The reigning world champion Settebello surrenders to the Spaniards this time. Decisive errors from the 5 meters of Cinnamon
We died once, twice, three times, we recovered once, twice, three times, clinging with a little finger on the ledge, with the risk of falling, as in those movie scenes that make your hands sweat, theSettebello only sinks on the seventh penalty shot when the newcomer Giacomo Cannella gets parried by Aguirre and the Spaniards crush that little finger. It ends 15-14 (9-9 in regular times), we are unable to defend the title (it would have been the fifth) and in this continuous Italy-Spain this time they win.
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The fall with a silver around the world neck is worse: we didn’t come here to win, no one would have believed it on the eve of it, it certainly hurts a bit to watch the Spaniards celebrate from the second step of an all-Latin podium (Greece is third), for once without slave squads. The coach Campagna had said on the eve that silver is forgotten after a week, but of course he and his boys will long remember the path that brought them here. Today I don’t look at the silver I won, I look at the exponential growth of the team even during the tournament, no one could think of getting here. No, I’m not even angry, I swear, his words.
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The pandemic, the closed swimming pools, the 100 missing youth teams, the Olympic disappointment, the reconstruction with five rookies and then here, in this final where even Spain understands we are not those of the groups and everything happens: the Settebello bewildered by the start in all rhythm of the most experienced Spanish gets along when under in the first quarter that closes 3-3, gets along when under 7-3, and then also when under 8-4 and then 9-5. And even when, after the first series of penalties, Cinnamon misses his first shot, we recover and finish the series still even, 4-4.
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In the third half Campagna had to change the goalkeeper: inside Nicosia al place of De Lungo who had hurt his hand (he will return to the second series of penalties), but the substitute does not make him regret, rather he keeps us afloat in a couple of potentially lethal situations. He goes to the fourth time with two goals to recover: we are still there, on the ledge, but alive.
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I knew that the game could have this trend, that they would have started strong, they have various game solutions, you stop one and offer you another – the campaign analysis -, but I told the boys to have faith in our qualities. , I knew the game was long, and it takes the c … to recover it as we did. In the end I also thought of winning it, we had the shot to do it. And in fact when Dolce brings us back there, at 9-8, 2’56 ” from the end, and especially when Presciutti finds that masterpiece goal from almost five meters that is worth the draw, the siren and the penalties, many have thought of it. .
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They deserved to win, we played an extraordinary match – Campaign continues -, we missed two penalties with a rookie, who will do them next time. Now there is a bit of disappointment but I just have to say thanks to the guys. We are only at the beginning: the journey has a destination, Paris 2024, and many intermediate stages: It will be a long and difficult two-year journey, two World Championships and two European Championships separate us from the Olympics, the team is there. Told by Campagna, it seems like a promise.
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July 3, 2022 (change July 3, 2022 | 23:03)
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