Recco. Race one of the 2023/2024 championship final belongs to Pro Recco. The reigning Italian champions prevailed over Rari Nantes Savona 8 to 5; a success resulting from a good team performance by the Biancocelesti, united and concentrated throughout the match.
Defensive attention and intensity were not lacking on both sides; Rari also defended well, but paid for the 3 goals conceded in the first half, which made the difference. Pro Recco, however, gave the impression of always having control of the match.
The second match will be played on Saturday evening, in Savona. The red and whites will try to inflict their first defeat on the Recchelini team, always victorious in this A1 Series, to bring the series to game 3 and play the “match” in seven days in Recco. If, however, the team led by Sukno wins, he will be Italian champion.
Pro Recco – Bper Rari Nantes Savona 8-5
(Partials: 3-0, 2-2, 2-1, 1-2)
There is still Durdic’s expulsion, with Nicosia’s save.
Rari Nantes still benefits from a superiority due to a serious foul by Aicardi. Angelini wants the fifth goal and calls on him. He is satisfied by Sons, it hits the mark 14″ from the siren, fixing the result at 8 to 5.
Del Lungo stretches out and blocks Vavic’s shot from position three. Expulsion of Vavic himself, Zalanki doesn’t find the goal.
Di Fulvio goes into the cockpit; Figlioli finds the space to score the fourth red and white goal with a nice volley after almost seven minutes of abstinence at 2’37”. 8-4.
At 3’56” serious foul by Bruni on Hallock. Time-out called by Sukno. Nicosia blocks Younger’s shot.
Serious foul by Presciutti; ball in the center for Guidi who, however, fails to deflect towards the goal.
Nicosia blocks a shot from Condemi but can do nothing on the lightning-fast no-look shot Iocchi Gratta who scores the 8-3 at 6’22”.
Fourth period. The game was stopped for a few minutes because Cannella, after an accidental headbutt with Vavic, had to be treated.
3″ from the end of the half, Pro Recco goes away in a counterattack with Condemi who, however, is hypnotized by Nicosia who blocks. Angelini protests by asking for a foul on Rizzo who was not whistled and is booked. With 8 minutes to go, Pro Recco has game 1 in hand, ahead 7-3.
At 1’16” Erdelyi serves Guidi to the center, who suffers a penalty foul from Cannella. The five-meter shot is converted by Rizzo. 7 to 3.
At 3’22” serious foul by Iocchi Gratta who holds Guidi back. Angelini calls time-out. Erdelyi, however, loses the ball in attack. Change in front and Pro Recco also fails to gain superiority.
Rari seems to pay for the energy spent defending in the first two halves. Iocchi Gratta shoots again and hits the post.
At 4’59” new maximum advantage for Pro Recco. Cannella has space for the shot, his conclusion goes under the crossbar. 7 to 2.
Nice initiative by Younger, stopped with a serious foul by Patchaliev. Nicosia did well to block Condemi’s cross shot.
Rari Nantes also benefited from a superiority, but did not exploit it: Durdic’s shot was blocked.
First action of the third half and Pro Recco immediately scores: serious foul by Guidi e Younger puts the ball in the net for 6-2 at 7’24”.
In the last action of the second half, Rari Nantes Savona gained superiority. Rizzo serves Patchaliev who invents a large number by hitting the target with a Bedouin 1″ from the halfway point of the race. Pro Recco ahead 5-2 at the changeover.
Great save by Del Lungo on Erdelyi; Serious foul by Figlioli on the restart e Aicardi finalizes the superiority on net. 5 to 1 34″ from the tank change.
Prolonged action of Pro Recco. Nicosia saves Iocchi Gratta’s jab. The ball goes to the clubs again, Rocchi is sent off and doesn’t promptly leave the water and the referees whistle the penalty. For Rocchi the match ends here, 1’19” from the halfway point of the match. From five meters the left-footed Zalanki sees his shot blocked by Nicosia.
