PRO RECCO 16
ZODIAC BARCELONETA 17
(6-6, 6-5, 2-3, 2-3 )
CN Barceloneta produced a stunning performance to overcome Pro Recco in a breathtaking Champions League Final Four final, claiming the title after a high-scoring thriller that went down to the final seconds.
Barceloneta burst out of the blocks, taking an early two-goal lead through Alberto Munarriz and Gregely Burian.
Matteo Iocchi Gratta pulled one back for Pro Recco before Biel Gomila restored the Spaniards’ advantage.
However, Pro Recco immediately showed why they are considered one of the most dangerous teams in Europe in man-up situations.
The Italians converted their first three opportunities, with Alvaro Ortega Granados scoring against his compatriots before Andrea Fondelli levelled the match at 3-3.
Munarriz edged Barceloneta ahead once again, but Nicolas Presciutti continued Pro Recco’s perfect efficiency with the extra man to make it 4-4. Francesco Di Fulvio then handed the Italians the lead for the first time with a long-range strike, before Bernat Sanahuja struck twice in quick succession to put Barceloneta back in front.
Fondelli once again punished Barceloneta from a man-up situation as Pro Recco maintained their incredible conversion rate, finishing the opening session six goals from six opportunities and ending the first period level at 6-6.
Pro Recco tried to seize control at the start of the second session, with Presciutti and Di Fulvio giving them a two-goal cushion. Barceloneta needed just one big opportunity to respond, and Marc Valls Ferrer reduced the deficit from a numerical advantage.
The Italians refused to surrender their momentum, with Iocchi Gratta and Francesco Condemi extending their lead to 10-7. But Valls Ferrer was proving equally effective on the power play, scoring again to keep Barceloneta within reach.
Pro Recco continued to punish Barceloneta defensively, with the Italian side’s Spanish international Ortega Granados finding the net again to make it 11-8. Yet Burian and Velotto responded quickly to keep Barceloneta breathing down their opponents’ necks.
Francesco Cassia restored Pro Recco’s two-goal advantage, but Roger Tahull’s first goal of the evening made it a one-goal game at 12-11 heading into the interval.
That narrow lead did not last long. Unai Biel Lara levelled the match from another man-up situation for Barceloneta, while Pro Recco missed their first extra-man opportunity of the evening.
Despite Barceloneta’s improved play, Pro Recco goalkeeper Gianmarco Nicosia kept the Italians alive with a crucial penalty save from Munarriz. However, Tahull eventually gave Barceloneta the lead at 13-12.
Condemi answered immediately for Pro Recco from another man-up situation before Bustos Sanchez and Cassia exchanged goals, leaving the match delicately poised at 14-14 heading into the final session.
The tension increased further in the fourth period when Nicosia denied Sanahuja from the penalty spot, but Barceloneta would not be denied. Biel Lara finally broke through again to put the Spaniards ahead 15-14.
Pro Recco struggled to find their rhythm against Unai Aguirre, forcing coach Sandro Sukno to call a time-out. The move failed to change the momentum as Biel Lara completed his hat-trick to give Barceloneta a two-goal advantage.
Condemi continued Pro Recco’s outstanding efficiency with the extra player, reducing the gap to 16-15 with three minutes remaining and setting up a dramatic finish.
A late time-out from Barceloneta coach delivered the decisive moment, as Burian produced a brilliant angled shot beyond Nicosia to make it 17-15. Iocchi Gratta kept Pro Recco’s hopes alive by reducing the deficit to one in the final minute, but Barceloneta held their nerve.
After a late turnover, Valls Ferrer produced a crucial steal with just 15 seconds remaining, allowing Barceloneta to run down the clock and secure a memorable victory.
A dramatic final fittingly crowned by Barceloneta, who survived Pro Recco’s relentless pressure to lift the Champions League trophy.
PRO RECCO: G. Nicosia, F. di Fulvio 2, A. Granados Ortega 2, G. Cannella, A. Fondelli 2, L. Durik, N. Presciutti 2, L. Pavillard, M. Iocchi Gratta 3 , R. Buric, F. Condemi 2, B. Irving , T. Negri, F. Cassia 2.
