Euro Cup M – De Akker's European adventure ends
DEFEATED BY JUG AND PANATHINAIKOS
CONVINCING VICTORIES OVER THE GERMANS AND FRENCH
De Akker is eliminated but leaves the qualifying round with her head held high Euro Cup played in the Aix en Provence pool, with two wins and two losses. After Friday's defeat against the defending champions, the Croatians of Jug, the decisive one on Saturday morning was 11-4 against the Greeks of Panathinaikos, who advance to the round together with the Croatian favorites of Jug.
An unrecognizable team, that of Mistrangelo, compared to the one that only twelve hours earlier had held its own against the Croatians for almost the entire match. A scoreboard that reflects a one-sided match, with Bologna that is 3-0 down in the first quarter, even if at 2-0 Luongo misses a penalty that could have reopened the match, and 6-0 in the second, finding the first goal of the match with Luongo only 1.50 from the end of the second fraction and ending up 7-1 down at the long interval. The other two periods were academy: 10-3 with Bologna goals again by Luongo and Urbinati in the third quarter and the final 11-4 with a goal by Bragantini for the team of the two towers.
In the evening, then, Luongo and his teammates played against the Germans of SV Ludwigsburg 08 a match with no more value for qualification, but important to honor the first presence in a European cup. A clear victory, 16-10, with balance only in the first quarter that ended 2-2 with Abramson's double to equalize the two goals by Bauer. Worth noting in the second quarter was the first goal by the Dutchman Rouwenhorst, then Bologna took off for the 9-5 at half time. Third quarter with Luongo who scores his fourth goal of the match for the 10-5. Bologna continues to score for the 14-7 at the end of the third quarter, while in the final three-pointer for Tringali who closed the match.
Sunday morning, finally, the victory over the home team of the Country of Aix Natation 13-10. Bologna ahead 3-0 for the goals of Condemi, Abramson and Bragantini, closes the first fraction 4-2, with the goal of Lucci. In the second fraction the French come closer up to 5-5 but with two goals from Abramson and Bragantini and the goal of Gallo, Mistrangelo's boys arrive at the interval 8-6 ahead. Tringali, and Milakovic's brace lead Bologna 11-8 at the third period, while the 2-2 in the last fraction for the goals of Condemi and Urbinati close the match.
"Two wins and two defeats are a good haul for our first participation in a European competition - said the owner Alberto Vecchi from Provence - At the exit of the group we knew that Jug would be unbeatable, just as Pana, now, is the strongest team in Greece. It's a shame about the approach to this match, the only one in which we were unable to put all our value into the water. We took advantage of only one superiority out of fifteen, only if we had taken advantage of a fourth would we have been in the game until the end, as well as a shame about the penalty missed at 2-0 because it cut our legs off. For the rest it was a wonderful experience, which makes us understand that we can play at a good level also in Europe, therefore an excellent viaticum towards the start of the championship”.
Matteo Fogacci
De Akker press office
