Paris 2024 Olympics, Settebello finishes seventh in tournament of discord

Italy-Australia 10-6, Azzurri seventh

Beating Australia 10-6 Saturday night, the men's national water polo team finished seventh in the Paris 2024 Olympic tournament, a competition that will be remembered for the great controversy of the quarterfinal lost on penalties to Hungary and the striking protest gesture in the immediate pre-game and first minutes of the semifinal for fifth place against Spain.

In the Paris La Defense Arena pool, Sandro Campagna's men went ahead 2-1 in the first quarter, then stretched to 5-2 at halftime and 9-4 at the end of the third period, slowing the pace only in the last fraction, the only one to see the Australians score more times than the Settebello (2-1 the partial).

As far as scorers are concerned, the hat trick, among the Azzurri, of Matteo Iocchi Gratta should be noted, while there were two goals for Edoardo Di Somma and Lorenzo Bruni. A goal each, finally, for Andrea Fondelli, Vincenzo Renzuto Iodice and Nicholas Presciutti.

For Australia, on the other hand, Milos Maksimovic scored twice and, with one goal each, Charlie Negus, Nathan Power, Luke Pavillard and Jacob Mercep.