ZODIAC: U. Aguirre, E. Munarriz 2, A. Velotto 1, M. Valls Ferrer 2, B. Sanahuja Carne 2, O. Echenique, J. Bustos, Z. Burian 3, R. Tahulli 2, M. Casabella, U. Biel Lara 3 , A. Bustos 1, B. Delmas Tortorella, B. Gomila 1.
Andrej Franulovic (Croatia), Julien Bourges (France).
OLYMPIACOS 13
FTC TELEKOM 16
(4-5, 5-4, 2-2, 3-5)
Ferencvaros claimed the bronze medal after a thrilling comeback against Olympiacos.
FTC water polo team secured the bronze medal at the Water Polo Final Four held in Malta after a dramatic and action-packed victory over Olympiacos, with the Hungarians overturning the odds in a match full of momentum swings.
Olympiacos struck twice within 25 seconds to set the tone early, but Zsombor Vismeg and Gergo Fekete restored parity for Ferencvaros.
The Greeks had the chance to move ahead again, but Daniel Szakonyi produced a crucial save to block Gergo Zalanki’s penalty attempt. Instead, Akos Nagy put FTC ahead at 3-2 before Evangelos Pouros and Ioannis Fountoulis turned the tide back in Olympiacos’ favour.
However, Miguel de Toro and Dusan Mandic restored some order for Ferencvaros, who finished the opening quarter leading 5-4.
Csaba Vigvari extended FTC’s advantage at the start of the second quarter, but Olympiacos responded with a strong spell, scoring four unanswered goals to take an 8-6 lead.
At that point, Ferencvaros coach Balazs Nyeki called a time-out to bring some sanity back into the Greens’ game, a move that immediately paid dividends as Fekete reduced the deficit. Zalanki, however, restored Olympiacos’ two-goal cushion.
Fountoulis then had the opportunity to complete his hat-trick, but his penalty struck the goalframe.
From a possible three-goal advantage, Olympiacos suddenly found themselves holding on to only a one-goal lead after Marton Vamos made it 8-9 and then, Nagy levelled the score.
Ferencvaros continued to fight despite losing key players. Fekete was excluded with his third personal foul, and a quick brace from Dimitrios Nikolaidis gave Olympiacos a two-goal advantage at the start of the third session.
But the topsy-turvy nature of the match continued as Mandic and Szilard Jansik brought FTC back level at 11-11.
The Hungarians suffered another setback when Vismeg was also ruled out on three personal fouls, but they entered the final quarter determined to complete the comeback.
Alafragkis restored Olympiacos’ lead early in the final period, only for Krisztian Manhercz to immediately equalise and continue the tit-a-tat battle.
Argyropoulos then profited from a man-up situation to put Ferencváros ahead midway through the final session.
Mandic gave FTC a decisive two-goal lead, but Zalanki reduced the gap to 14-13 with three minutes remaining. Yet Ferencvaros were unstoppable at that stage, with Vamos extending their advantage before Vigvari sealed the win and secured the bronze medal for last year’s winners.JANSIK Szilard
OLYMPIACOS: E. Zerdevas, D. Angyal 1, N. Gkillas, K, Genidounias 1, I. Fountoulis 2, K. Gouvis, G. Zalanki 2, D. Dimou 1, I. Alafragkis 2, K. Kakaris, D. Nikolaidis 2, A. Papanastasiou 1, P. Tzortzatos, E. Pouros 1.
FTC TELEKOM: D. Szakonyi, D. Mandic2, K. Manhercz 1, A. Nagy 2, M. Vamos 3, G. Fekete 2, S. Argyropoulos 1, D. Varga, V. Vigvari 1, S, Jansik 1, M. De Toro, S. Vogel, Z. Vismeg 1, C. Lugosi.
Referees: Raffaele Colombo (Italy), Frank Ohme (Germany).
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