A2 M - Crazy match between Evomet Vela Ancona and Reale Mutua Iren Torino: amazing comeback and 8-8 final result
Reale Mutua Iren Torino 81, Iren-Evomet Vela Nuoto Ancona 8-8
REALE MUTUA TORINO 81 IREN: Aldi M., Lisica V. 2, Abate V., Coccia L., Maffe’ A., L. Romeo, Costa M. 1, Ermondi G. 1, Gattarossa F. 2, Cassia L., Novara E. 1, Colombo J. 1, Santosuosso D., Aichino M. Coach: S. Aversa.
EVOMET VELA ANCONA: Fileni T., Baldinelli A. 1, Mengoli N., Pantaloni S. 2, Zurita V., Calesini E., Milletti M. 2, Gara L., Milletti T., Bartolucci D. 2, Sabatini G., Pieroni R. 1, Firmani G., Dottori P. Coach: M. Risso.
Referees: Carrer and Iacovelli.
Notes: partials 1-2, 2-0, 3-0, 2-6; players excluded: Baldinelli and Maffè in the fourth quarter; Torino power plays 3/7 plus a penalty, Vela power plays 1/9 plus a penalty.
Torino - An incredible performance by Evomet Vela Ancona at the Monumentale pool in the Piedmontese capital, as they hand the first defeat to league leader Torino 81 after an unbelievable match and a fierce comeback in the last quarter: a 6-2 in favor of the Ancona team coached by Risso, flipping the 6-2 from the previous three quarters and securing the first precious point away from the Passetto pool. Vela Ancona makes a great start in the first quarter with goals from Pantaloni and Pieroni on power plays, while Lisica answers back for Torino's 1-2 score at the end of the first interval. Then two dominant quarters by Torino as Dorici struggle to find the net: Gattarossa and Costa score to take the lead, Torino leads 3-2 at the halfway point. In the third quarter, Torino continues its momentum with goals from Colombo, Lisica, and Ermondi on power plays, making it 6-2 at the end of the third. The Dorici urgently need goals, and a strong reaction comes in the last quarter, where Risso's team overturns the result with a 2-6 run, exactly equalizing the match at 8-8: the Dorici quickly score two goals with Mattia Milletti and Diego Bartolucci, Torino answers with Novara on a power play, then again Baldinelli and Diego Bartolucci, putting Vela ahead 7-6. Gattarossa scores for Torino, but in the final minute, the Dorici's resilience shines as Simone Pantaloni converts a penalty, and Mattia Milletti ties the game with one second remaining. "We had an excellent first quarter, then disappeared from the field, conceded absurd goals, and built poorly on the other end," comments coach Marco Risso. "Then in the last quarter, we changed and improved our defense, believed in ourselves, and they managed their advantage poorly. They are a very good team without the injured Tononi, but credit to my players who always believed even when we lost our way in the second and third quarters. I am really happy with the performance; in previous matches, we always won big when we lost focus in the third and fourth quarters, but we can't always chase the game. We are a team with maturity and technical qualities, and we need to show that from the beginning. This point is truly valuable. Now, we have a week to recover and then prepare for the match against Camogli."
REALE MUTUA TORINO 81 IREN: Aldi M., Lisica V. 2, Abate V., Coccia L., Maffe’ A., L. Romeo, Costa M. 1, Ermondi G. 1, Gattarossa F. 2, Cassia L., Novara E. 1, Colombo J. 1, Santosuosso D., Aichino M. Coach: S. Aversa.
EVOMET VELA ANCONA: Fileni T., Baldinelli A. 1, Mengoli N., Pantaloni S. 2, Zurita V., Calesini E., Milletti M. 2, Gara L., Milletti T., Bartolucci D. 2, Sabatini G., Pieroni R. 1, Firmani G., Dottori P. Coach: M. Risso.
Referees: Carrer and Iacovelli.
Notes: partials 1-2, 2-0, 3-0, 2-6; players excluded: Baldinelli and Maffè in the fourth quarter; Torino power plays 3/7 plus a penalty, Vela power plays 1/9 plus a penalty.
Torino - An incredible performance by Evomet Vela Ancona at the Monumentale pool in the Piedmontese capital, as they hand the first defeat to league leader Torino 81 after an unbelievable match and a fierce comeback in the last quarter: a 6-2 in favor of the Ancona team coached by Risso, flipping the 6-2 from the previous three quarters and securing the first precious point away from the Passetto pool. Vela Ancona makes a great start in the first quarter with goals from Pantaloni and Pieroni on power plays, while Lisica answers back for Torino's 1-2 score at the end of the first interval. Then two dominant quarters by Torino as Dorici struggle to find the net: Gattarossa and Costa score to take the lead, Torino leads 3-2 at the halfway point. In the third quarter, Torino continues its momentum with goals from Colombo, Lisica, and Ermondi on power plays, making it 6-2 at the end of the third. The Dorici urgently need goals, and a strong reaction comes in the last quarter, where Risso's team overturns the result with a 2-6 run, exactly equalizing the match at 8-8: the Dorici quickly score two goals with Mattia Milletti and Diego Bartolucci, Torino answers with Novara on a power play, then again Baldinelli and Diego Bartolucci, putting Vela ahead 7-6. Gattarossa scores for Torino, but in the final minute, the Dorici's resilience shines as Simone Pantaloni converts a penalty, and Mattia Milletti ties the game with one second remaining. "We had an excellent first quarter, then disappeared from the field, conceded absurd goals, and built poorly on the other end," comments coach Marco Risso. "Then in the last quarter, we changed and improved our defense, believed in ourselves, and they managed their advantage poorly. They are a very good team without the injured Tononi, but credit to my players who always believed even when we lost our way in the second and third quarters. I am really happy with the performance; in previous matches, we always won big when we lost focus in the third and fourth quarters, but we can't always chase the game. We are a team with maturity and technical qualities, and we need to show that from the beginning. This point is truly valuable. Now, we have a week to recover and then prepare for the match against Camogli."
Press Office Vela Nuoto Ancona
Photo: Mattia Milletti, scorer of the decisive equalizing goal in Turin
