Pro Recco qualified for the final of the Italian League. The defending champion earned an away 9:8 win over Savona in the second match of the playoffs semifinals. Recco will learn about their final opponent in the national championships in a few days. Trieste evened the series in the second semifinal duel by convincingly beating Brescia 10:5.
Trieste secured itself a spot in the semifinals only in the last round of the regular season, but the team from northeast Italy continued to prove it deserved its place among the top 4 teams in the country. It was narrowly defeated by Brescia in the first match of the semifinals (8:9). A few days later, Trieste outplayed Brescia, the 1st-placed team in the regular season, at home, leveling the score in the series.
Brescia scored the first goal in the match, but it was the favorite’s only lead. Trieste responded with two goals. Brescia managed to catch up with the home side only once, equalizing at 2:2. At the finish of the second period, Trieste had a 3-goal lead (5:2). Early in the third quarter, Brescia reduced the gap to one goal (5:6). However, Trieste quickly regained control, launching a four-goal barrage to close the quarter with a 10:5 advantage, which turned out to be the final score, as nobody scored in the last eight minutes.
Vuk Draskovic was the star of the match, scoring six of Trieste’s ten goals in a dominant individual display. The final margin could have been even wider, but Brescia goalkeeper Baggi Negri saved two penalty shots from Draskovic.
Pro Recco had convincingly defeated Savona in all their matches this season. Savona was missing its best scorer, 41-year-old Pietro Figlioli (excluded in the previous game), so many believed Recco wouldn’t struggle to secure a victory. The match began as expected, with Recco taking an opening 3:1 lead. Savona managed to reduce the deficit to 2:3 in the second quarter, but Recco scored twice in the last 100 seconds of the half, extending their lead to 5:2.
Late into the third period, Recco held a 7:3 advantage. However, Savona’s Gullotta found the net just as the third quarter ended, and Daniil Merkulov opened the fourth with two goals, bringing Savona close at 6:7. Matteo Iocchi Gratta then stopped Savona’s momentum. Shortly afterward, Savona’s Rizzo missed a penalty, but Merkulov, who stole the show in the fourth quarter, scored to make it 7:8 in the 28th minute. Ben Hallock then doubled Recco’s advantage. The tensions were getting higher. In the last two minutes, two players were red-carded – First, Savona’s Bruni, and then, Recco’s Cannella. With just 49 seconds remaining, Merkulov converted a man-up situation, bringing the score to 8:9. This was his fourth goal of the quarter and of the match. Still, it was a mere consolation as Recco maintained its narrow lead and advanced to the final. Merkulov was the top scorer, while three players scored twice: Recco’s Hallock and Iocchi Gratta, along with Savona’s Erdelyi.
Posillipo advanced to the 5th-place match after an away win over Roma Vis Nova (8:4). Ortigia prolonged the semifinal series against De Akker, as it convincingly defeated the rival in Sicily – 14:6.
2025 Italian League, playoffs, semifinals (best of three), 2nd games
1st – 4th place
Trieste – Brescia 10:5 (3:2, 2:1, 5:2, 0:0) – score in the series 1:1
Savona – Pro Recco 8:9 (1:3, 1:2, 2:2, 4:2) – score in the series 0:2
5th -8th place
Ortigia-De Akker 14:6 (2:1, 5:2, 5:1, 2:2) – score in the series 1:1
Roma Vis Nova – Posillipo 4:8 (1:2, 1:4, 1:1, 1:1) – score in the series 0:2
