Jug, Brescia, Olympiacos collect important points ; no winner in all-Sicilian battle

Water polo fans could enjoy some exciting derbies in the Italian, Greek, Hungarian and Regional League during the mid-week action.

Ortigia and Telimar played out a draw, while Brescia dominated Trieste with a convincing victory in Italy.

In the Regional League, Jug managed to edge out Jadran Herceg Novi.

Meanwhile, Olympiacos had a mixed performance but ultimately secured a solid four-goal win against Apollon Smyrnis in the Greek League.

Szolnok beat OSC in the first match of the 10th round in Hungary.

Italian League, Day 6

The matches in Catania and Brescia were under the spotlight in Italy this week.

The Sicilian derby, between Ortigia and Telimar, ended in a tie, while Brescia defeated Trieste quite easily.
Ortigia started the match strong in Catania, leading 4:0 in just seven minutes. It seemed like they were on their way to a comfortable win. However, Telimar did not give up and managed to recover from the early shock. Quinn Woodhead scored a goal just before the end of the first quarter, making it 1:4.

Yusuke Inaba restored a four-goal advantage shortly after the beginning of the second quarter. Still, Telimar took control. The team from Palermo leveled the score at 5:5 (18th minute). In the middle of the fourth period, Ortigia was two steps ahead (7:5). But Davide Occhione didn’t let Ortigia earn three points. He scored the last two goals in the match. He leveled at 7:7, two and a half minutes before the end. Nobody found the net after that.

Brescia, which was in 6th place before the 6th round, welcomed the 2nd-placed team after five competition days, Trieste. This derby lacked excitement. Brescia showed it had overcome the crisis. The hosts earned a 6:2 advantage at the beginning of the second quarter. From that point on, the difference was never smaller than three goals. Brescia recorded a 15:9 win. Mario Del Basso and Tommaso Gianazza contributed to the win with three goals each.

Pro Recco and Savona beat their rivals with ease. The derby of the capital ended with no winner, just like the Sicilian derby. Roma Vis Nova and Astra Nuoto Roma shared the points 12:12. Posillipo narrowly defeated De Akker in Bologna – 10:9, etc.

Savona – Catania 14:4 (4:0, 4:2, 3:2, 3:0)
Ortigia 1928 – Telimar 7:7 (4:1, 1:2, 1:2, 1:2)
De Akker – Posillipo 9:10 (2:1, 0:4, 4:2, 2:2)
Salerno – Spazio RN Camogli 18:9 (4:0, 3:3, 5:3, 6:3)
Brescia – Trieste 15:9 (4:2, 5:2, 3:2, 3:2)
Roma Vis Nova – Astra Nuoto Roma 12:12 (3:5, 4:2, 4:3, 1:2)
Iren Genova Quinto – Pro Recco 6:15 (1:4, 2:4, 2:4, 1:3)

Standings: 1. Pro Recco 18, 2. Savona 15, 3. Trieste 15, 4. Brescia 12, 5. Ortigia 11, 6. Telimar 10….

For all the results, scorers, and standings, visit the Italian League’s page on Total Waterpolo Arena. 

Greek League, Day 8

The big match of Day 8 in the Greek League took place in Piraeus.

Olympiacos continued its winning streak in Group A with a convincing win over 2nd-placed Apollon Smyrnis. Still, the visitors didn’t surrender easily despite trailing throughout the match.

Midway through the first quarter, Olympiacos already had a 4-goal lead (5:1). Early in the third quarter, the hosts widened the distance to five after Ioannis Fountoulis scored for 11:6 from a counterattack. However, Apollon narrowed the gap to two before the last period (10:12).

Apollon’s Troulos opened the fourth quarter with an action goal, and his team came very close to the favorite (11:12). It was in the 25th minute. There were no goals in the following several minutes. But, Olympiacos controlled the match. In the 30th minute, the home side scored two goals after personal fouls (Papanastasiou from a 6 on 5 and Foultoulis from a penalty) and gained a solid 14:11 advantage. By the end, they stretched the margin to four (16:12). Ioannis Fountoulis was the man of the match he scored six goals, Dimou added three. Solanakis scored four for Apollon.

