The second part of the Italian League has started today.
Due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and changes in the international calendar, the Italian Federation modified the competition formula. From the 14th round, the teams are split into two groups. The points won in the first part have been carried to the second stage in which each team will play six games.
The derby of the first round in the playoffs group (1st – 7th place) was an encounter between Brescia and Ortigia, which ended with no winner – 9:9.
European champion Pro Recco blew Savona away – 18:8.
A very exciting match was played in Trieste. The home team beat Telimar narrowly – 13:12.
2021/22 Italian League, Day 14
Playoffs group (the 1st round in the 2nd stage)
Brescia – Ortigia 9:9 (2:3, 3:4, 1:1, 3:1)
Brescia: Renzuto Iodice 4, C. Presciutti 2, Lazic 1, Luongo 1, Di Somma 1.
Ortigia: A.Condemi 2, Vidovic 2, Ferrero 1, Gallo 1, Mirarchi 1, Rossi 1, Napolitano 1.
Savona – Pro Recco 8:18 (1:6, 3:6, 2:5, 2:1)
Savona: Fondelli 3, Campopiano 2, Iocchi Gratta 1, Bruni 1.
Pro Recco: N. Presciutti 4, Ivovic 3, Zalanki 2, Figlioli 2, Younger 2, Canella 2, Aicardi 2, F. Di Fulvio 1.
Trieste – Telimar 13:12 (4:1, 3:2, 4:3, 2:4)
Trieste: Inaba 3, Bini 2, Mladossich 2, Mezzarobba 2, Buljubasic 1, Vrlic 1, Razzi 1, Podgornik 1.
Telimar: Basic 4, Irving 3, Del Basso 2, Vlahovic 1, Gilberti 1.
Salerno bye
Last week, Brescia suffered a devastating 4:9 loss to Recco at home. Today, the Italian champion barely saved a point and avoided another defeat in its own pool.
Brescia took a 1:0 lead, but midway through the first quarter Ortigia took control. The visitors from Sicily dictated the pace. In the 14th minute, they earned a 3-goal lead (7:4). Deep into the third quarter, the home side cut the deficit to one goal (6:7). However, Ortigia had a 2-goal advantage (8:6) before the final period. In the middle of the fourth quarter, two goals separated the rivals – 9:7. Brescia’s Vincenzo Renzuto Iodice netted his fourth goal in the 30th minute. A 39-year old Christian Presciutti saved a point for the hosts. Just 45 seconds before the buzzer, he scored from a 6 on 5 and set the final score – 9:9.
After an 18:8 comfortable victory in Savona and the draw in the game Brescia – Ortigia, Pro Recco increased its advantage over 2nd-placed Brescia to eight points. Savona scored an opening goal in the game, after just 20 seconds of play. But, Recco responded with an 8:0 run. Early in the second period, Recco had an 8:1 advantage and didn’t let Savona come back in the match.
Captain Aleksandar Ivovic played his first match in the Italian League this season. According to the rules, a club is allowed to have up to four foreigners on the team in Serie A1. In the first part of the regular season, Recco’s foreigners were Gergo Zalanki, Aaron Younger, Ben Hallock, and Luka Loncar. In the second stage, Ivovic replaces Loncar. Ivovic scored three goals today, and the best scorer was Nicholas Presciutti with four.
Trieste edged out LEN Euro Telimar Palermo 13:12. Trieste led throughout the game and had a fine 11:6 advantage after the third quarter. But, Telimar dominated the fourth period. Three minutes before the end the Palermo-based side came very close (10:12). Shortly after Telimar’s 10th goal, Japanese Yusuke Inaba gave the hosts a 13:10 lead. But Telimar replied with two goals and cut the deficit to one (12:13) with 39 seconds left on the clock. Trieste failed to score in the next possession, and Telimar had the last attack in the match, but the hosts kept the minimal advantage and the three points.
1.Pro Recco 14 – 42
2.Brescia 14 – 34
3. Trieste 14 – 32
4. Ortigia 14 – 29
5. Telimar 14 – 28
6. Savona 14 – 28
7. Salerno 13 – 18
Relegation group (the 1st round in the 2nd stage)
Catania – Roma 12:8 (4:1, 4:2, 2:2, 2:3)
Catania: Triangli 2, Russo 2, Generini 1, Eskert 1, La Rosa 1, Banicevic 1, Ferlito1, Privitera 1.
Roma: De Robertis 2, Boezi 2, F. Faraglia 1, Tartaro 1, Ballarini 1, Spione 1
Quinto – Anzio 6:6 (1:2, 2:2, 2:0, 1:2)
Iren Genoa Quinto: Nora 2, A. Di Somma 1, Ravina 1, Gambacciani 1, Figari 1.
Anzio Waterpolis: Casasola 2, Grossi 1, D.Presciutti 1, Lapenna 1, Agostini 1
Milano Metanopoli – Posillipo on March 12
Lazio bye
Catania defeated Roma and climbed in 12th place. Quinto and Anzio shared the points in a close battle.
8. Quinto 14 – 19
9. Metanopili 13 – 12
10. Anzio 14 – 12
11.Posillipo 13 – 10
12. Catania 14 – 10
13. Roma 14 – 7
14. Lazio 13 – 1
