Settebello, World Cup gets complicated: Sandro Campagna doesn’t hide disappointment

Italy forced into play-offs

With two minutes to go it looked like a winnable game, instead it è turned into a nightmare: the Settebello, in the climactic match of Group D of the Water Polo World Cup being held in Doha (Qatar), were in fact caught up by Hungary on 9-9, only to lose on penalty shots (15-14 the overall score).

An outcome that guarantees the Hungarians the first place in the group and direct qualification to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, while Italy will be forced to go through the play-offs: an extra dangerous round, in a tournament that is also important because it guarantees four places for the Olympic tournament in Paris, scheduled for this summer.

"We had the game in our hands,” said Azzurri coach Sandro Campagna to the microphones of 'Rai Sport' -then came the goal with the man down that was coming back and that mistake at halfcourt. Two goals taken in ten seconds that cost us the victory".

" These, however, are matches of the highest level that make you grow,” Campagna added. “On penalties we have to improve but nothing detracts from the quality of our play against a physically strong team, with whom we fought hard. The playoffs? We have to think about one game at a time".