic, Velotto, Loncar, Hallock 1, Negri. All. S. Sukno.FERENCVAROS: Vogel, E. Molnar, Pohl, Merkulov 2, Argyropoulos, A. Nagy, Fekete 1, Vigvari 1, Nemet, De. Varga, S. Jansik, Damonte, Szakonyi. All. Z. Varga. REFEREES: Putnikovic (Srb) and Gomez (Spa). NOTE: sup. no. Pro Recco 9 (4 goals), Ferencvaros 11 (2). Out. 3 f. Velotto at 20′.

Wednesday 31 quarters: Barceloneta (Spa)-Jug (Cro) 11-9, Novi Beograd (Srb)-Olympiacos (Gre) 13-11, Vouliagmeni (Gre)-Brescia 11-10, Pro Recco-Ferencvaros (Ung) 8-4.

Thursday 1 semifinals:Novi Beograd-Barceloneta (17), Pro Recco-Vouliagmeni (20).

Saturday 3 finals: at 7pm (3rd place) and at 9pm (1st place).