Serbia – Italy 17:13 (5:3, 4:4, 6:3, 2:3)
Belgrade Arena Pool. Attendance: 12,000. Referees: Margeta (Slovenia) and Pordomingo (Spain). Player more: Serbia 11 – 9, Italy 18 – 8.
Serbia: Filipović, Mandić 4, S. Rašović 4, Randjelović, Ćuk 1, Lazić 2, N. Jakšić 1, Vico 2, Dedović 1, P. Jakšić, V. Rašović 1, Glušac, Martinović 1, Lukić.
Italy: Del Lungo, Cascia, Alessani, Del Basso, Ferrero 3, Di Soma 1, Dolce, Giannaca 1, Jocchi Grata 3, Bruni 1, Condemi 3, De Michelis, Balzarini 1, Antonucci.
Serbia defeated Italy in a fantastic way and on Sunday at 20:30 will play against Hungary, with whom they fought in the group and won 15:14.
In the depths of a packed Arena, Italy fell 17:13 (5:3, 4:4, 6:3, 2:3). It was Serbia’s best match at the championship. They showed quality and character, especially after the unfair exclusion of Jakšić at the end of the second quarter, which many considered unfair. This angered the Serbian team so much that they filled the Italian net by the end of the match. Jakšić will almost certainly not play in the final, and if that happens, there is no need to talk about how big a handicap that will be. By the way, the secured medal is Serbia’s best result since Barcelona 2018.
Serbia was brilliant with the player with more 11 – 9, flawless with the player with less 18-8. Mandić and Rašović hit like in training, Glušac experienced several ovations from the packed Arena with over 50 percent saves. He had 14 of 26 and De Michelis and Del Lungo had a total of five. After the match, he was declared the best player of the big match.
The Serbian first quarter was excellent. Three times the Italians managed to cancel out the minimal advantage they created with precise shots, twice by Mandić and once by Nikola Jakšić. With a 2:1 lead, the Serbian national team had two more players, but Ćuk was unsuccessful. Then Vico did everything but hit the crossbar. The defense won duels with the Italians and in the last 90 seconds the reward came. Strahinja Rašović and Dedović scored twice more.
Everything went smoothly in the second quarter, Serbia held a two-three goal lead and it seemed that the game was going completely as expected. Del Lungo was substituted after three minutes. However, a minute before the end, the referees awarded Serbia a five-pointer. Kampanja requested a review and the decision was horrific – captain Nikola Jakšić was sent off with the right to be substituted. Serbia continued without one of its best players and the question is whether it will play on Sunday. In a controversial situation, Jakšić reacted to a foul by an Italian player who went unpunished. With two goals to spare but without Jakšić, Serbia continued its fight for the finals.
After the break, Serbia continued as if it was complete. Playful Mandić, then masterful Lazić and then Strahinja Rašović for 12:7 in the middle of the quarter. Kampanja had no choice, he asked for a timeout to stop the shipwreck. The bulwark guarded the advantage. At the score of 13:9, Stevanović signaled a goal and after watching the video, Strahinja Rašović became the scorer 14:9. By the end of the quarter, Vico brought the score to 15:10 with his second goal. It was a quarter with 12 exclusions, Serbia defended brilliantly with Glušac in goal. On the other side, Kampanja changed goalkeepers again but there was no salvation. It was also 17:11 in the middle of the last part. The difference does not matter, Serbia will play for gold, for the first time since Barcelona in 2018.
