The disappointment of the Italian Cup was a warning: Recco, don’t get distracted. Since then, the champions have started grinding out victories again. The gap with Savona is too wide, but they honor the promise made by coach Angelini the day before (“We won’t make extras”). Game 1 of the final (the eighteenth in a row for the Biancocelesti) ends at 8-5: an epilogue never in question and championship number 36 one step away. “Congratulations to the boys, right from the start they showed they were superior”, summarizes coach Sandro Sukno to RaiSport.
SPARKS
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In the Ferro swimming pool, with an autumnal climate, the initial 4-0 immediately sets things straight. Defense in evidence (in the end just two goals with equal men), extremely physical and unspectacular confrontation, hard contacts in pressing: Kakaris paid the price, sent off in the 13th minute for a blow on Guidi. But it is not a very heavy loss for Pro Recco, which fields two other midfielders (Hallock and Aicardi). Too much inaccuracy in the passes for the guests who – as coach Campagna underlines – appear slow in transitions, remaining with just a few seconds available in attack. Then you can see a few more entries in the Recco area, but it’s not enough. The maximum gap in the 19th minute with a fireball from Cannella, for the 7-2, then a reaction of Savonese pride to limit the damage (two goals in a row for Figlioli to secure the score). Sukno – who rested Echenique – said goodbye with a message addressed to the referees: “I hope to have the same direction away from home that Rari had today”. Recco also prevailed in the direct clashes of the regular season, between the first and second phases (13-9 at home, 9-6 away), and in the semi-final of the Italian Cup (18-12) then won by Brescia, the team which failed to reach the Scudetto final after 11 consecutive seasons. Race 2 at the Zanelli swimming pool on Saturday (8.45pm), a beautiful match at Punta Sant’Anna on Wednesday 29th (7.30pm), again on RaiSport.
PRO RECCO: Del Lungo, F.Di Fulvio, Zalanki 1, Cannella 1, Younger 2, A.Fondelli, N.Presciutti, Iocchi Gratta 2, F.Condemi 1, Kakaris, Aicardi 1, Hallock, Negri. All. S.Sukno. BPER SAVONA: Nicosia, Rocchi, A.Patchaliev, Figlioli 2, Vavic, Rizzo 1 pen. Cora, Bruni, Campopiano 1, Guidi, Kakaris, Erdelyi, Da Rold, Bragantini. All. Angelini. REFEREES: Navarra and Carmignani. NOTE: top number Pro Recco 13 (6 goals), Savona 11 (4). Exit 3 rows Rocchi in the 15th minute. Exp. Kakaris for aggressive play in the 13th minute. In the 15th minute Nicosia saved a penalty from Zalanki.
