Water Polo, Settebello beats France 10-7 and wins the Four Nations tournament

Budapest – The Settebello completes the hat-trick. Coach Campagna’s Italy beats France 10-7 on the final day of the Four Nations in Budapest and wins the tournament. Poker for Di Fulvio, double by Velotto; Cassia, Echenique, Bruni and Condemi the other scorers.

The Azzurri finish with full points: three wins in three gamesOn Thursday they defeated Japan 13-12, on Friday they defeated hosts Hungary 13-11.

At Alfred Hajos, a great shot by captain Di Fulvio, slightly deflected, unlocks the hostilities. France shakes up and scores a +3 break: Saudadier, Khasz and the former Bodegas score.

Italy contained the French escape with Velotto, who faked the shot several times before finishing, and Cassia who scored the equalizer. Vernoux’s extraplayer goal was worth the 4-3 French at the end of the first set. Echenique’s left-footed shot re-established the balance.

Halfway through the second half Del Lungo saves Crousillat’s penalty. France takes the lead again with Vernoux at the end of a play in numerical superiority. Di Fulvio responds, Velotto with the extra man puts the Azzurri ahead again, 6-5, before the change of pools. In the third quarter Di Fulvio scores his third personal goal for the double advantage of Italy. Khasz closes the gap. Bruni, at the buzzer, signs the 8-6. A tit-for-tat in the last quarter: first Condemi, then Crousillat. The final seal (10-7) bears the signature of the Azzurri captain Di Fulvio, author of a quartet.

Once the quadrangular is finished, the Azzurri will gather from 17th to 21st July in a training camp in Syracuse with Hungary and Japan. At the Caldarella swimming pool against the Magyars and the Japanese, Italy will play the last two matches before the Olympic appointment: Friday 19 July against Hungary at 20.45 (live on Raisport) and Saturday 20 July against Japan. The Azzurri called up are the 13 who will participate in the Olympics plus Francesco Cassia (Ortigia 1928) as an aggregate: Tommaso Gianazza, Vincenzo Renzuto Iodice (AN Brescia), Alessandro Velotto (CN Marseille), Lorenzo Bruni and Gianmarco Nicosia (RN Savona), Francesco Condemi, Marco Del Lungo, Francesco Di Fulvio, Gonzalo Echenique, Andrea Fondelli, Matteo Iocchi Gratta and Nicholas Presciutti (Pro Recco), Edoardo Di Somma (Ferencvaros). The staff includes coach Campagna, technical assistant Amedeo Pomilio, athletic trainer Alessandro Amato, team manager Goran Volarevic, doctor Giovanni Melchiorri, physiotherapists Riccardo Cipolat and Michele Mannarini, video analyst Paolo Baiardini, nutritionist Angela Andreoli and FIN representative Maurizio Narduzzi.