The top two teams in Group B didn’t display good defensive play, but they collected points. Panionios beat OFTH 19:10, and Vouliagmeni downed Ydraikos 20:13.

Group A

Olympiacos – Apollon Smyrnis 16:12 (6:3, 3:3, 3:4, 4:2)
Peristeri – Chios 15:8 (2:1, 5:1, 3:4, 5:2)
Panathinaikos – Glyfada 15:11 (3:2, 6:2, 3:2, 3:5)
Chania – Patras 6:9 (2:2, 1:2, 2:2, 1:3)

Standings:1. Olympiacos 24, 2. Apollon Smyrnis 18, 3. Peristeri 16, 4. Panathinaikos 13, 5. Glyfda 12, 6. Patras 6, 7. Chania 3, 8. Chios 3.

Group B

AEK – Ethnikos 8:10 (1:4, 4:2, 2:2, 1:2)
Ydraikos – Vouliagmeni 13:20 (3:5, 4:7, 3:5, 3:3)
OFTH – Panionios 10:19 (2:6, 2:5, 3:4, 3:4)
Palaio Faliro – PAOK 8:7 (3:1, 1:2, 3:2, 1:2)

Standings: 1. Panionios 24, 2. Vouliagmeni 21, 3. PAOK 15, 4. Palaio Faliro 11, 5. Ethnikos 10, 6. Ydraikos 7, 7. AEK 6, 8. OFTH 0.

Regional League, Group A, Day 7

The first phase of the competition in Group A of the Regional League ended with the games of the 7th round.

The most important encounter was a clash between Jadran Herceg Novi and Jug Dubrovnik. The winter is near, but this game was played in the outdoor pool in Herceg Novi.

Photo: PVK Jadran Herceg Novi

Jug dominated the first half, which put the visitors on the right track. The Croats led 6:2 in the 15th minute and maintained the four-goal difference until 8:4. But Jadran managed to reduce the gap to one (7:8) in the 27th minute. Franko Lazic doubled Jug’s advantage two minutes before the end to 9:7. However, the contest wasn’t over yet. Vasilije Radovic converted a man-up with 39 seconds left on the clock. Jug didn’t score in its last possession, and Jadran had a chance to equalize in the last eight seconds. The hosts’ goalkeeper, Darko Djurovic, went into Jug’s half of the field; he tried to score in the very last second but missed.

Maro Jokovic and Franko Lazic were the best scorers in the winning team with three goals each. Danilo Radovic and Ivan Nagaev scored two each for Jadran Herceg Novi.

The Group A splits into new groups now. The teams ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd – Jadran Split, Jug and Jadran Herceg Novi will play three more rounds in the Group for places 1st – 3rd. The remaining teams will continue the season in the Group for places 4th – 7th.

Two Jadrans and Jug qualified for the Group for the title, in which five teams will contest. The two teams in 1st and 2nd place after the 8th round of the Serbian League will join Jadran S, Jadran HN and Jug.

Jadran HN – Jug 8:9 (0:2, 3:4, 2:2, 3:1)
Mornar – Jadran S 4:15 (2:4, 2:3, 0:4, 0:4)
Mladost – Primorje 7:9

Standings: 1.Jadran S 18, 2. Jug 13, 3. Jadran HN 12, 4. Primorje 9, 5. Solaris 6, 6. Mladost 5, 7. Mornar 0.

Hungarian League, Day 11

Szolnok earned a very important away win over OSC in Budapest in the first match of the 10th round. OSC was a better team in the first quarter (3:2), but Szolnok outplayed the hosts in the middle two quarters and entered the fourth period with a comfortable 11:6 victory. OSC reduced the gap in the final eight minutes. Matyas Pasztor led Szolnok with four goals.

OSC – Szolnok 9:12 (3:2, 3:5, 0:4, 3:1)

Standings: 1.Ferencvaros (9 games) 27, 2. BVSC (9) 24, 3. Szolnok (10) 24, 4. Vasas (9) 24, 5. OSC (9) 24, 6. Honved (8) 18….

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