Emotions on the skin, a hard-fought victory welcomed by the roar of the 3,000 people at PalaCatania. Meta Catania wins game 1 beating Pesaro 4-3. The moment of truth and to get closer to the final dream. Meta Catania and Italservice Pesaro are once again facing each other, with the tricolor that went on the red and white shirts four years ago at stake. Details and balance: the matches played this year between the two teams were spectacular but equal. The extra man is PalaCatania.
Juanra recovers Timm, only bench for Dian Luka, but Tornatore defends the posts with Bocão and Musumeci columns alongside Salamone and Anderson. Expert quintet for Pesaro with Caruso in front, Murilo, Toninandel and André.
First seven minutes of great intensity with Anderson who highlights Putano’s reflexes, then Turmena comes close to scoring twice with the Pesaro goalkeeper in great form. In the eighth minute, however, the rossozzurri captain puts the fifth: Musumeci first holes Putano with a sharp shot, and a minute later he wins the ball in his half of the field, cost to cost in slalom and the ball goes into the net. PalaCatania explodes. Meta Catania is irrepressible, Pesaro understands nothing, and the red and blues go to the wedding with vehemence. Salamone scored the 3-0 with a perfect counterattack, rewarding Juanra’s choice and at 12’30 here was the missing goal, that of Podda. Sumptuous slalom between the Pesaro shirts and 4-0 but above all goal abstinence in the playoffs debunked. Pesaro’s first shot on goal with Murilo, but Tornatore is attentive and Tornatore again comes out decisively on Barichello with four to go. In the final Putano was still decisive over Turmena and Pulvirenti. Thirty seconds from the end and thanks to the power play Pesaro scores the goal with Vava’ to make it 4-1.
In the second half Pesaro starts immediately with the power play, but Meta Catania is still the most dangerous. However, Pesaro returns thanks to the extra man and Murilo’s goal. Incandescent match, Pesaro believes in it and Tornatore flies twice on Andre. Murilo fishes the corner in the sixth to beat Tornatore and Pesaro completes everything by finding the minus one with ten to go. Race open again, but Meta Catania is unable to take advantage of two restarts to get back to plus two. The final minutes were tense, nervous and intense: with three to go Silvestri stole the ball from an empty goal but didn’t see Pulvirenti all alone and the action faded. PalaCatania dances, Tornatore gets excited, Meta Catania once again came close to scoring, dangerous again with Musumeci. Ten seconds from the end Murilo’s shot and the save by Pulvirenti galattico closed the game. Meta Catania wins game 1 and now a draw is enough for Pesaro to reach the final dream.
Below is the scoreboard
META CATANIA: Tornatore, Salamone, Bocao, C. Musumeci, Anderson, Podda, Silvestri, Pulvirenti, Dian Luka, G. Musumeci, Turmena, Timm. Coach Juanra Calvo
ITALSERVICE PESARO: Putano, Toninandel, Vavà, Caruso, Schiochet, Pires, Belloni, Andrè, Mohabz, D’Ambrosio, Barichello, Luberto. All. Scarpitti
SCOREERS: pt 7’50” C. Musumeci (M), 8′ C. Musumeci (M), 9’13” Salamone (M), 12’33” Podda (M), 19’30” Vavà (I), st 3’16” Schiochet (I), 7’55” Barichello (I)
BOOKED: Belloni (I), C. Musumeci (M), Andrè (I), Timm (M)
REFEREES: Giulio Colombin (Bassano del Grappa), Giacomo Voltarel (Treviso), Francesco Saverio Mancuso (Lamezia Terme) TIMELINE: Giovanni Loprete (Catanzaro)
