The Italian Men’s League will start in two weeks, but the best clubs from the Apennine Peninsula are back in action.
As usual, the season was opened with the qualifications for the Final Eight of the Italian Cup played this weekend.
Fourteen teams, split into four groups, took part. There were no surprising outcomes. Pro Recco, Brescia, Savona, Ortigia, Trieste, Telimar, Quinto and Posillipo advanced to the F8.
There were no big surprises, but there were several very exciting games. One goal decided which team would win 1st place in Group C, where Savona finished ahead of Telimar. Goal difference was crucial in a battle for 2nd place in Group A. Posillipo finished 2nd in Group A ahead of Salerno.
Ortigia and Trieste won four points each in the group in Ostia (near Rome), but Ortigia won 1st place because of a better goal difference.
The Final Eight will be held in March. The host will be determined
2022/23 Italian Cup, qualifications
Group A (Naples)
Salerno – Brescia 4:19 (1:6, 0:5, 0:3, 3:5)
Rari Nantes Salerno: Barroso 2, M. Luongo 1, Siani 1.
Brescia: E. Di Somma 4, Vapenski 3, C.Presciutti 3, Renzuto 2, Lazic 1, Dolce 1, Gitto 1.
Brescia – Posilippo 17:9 (6:2, 4:4, 3:0, 4:3)
Brescia: Kharkov 4, Di Somma 3, C.Presciutti 2, Lazic 2, Vapenski 2, Alesiani 2, Renzuto Iodice 1, S. Luongo 1.
Posillipo: Stevenson 4, Abramson 3, Briganti 1, J.Lanfranco 1.
Posillipo – Salerno 8:8 (1:3, 2:1, 2:1, 3:3)
Posillipo: Stevenson 3, J.Lanfranco 3, Mattiello 1, Abramson 1.
Salerno: Macarro 4, Bertoli 2, M.Luongo 1, Gallo 1.
Brescia was too strong for its rivals in the group in Naples. The semifinalist of the previous two editions of the Champions League taught a lesson to Salerno in the first round. Today, Brescia downed host Posillipo thanks to an explosive start. Brescia’s great addition Konstantin Kharkov didn’t score a goal in his debut, but he found Posillipo’s net four times.
Posillipo and Salerno faced off in the third match, which was a battle for 2nd place. The game produced a thrilling contest. In the end, the teams shared the points. A draw was enough for Posillipo to keep 2nd place because of a better goal difference.
Standings: 1. Brescia 6, 2. Posillipo 1 (-8), 3. Salerno 1 (-15)
Group B (Bogliasco)
Quinto – Pro Recco 6:12 (1:3, 1:3, 3:4, 1:2)
Iren Quinto Genoa: Mijuskovic 4, Molina 1, Fracas 1.
Pro Recco: Figlioli 3, Hallock 2, Loncar 1, Iocchi Gratta 1, Younger 1, Fondelli 1, Marini 1, Rossi 1, Aicardi 1.
Bogliasco – Catania 9:9 (1:2, 1:3, 4:2, 3:2)
Netafim Bogliasco: Radojevic 3, Blanchard 2, Mudrazija 1, F. Brambilla 1, Boero 1, Canepa 1.
Catania: Eskert 3, G.Torrisi 2, Camilleri 2, Guimaraes 1, Nicolosi 1.
Pro Recco – Bogliasco 13:7 (3:1, 3:1, 3:1, 4:4)
Pro Recco: Rossi 3, Iocchi Gratta 2, Nuzzo 2, Loncar 1, Figlioli 1, Younger 1, Fondelli 1, Velotto 1, Hallock 1.
Netafirm Bogliasco: Radojevic 2, Gavazzi 1, Blanchard 1, Mudrazija 1, Boero 1, Canepa 1.
Catania – Iren Quinto 8:12 (3:4, 2:2, 1:3, 2:3)
Catania: Camilleri 3, Privitera 2, Guimaraes 1, La Rosa 1, G.Torrisi 1.
Iren Genova Quinto: Molina 3, Figari 3, Mijuskovic 2, A. Di Somma 2, Gambacciani 1, Villa 1.
Bogliasco – Quinto 4:17 (0:2, 1:6, 2:5, 1:4)
Bogliasco: Radojevic 2, Boero 1, Canepa 1.
Iren Genova Quinto: Rios 6, Fracas 2, Mijuskovic 2, Ravina 1, Nora 1, M.Gitto 1, J.Gambacciani 1
Pro Recco – Catania 14:5 (3:1, 4:1, 4:1, 3:2)
Pro Recco: Iocchi Gratta 4, Fondelli 2, Marini 2, Rossi 2, Velotto 2, Hallock 1,Figlioli 1.
Catania: Gullotta 2, Eskert 1, G.Torrisi 1, Guimaraes 1.
Pro Recco arrived in Bogliasco without Ivovic, Del Lungo, Di Fulvio, Canella, Zalanki, N.Presciutti, but the European champion cruised to 1st place in Group B. Recco recorded three comfortable victories.
Iren Quinto joined Recco at the Final Eight with wins over Catania and Bogliasco.
Stadings: 1. Pro Recco 9, 2. Quinto 6, 3. Catania 1, Bogliasco 1.