The red and whites, with Figlioli sent to the cockpit, manage to avoid the conclusion by tackling Younger.
At 3’16” with the extra man finally Rari Nantes Savona is unblocked, with Campopiano: 4 to 1 after a good turn of the ball.
At 3’36” red card for Kakaris, sent off with substitution for aggressive play.
The serious foul count sees Durdic among the guests at 2 and Fondelli among the locals.
Nicosia and then Erdelyi save a lob from Fulvio; Rari risks conceding their fifth goal. In the offensive phase, however, the red and whites are unable to express themselves. Shortly afterwards Nicosia opposes a powerful shot from Di Fulvio.
Second half. Second serious foul by Fondelli; a pass from Guidi is intercepted by Zalanki. Durdic’s naivety as he takes the ball and is sent off; change in front and Pro Recco exploits the superiority with the former Iocchi Gratta: 4-0 at 6’27”.
Rari fails to take the lead, then Nicosia opposes a shot from Di Fuvio, The first half ends 3-0 for the hosts.
Patchaliev goes to the cockpit for a foul on Kakaris. Di Fulvio serves to the opposite post Younger who with a precise shot, despite Figlioli’s attempt, he puts the ball into the net to make it 3-0 at 1’59”.
Serious foul by Durdic on Hallock. The Pro Recco also exploits this superiority with Condemi who puts the ball over the head of Nicosia 2 to 0 at 2’49”.
With 4’21” left to play, Pro Recco is ahead. Serious foul by Rocchi, turnover and Zalanki’s left-handed shot is a winner. 1 to 0.
Bruni is sent to the cockpit; Zalanki is stopped by the excellent Savonese defense at the moment of the shot.
The first serious foul is called against Fondelli; the action is nullified by a two-metre infringement by Bruni.
The first ball in the center is from Di Fulvio; Presciutti puts the ball in the net but the referees had whistled a foul on Aicardi in the midfield. Pro Recco who today has three midfielders on the scoresheet.
At Punta Sant’Anna, one of the few swimming pools still uncovered on the national scene, the game is played on a very windy day spared from rain. Echenique present in the stands; it is played under the gaze of coach Sandro Campagna. The public responded well: all the tickets put on sale sold out; around 800 spectators. Numerous players from the Biancocelesti youth teams. However, part of a grandstand is still unusable.
The final act of the Serie A1 championship returns to be entirely Ligurian. Pro Recco and Rari Nantes Savona find themselves facing each other to compete for the tricolour; the short series of finals, the best of three matches, begins today in the Ferro swimming pool, where the biancocelesti take to the pool with the intention of getting closer to title number 36. The red and whites, who have 3 championships in their trophy cabinet, return to play a finale thirteen years after the last time.
The scoreboard:
Pro Recco – Bper Rari Nantes Savona 8-5
(Partials: 3-0, 2-2, 2-1, 1-2)
Pro Recco: Del Lungo, F. Di Fulvio (cap.), Zalanki 1, Cannella 1, Younger 2, Fondelli, N. Presciutti, Iocchi Gratta 2, F. Condemi 1, Kakaris, Aicardi 1, Hallock, Negri, G. Rossi Coach. Sandro Sukno.
Bper Rari Nantes Savona: Nicosia, Rocchi, Patchaliev 1, Figlioli 2, Vavic, Rizzo (cap.) 1, Cora, Bruni, Campopiano 1, Guidi, Durdic, Erdelyi, Da Rold, Bragantini. Coach Alberto Angelini.
Referees: Bruno Navarra (Roma) and Riccardo Carmignani (Messina). Fin Delegate: Dante Saeli (Venice).
Note. Numerical superiority: Pro Recco 6 out of 13 plus 1 penalty missed, Savona 4 out of 10 plus 1 penalty scored.
Kakaris (R) sent off 3’36” into the second half. Out for three fouls: Rocchi (S) at 1’19” of the second half.
Angelini booked in the third half.
