Water Polo World Cup: Settebello beats China 18-5, towards the quarterfinals with Serbia

The group closes with a clear 18-5, poker by Condemi and Di Fulvio, waiting for the Olympic champions awaited by the easy round of 16 against Japan. Campaign: “Nobody scares us”

Franco Carrella

No distractions, even if you already have your pass for the quarterfinals in your pocket. In the last irrelevant match of the preliminary round, in Fukuoka, Settebello also overwhelms China, confirming the good signs that have already emerged in recent days. “We started contracted, perhaps a little tired from the games against France and Canada, then we loosened up and took control. Now we will have three days to recover energy. We certainly aren’t afraid of anyone and we’re here to get to the end” comments coach Sandro Campagna after the 18-5 marked by pokers from Condemi and Di Fulvio. Three wins out of three, therefore. We’ll skip the round of 16 and wait for the winner of Serbia-Japan in the quarterfinals. No doubts: on Tuesday, at 10.30 am Italian time, we will have the Olympic champions who defeated Montenegro today on penalties (17-15) in an exciting match. It is a team undergoing renewal and orphaned by some veterans – from Filipovic to Mandic – but with a thousand resources. It will be very tough.

GROWING

Against the Chinese, coached by the holy man Porobic, once with some uncertainty (2-2) and then the decisive acceleration in the sign of the wriggling Condemi, fresh from his transfer from Ortigia to Pro Recco, also reactive in defense: all the Sicilian’s four goals arrive in the second half, closed on 9-3. Nicosia takes the place of Del Lungo between the posts, the left-handed Damonte (awarded as mvp) and the Martial center forward also shine, the difference gradually increases up to the final 18-5. For the Azzurri, who often strike in counter-run, the beauty of 14 goals in numerical parity. In the grandstand Echenique and Cinnamon. The program will be completed during the day (Serbia closes group D in second place, behind Spain) and we will know all the intersections.

ITALY: Del Lungo, F. Di Fulvio 4, Damonte 2, Marziali 3, A. Fondelli 1, Velotto 1, Renzuto 1, F. Condemi 4, N. Presciutti 1, Bruni, E. Di Somma, Dolce 1, Nicosia. All. Campaign.

CHINA:Wu Honghui, Hu Zhangxin, Chu Chenghao, Peng Jiahao, Zhang Jinpeng, Xie Zakai 1, Chen Zhongxian 2, Chen Rui, Chen Yimin, Liu Yu 1, Zhang Chufeng, Shen Dingsong 1, Liang Zhiwei. Herd Porobic.

REFEREES:Miskovic (Mne) and Moller (Ger).

NOTE: sup. no. Italy 9 (4 goals), China 5 (2).

Group B. Monday 17: Canada-China 13-10, Italy-France 13-6.

Wednesday 19: Italy-Canada 24-6, France-China 17-8.

Friday 21st: Italy-China 6-5pm, France-Canada (1.30pm).

Classification: Italy* 9; France, Canada 3; China* 0. (*one game more)

Sunday 23 round of 16, Tuesday 25 quarterfinals, Thursday 27 semifinals, Saturday 29 finals.

The other groups:USA, Australia, Kazakhstan, Greece (A); Croatia, Hungary, Argentina, Japan (C); South Africa, Serbia, Montenegro, Spain (D).

The formula: the first directly to the quarterfinals, second and third to the round of 16.

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