Group C (Bologna)
De Akker – Savona 7:13 (2:3, 1:3, 2:4, 2:3)
De Akker: Manzi 2, Guerrato 2, Grossi 1, Alonso 1, Cocchi 1.
Savona: Rocchi 2, A. Patchaliev 2, Rizzo 2, Campopiano 2, M. Guidi 2, Lanzoni 2, Bruni 1.
Telimar – Anzio Waterpolis 19:12 (8:3, 5:2, 4:4, 2:3)
Telimar: Irving 5, Hooper 3, Del Basso 2, A. Vitale 2, Lo Dico 2, Di Patti 1, Giorgetti 1, Giliberti 1, Pericas 1, Lo Cascio 1.
Anzio Waterpolis: Pelicaric 3, Susak 2, Goreta 2, Caponero 1, Cuccovillo 1, Koprcina 1, D. Presciutti 1.
Savona – Telimar 13:12 (3:2, 3:4, 5:1, 2:5)
Savona: Rizzo 5, Djurdjic 2, Campopiano 2,Rocchi 1, Cora 1, Caldieri 1, Lanzoni 1.
Telimar Palermo: Del Basso 4, Hooper 3, Gilberti 1, Pericas 1, Lo Casco 1.
Anzio Waterpolis – De Akker 9:13 (3:3, 4:3, 0:5, 2:2)
Anzio Waterpolis: Goreta 5, Cuccvillo 2, Caponero 1, D.Presciutti 1.
De Akker Team: Guerrato 3, Manzi 2, Boggiano 2, Kadar 2, Grossi 1, Baldineli 1, Alfonso 1, Spadafora 1.
Savona – Anzio 14:6 (1:1, 2:1, 5:2, 6:2)
Savona: Panerai 3, Campopiano 2, Guidi 2, Djurdjic 2, Cora 1, Caldieri 1, Bruni 1, Lanzoni 1, Patchaliev 1.
Anzio Waterpolis: Caponero 2, Antonini 1, Goreta 1, Cuccovillo 1, Bajic 1.
De Akker – Telimar 8:17 (4:5, 1:3, 1:3, 2:6)
De Akker: Cocchi 4, Alfonso 2, Manzi 1, Kadar 1.
Telimar Palermo: Del Basso 4, Irving 3, Lo Dico 2, Virale 2, Di Patti 1, Giorgetti 1, Hooper 1, Gilberti 1, Pericas 1, Lo Casco 1.
As expected, Savona and Telimar qualified for the Final Eight from the group organized by De Akker.
The duel between these two teams, played this morning, produced a lot of goals and exclusions. After the first half, the teams were tied at 6:6. Savona dominated the third period to enter the final period with an 11:7 advantage. Telimar did everything to catch up with Savona, but unsuccessfully. Savona recorded a 13:12 victory. Even four players from Savona and one from Telimar finished the match before the final buzzer due to the three personal fouls. Telimar’s percentage of extra player shots was 9/21, and Savona’s was 4/12. Savona had three penalty shots.
There was no suspense in other matches.
Standings: 1. Savona 9, 2. Telimar 6, 3. De Akker Team 3, 4. Anzio Waterpolis 0.
Group D (Ostia)
Trieste – Ortigia 10:10 (3:2, 1:5, 4:1, 2:2)
Trieste: Mezzarobba 2, Razzi 2, Inaba 2, Podgornik 1, Petronio 1, Bini 1, Mladossich 1.
Ortigia: Condemi 4, Carnesecchi 2, A. Condemi 1, Di Luciano 1, Velkic 1, Ferrero 1.
Roma Nuoto – Trieste 6:11 (2:2, 1:1, 2:3, 1:5)
Roma Nuoto: Spione 3, F.Faraglia 1, Lucci 1, Viskovic 1.
Trieste: Razzi 2, Inaba 2, Mladossich 2, Podgornik 1, Buljubasic 1, Vrlic 1, Valentino 1, Mezzarobba 1.
Ortigia – Roma Nuoto 11:3 (3:0, 2:0, 5:0, 1:3)
Ortigia: Napolitano 3, Rossi 2, Vidovic 2, Carnesecchi 1, Di Luciano 1, Ferrero 1, F.Condemi 1.
Roma: F. Faraglia 2, Graglia 1.
Photo Marika Torcivia/federnuoto.it
Favorites Trieste and Ortigia shared the points in the opening game, so already after the first match, it was more or less clear that the goal difference would decide the group winner.
Ortigia opened the derby very well and led 7:4 at halftime. However, the second half belonged to Trieste. The team from the north of Italy was a step away from a win. Trieste led 10:9 in the final minute, but Ortigia’s Ferrero scored an equalizer with 40 seconds to go. In the remaining time both goalies posted one save each, and the teams shared the points.
Trieste beat Roma 11:6, which meant that Ortigia needed a 6-goal win in the last round to climb into 1st place. The Sicilians’ defense was superb in the first three periods. Ortigia entered the final quarter leading 10:0. Roma narrowed the gap in the fourth period, but Ortigia recorded a win with a desirable margin.
Standings: 1. Ortigia 4 (+8), 2. Trieste 4 (+5), 3. Roma 0.
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