Brescia narrowly defeated Savona 6-5 in a fiercely contested derby during the 25th round of the Italian League, securing second place ahead of the playoffs and keeping alive their chances of topping the regular-season standings.
The victory sets up a dramatic showdown with league leaders Pro Recco in two weeks. A win in that crucial encounter would see Brescia leapfrog into first place ahead of the playoff phase.
The match between Brescia and Savona was characterized by strong defensive efforts from both sides. Goals were scarce in the first half, with the teams locked at 1-1 after the opening quarter. Irving managed to edge Brescia ahead midway through the second period despite his team missing two penalty opportunities.
In the third quarter, veteran Pietro Figlioli stepped up for Savona, netting two important goals to keep his side level at 3-3 entering the final quarter. Brescia, however, broke the deadlock in the tense closing minutes. Alesiani struck first in the final quarter, and although Figlioli quickly responded, late goals from Ferrero and Vincenzo Dolce gave Brescia a decisive 6-4 lead. Savona’s Erdely found a consolation goal in the closing seconds, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat. Figlioli finished as top scorer with three goals, while Guerrato led Brescia with two.
Meanwhile, Pro Recco continued their dominant run, overcoming a challenging start to defeat Onda Forte 16-9. The defending champions initially struggled, tied 4-4 after the first period, but quickly regained control of the match. Aaron Younger, Alessandro Iocchi Gratta, and Condemi each contributed three goals in the convincing victory. Following the match, Pro Recco honored departing players Marco Del Lungo, Aaron Younger, and Ben Hallock, who will leave the club at the end of the season. Notably, Hallock and Francesco Di Fulvio did not participate in the game.
Trieste overcame a shaky start at home against Ortigia, eventually securing a comfortable 15-10 win. Despite trailing 4-2 after the first quarter and 7-6 at halftime, Trieste dominated the second half. Draskovic led with four goals, while Manzi chipped in with three. This crucial victory keeps Trieste in fourth place ahead of De Akker due to their superior head-to-head record.
De Akker kept pressure on Trieste by claiming a valuable 12-9 away victory over Olympic Roma. Stefano Luongo again proved instrumental for De Akker, netting five goals. The visitors decisively outscored their opponents in the critical middle two quarters, ultimately holding firm in the final period to secure the points.
Elsewhere, Iren Quinto defeated Roma Vis Nova 8-5, effectively ending the visitors’ slim playoff hopes. Posillipo secured a dramatic 10-10 draw at home against Telimar. The Sicilian visitors dominated early, but Posillipo’s resilience earned them a point, scoring twice in the final two minutes to tie the match.
Catania and Florentia shared the spoils in an exciting 12-12 draw, with Catania rallying impressively in the final quarter to earn the point.
The 25th round results confirm Pro Recco at the summit with 73 points, closely followed by Brescia (70) and Savona comfortably in third (63). The battle for the vital fourth playoff spot between Trieste and De Akker remains heated, with both teams locked on 46 points.
Round 25 Results:
- Trieste – Ortigia 15:10
- Olympic Roma – De Akker 9:12
- Catania – Florentia 12:12
- Posillipo – Telimar 10:10
- Pro Recco – Onda Forte 16:9
- Savona – Brescia 5:6
- Iren Quinto – Roma Vis Nova 8:5