A1 M - Bitter defeat for Trieste, Florentia slips into Play Out
In the last day of the regular season of the Serie A1 men's water polo championship, Trieste enforces its dominance and condemns the home team to the Play Out semi-finals against Roma Olympic. A bitter but somewhat predictable outcome that does not erase the good things achieved throughout the season by Luca Minetti's young and combative group, capable of securing seven victories and five draws, including important away wins in Palermo, Genoa, and Bologna.
For Florentia, besides the technical gap against a technically organized opponent motivated to secure the best possible position in the playoff grid, the pressure of the "must-win" situation and too many fouls weighed heavily.
After a tense start, Florentia reacted thanks to goals from Stocco (2), Hofmeijer, and Mancini, showing character and pride, trying to stay close to their opponents. In the second half of the game, the guests - led by an unstoppable Vjekoslav Draskovic (scoring 7 goals) - widened the gap, taking advantage of numerical superiority with composure and firmly controlling the pace, closing the match early, despite attempts to shorten the gap with goals from Mancini and Sordini.
For the "gigliata" team, they must overcome the bitterness of not achieving direct salvation, which they came close to multiple times during the season. The opportunity to redeem themselves will start on Saturday, the 26th at the Nannini pool in Florence, an objective well within reach for Minetti's team.
RN FLORENTIA-WATERPOLO TRIESTE 7-14
RN FLORENTIA: M. Cicali, G. Chemeri, M. Stocco 2, C. Di Fulvio, T. De Mey, M. Calamai, N. Hofmeijer 1, G. Cardoni, S. Sordini 1, N. Benvenuti 1, G. Bini, C. Mancini 2, G. Gioia, U. Trpovski. Coach: Minetti
WATERPOLO TRIESTE: D. Lazovic, D. Podgornik 1, R. Petronio, N. Pavic, L. Marziali, T. Sedlmayer 1, E. Manzi, M. Mezzarobba 3, A. Razzi, V. Draskovic 7, D. Kujacic 1, A. Mladossich, P. Oliva, F. Casavola 1. Coach: Mirarchi
Referees: Ricciotti and Guarracino
Quarters: 1-3, 4-4, 0-3, 2-4. Bini (F) was excluded for too many fouls in the third quarter and Stocco (F) in the fourth quarter. Man-up situations: Florentia 4/13, Trieste 5/14, and 4 penalties. Approximately 400 spectators
Press Office Rari Nantes Florentia
Photo by Daniele Mealli - Totosport
