Berlin. Rari Nantes Savona’s dream of reaching the final four of the Len Euro Cup 2024 died in Berlin, in the Schöneberg swimming pool. This year the red and whites, finalists in the last edition, stopped in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Forced to win to make up for the defeat in the first leg, the team coached by Angelini failed to do so. Spandau, playing a very concrete match, not only defended the narrow margin gained at Zanelli, but also won the return match with a result of 12 to 10.
The news. A minute of silence is observed, then we start: the first ball belongs to the locals, but after a few seconds it is already in Nicosia’s hands.
After 35″ Patchaliev scores from position three on his first attempt: 0 to 1.
Baksa, with the help of the crossbar, saves himself from a shot by Figlioli.
The first serious foul is called on Patchaliev; Nicosia saves the first shot but can do nothing on Prioteasa’s shot. 1 to 1 at 5’25”.
The two teams defend well; on both sides we are forced to make forced conclusions that do not end well.
Sedlmayer goes into the cockpit and Erdelyi’s incursion is the winner: 1-2 at 3’02”.
Serious foul by Vavic; a good play by Stamm brings the result back to parity: 2-2 with 2’20” left.
Prioteasa commits a penalty foul on Campopiano: Rizzo goes from five meters, Baksa saves.
Rari also fails to take the lead due to Tomasevic’s expulsion.
The first half ends with the result 2 to 2. For the Germans 2 out of 2 with the extra man; for Rari 1 out of 3 and a missed penalty.
In the second half, after 51″, Cuk gave Spandau the lead for the first time, taking advantage of Erdelyi’s expulsion: 3-2.
At 6’14” from the halfway point of the match Strelezkij scores with the men tied: 4 to 2.
Serious foul by Juengling, but Savona misses another opportunity.
3’39” from the changeover Spandau strikes again, this time with Tomasovic. Partial score of 4 to 0 for the Germans and now there are 4 goals behind in the two-legged match, which Rari must make up for.
Rari disastrous in superiority: Tkac is sent off, but Erdelyi’s shot is unsuccessful.
Serious foul on the local restart whistled to Patchaliev; Markovic calls time-out. Nicosia takes care of blocking the conclusion.
Guidi, at 1’03”, breaks the red and whites’ abstinence and tries to charge his teammates. 5 to 3. After the goal Angelini is booked.
Guidi is expelled; in the same action Durdic is also sent to the cockpit. With a double superiority it is easy for Spandau to score with Tomasovic 14″ from the end of the half: 6-3.
Rari remains in the running thanks to a penalty won 1 second before the siren, which Figlioli converts. 6 to 4.
Third time. Ball in the center of Spandau and there is immediately a serious foul by Figlioli; Chiru, thanks to a lucky deflection, scores the home team’s seventh goal after 32″.
Rari inaccurate in attack; Time passes mercilessly and the people of Savona begin to pay for the discouragement of the situation that has been created.
Serious foul by Prioteasa; Baksa saves Campopiano’s shot.
In the following action Baksa comes out right on Campopiano, causing a penalty foul. But the local captain stands out as the protagonist of the evening and also saves Figlioli’s five-metre shot.
Figlioli redeems himself a minute later by scoring with the men tied: 7-5 at 3’45”.
Serious foul called on Guidi; Sedlmayer’s shot is unsuccessful but possession remains with the Germans and Erdelyi is whistled for a penalty foul. Strelezkij, thanks to Nicosia’s deviation, hits the post; however, the same number 7 recovers the ball and Durdic stops him illegally. Another penalty, this time it is taken by Tomasovic who scores: 8-5 at 2’58”.
Rari Nantes tries to stay in the lead and after just 20″ scores with Rocchi: 8 to 6.
16″ pass and Rocchi is sent off; Spandau is relentless and Cuk scores the new plus-3 2’03” from the last break.
Serious foul by Stamm; ball in the center for Bruni who puts the ball in the net: 9-7 at 1’26”.
Spandau doesn’t slow down and strikes even with even men, with Strelezkij at 50″. 10 to 7; yellow card for Markovic.
30″ from the end of the half Cuk is sent to the cockpit and Angelini calls his team together. Durdic’s shot is blocked by the defense.
The last half opens again with the sprint won by Spandau who, after 21″, hits the target with Tkac. 11 to 7 and qualification discussion practically closed.
Also because Tkac himself goes into the cockpit and Baksa rejects Rizzo’s conclusion.
Figlioli, with a goal 6’17” from the siren, brings the result to 11 to 8.
Serious foul by Rocchi and Tomasovic becomes the top scorer of the match: 12-8 at 5’17”.
Another penalty for Rari, caused by Tomasovic. Durdic realizes it. Rari down 12 to 9 with 4’26” to go.
The red and whites throw themselves forward desperately trying to reopen the fate of the match. Cuk is sent off but Strelezkij recovers the ball.
Patchaliev commits his third serious foul; the Germans fail to gain superiority.
There is still a serious foul, called against Banicevic, but it only serves to further worsen Rari’s percentage with the extra man.
Last time-out called by Markovic 62″ from the siren. But the last goal, 25″ from time, was scored by Bruni.
The match ends with Spandau’s success with a result of 12 to 10: the German team will take part in the final four, a venue yet to be defined.
The last part of the Serie A1 championship will begin on Wednesday 1 May, with the playoff semi-finals. Rari Nantes Savona, second in the standings at the end of the Scudetto round, will face third-placed AN Brescia. The start of the match is set for 7pm in the Zanelli swimming pool in Savona. Game 2 will be played in Brescia on Wednesday 8 May at 8pm, while the possible Game 3 will still be in Savona on Saturday 11 May at 7pm.
The scoreboard:
Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 – Bper Rari Nantes Savona 12-10
(Partials: 2-2, 4-2, 4-3, 2-3)
Wasserfreunde Spandau 04: Baksa (cap.), Chiru 1, Prioteasa 1, Cuk 2, Tkac 1, Juengling, Strelezkij 2, Tomasovic 4, Stamm 1, Sedlmayer, Abramson, Banicevic, Spijker. Coach Vladimir Markovic.
Bper Rari Nantes Savona: Nicosia, Rocchi 1, Patchaliev 1, Figlioli 3, Vavic, Rizzo (cap.), Bragantini, Bruni 2, Campopiano, Guidi 1, Durdic 1, Erdelyi 1, Da Rold. Coach Alberto Angelini.
Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (Rom) and Vojin Putnokovic (Ser). Len Delegate: Marijo Brguljan (Mne).
Note. Out for three fouls: Patchaliev with 2’59” left in the fourth half. Angelini was booked with 1’03” left in the second half and Markovic with 50″ left in the third half.
