The 16th round of the Italian Water Polo League delivered excitement, with playoff contenders asserting their dominance and underdogs defying expectations. Reigning finalists Pro Recco and Savona cruised to victory, while Trieste secured crucial points in their playoff campaign. Meanwhile, a dramatic match in Sicily saw Catania claw their way to an unexpected draw against Roma Vis Nova.
Trieste dispatched Posillipo with an impressive 14:8 win, exceeding expectations. Vuk Draskovic led the charge with three goals. Trieste’s efficiency in man-up situations (7/9) contrasted sharply with Posillipo’s struggles (5/13). The victory solidifies Trieste’s hold on 4th place, critical for playoff qualification, while Posillipo’s defeat drops them to 7th.
Catania, a team languishing near the bottom of the standings, shocked 5th-placed Roma Vis Nova by earning a 14:14 draw. Catania entered the match with only three points but fought valiantly. The Sicilians led 13:11 midway through the final period before Roma mounted a comeback to go ahead 14:13 with under a minute remaining. However, Russo’s last-second heroics secured the tie, marking his fifth goal of the match.
Despite the draw, Roma Vis Nova remains in 5th place but now trails Trieste by three points.
Sixth-placed De Akker Bologna overcame a late deficit to defeat Telimar 15:12. Stefano Luongo spearheaded the comeback with five goals. Telimar led 11:9 late in the third quarter, but De Akker responded with a decisive 6:0 run to seal the win.
Daniil Merkulov starred for Savona, scoring five goals in a 12:7 victory over Iren Quinto. Meanwhile, Pro Recco maintained their dominance with a 13:5 win against Olympic Roma, with Giacomo Cannella contributing three goals.
Italian League, Round 16 Results
- Pro Recco 13, Olympic Roma 5 (3:0, 2:2, 3:1, 5:2)
- Catania 14, Roma Vis Nova 14 (4:3, 4:4, 4:4, 2:3)
- Savona 12, Iren Genova Quinto 7 (4:3, 3:1, 5:2, 3:1)
- Trieste 14, Posillipo 8 (3:0, 4:4, 4:1, 3:3)
- De Akker 15, Telimar 12 (3:5, 4:2, 3:4, 5:1)
- Florentia 9, Onda Forte 9 (3:3, 2:1, 4:4, 0:1)
- Brescia vs. Ortigia (to be played Sunday)
Standings (After Round 16)
- Pro Recco – 16 – 46pts
- Brescia – 15 – 43pts
- Savona – 16 – 39pts
- Trieste – 16 – 31pts
- Roma Vis Nova – 16 – 28pts
- De Akker – 16 – 27pts
- Posillipo – 16 – 25pts
- Ortigia – 15 – 22pts
- Telimar – 16 – 17pts
- Florentia – 16 – 15pts
- Quinto – 16 – 13pts
- Olympic Roma – 16 – 11pts
- Catania – 16 – 4pts
- Onda Forte – 16 – 2pts