Favorites recorded wins on Day 2 of the Four Nations Cup in Cuneo.
Host Italy defeated the Team USA 10:8 in a very exciting game, while Hungary beat Greece convincingly 10:5.
Hungary and Italy have collected 6 points each so far. Tomorrow, these teams will face each other in the match which will decide the winner of the tournament.
Four Nations Cup, Cuneo
Day 2
USA – Italy 8:10 (5:4, 0:2, 1:3, 2:1)
USA: Cupido 2, Hooper 1, Stevenson 1, Hallock 1, Daube 1, Bowen 1, Ehrhardt 1.
Italy: Di Fulvio 3, Luongo 3, Di Somma 1, Fondelli 1, Velotto 1, Renzuto Iodice .1.
From the first whistle, the two sides fought a hard battle. In the middle of the first quarter, Italy led 4:3, but the Americans converted two man-ups in the last few minutes of this period and earned a 5:4 advantage before the first break. Italy’s Di Somma opened the second period with a goal for 5:5.
A key moment happened 65 seconds before the middle break. The American Johnny Hooper was red-carded for a brutality foul (he punched Velotto in the middle of the field). The Italians earned a penalty, which Luongo converted to a 6:5 lead. After that, Team USA played with one fewer player for four minutes. During these four minutes, the Italians scored two goals and went 8:5 up, while Di Fulvio increased the margin to four (9:5), with a goal from an extra in the 20th minute
But, the Americans didn’t give in and responded with three consecutive goals to narrow the difference (8:9) in the 28th minute. Still, they didn’t manage to equalize. Stefano Luongo found the net 58 seconds before the final buzzer for 10:8 and everything was decided.
Hungary – Greece 10:5 (3:3, 3:0, 2:0, 2:2)
Hungary: Erdely 3, Vamos 2, Sz. Jansik 1, Manhercz 1, Mezei 1, Pohl 1, Angyal 1.
Greece: Argyropoulos 1, Fountoulis 1, Genidounias 1, Vlachopoulos 1, Kakaris 1.
After a balanced first quarter, the Hungarians dominated the second and the third period. They produced a 6:0 rush to jump to a 9:3 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Greeks couldn’t come back.
The Hungarian team played without captain Denes Varga who had a day off.
1 Hungary 2 – 6
2 Italy 2 – 6
3 USA 2 – 0
3 Greece 2 – 0
