“With a sparkling attack you can win a game, but defense wins trophies.” The coach Sandro Sukno showed the way before the race, Pro Recco performed in the pool perfectly. This explains the 36th championship, third in a row, with the final closed in two games, exhibiting an overwhelming superiority. They beat Savona 12-3, with a test of strength, cynicism and compactness, with a defense worth seeing, reviewing and studying.
The “Zanelli” in Savona is full with 1,500 spectators, the choreography with the white and red colors of the Rari excites, the incessant chorus of the Curva Letimbro accompanies the actions in the pool. The derby of the two coasts reawakens ancient rivalries and the atmosphere is incandescent, like the rhythm of the first two quarters. The Biancocelesti recover Echenique, but Fondelli is in the stands next to Ivovic.
This time Savona doesn’t immediately give out a series of expulsions like in the first leg, but Pro Recco literally raises a wall. When defenders aren’t enough, goalkeeper Del Lungo is in the shutter version. Rari never manages to score with the extra man for three periods, Pro Recco starts with four goals out of five chances. This explains the 4-0, scored by Hallock, Cannella, in counterattack favored by a clear error by Guidi, Presciutti and Iocchi Gratta, the same score as the first match at Punta Sant’Anna. Nicosia even saves his head and avoids a goal made by Kakaris, but, after a few seconds, Cannella scores the first goal with the men tied. After thirteen minutes, it marked the 5-0 for Pro Recco and, in fact, the early conclusion of the match. Cannella himself doesn’t tremble after 57″ and converts the penalty shot, scoring a personal hat trick. There is also time for a brace from the Australian Younger before the long break. Pro Recco ahead 8-0. A domain.
Rocchi, in the 25th minute of the game, unlocks Savona with the sixteenth numerical superiority, but it is late. It remains a season to remember for Rari, back in the final after thirteen years.
In the meantime, we have to wait for the “beautiful” day of May 29th to assign fifth place. A good start to the Fifth isn’t enough for Albaro, ahead 5-2, Bologna prevails 11-10. The three consecutive goals by the Emilians were decisive at 8-8, the seals of Gambacciani and Nora in the final were not needed.
