European Championships: hard-fought victory against Sweden who had won the first set. In the decisive moments Paola’s class emerges and wins the duel with the star Haak. Now we have the winner of Poland-Holland
The girls of Italvolley don’t stop and for the fourth time in a row they reach the semi-final of the European Championship beating Sweden 3-1: after the bronze in 2019, the gold in 2021 and the fourth place in 2023, the continental title will be played from Saturday in Istanbul. They will compete in the semi-final the winner of Poland-Holland scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, at 3pm. But beating Sweden wasn’t easy, because after a sprint start with Sylla and Egonu devastating in attack, the blues have an empty pass and concede from an 11-6 lead the power of Haak and they have to give up the first set to their opponents 25-21, so for the first time in this European Championship Italy is forced to have to come back. And the suffering continues in the second set despite Velasco’s attempts to change the cards. Then Paola Egonu takes the chair who lands two attacks bringing the Italians to 23-23 and then defends on Haak allowing Antropova to build the first set ball. On the second attempt the Italians ended in their favor. The challenge between Isabelle Haak and Paola Egonu becomes more and more intense: the Swede, supported by her sister Anna, is the driving force behind Micelli’s team and reaches 30 points after 3 sets, Paola is not far behind and reaches 22 with 53%.
Egonu unleashed
The third set lives on the edge of balance until 21-21 then Egonu is still the one who determines the turning point putting down three of the four points that allow the Italians to overtake. In the fourth set Italy immediately takes a small lead, but then Sweden overtakes at 22-20. But the Italians don’t give up and then move to 22 all Sylla’s block on Haak seals the victory: 3-1 to Sweden and the dream continues. Even if Julio Velasco is not satisfied with the performance of the Italians: “The level has risen not only in Europe. It shouldn’t have surprised or bothered us that they scored so many points, but that we scored the last ones. This match leaves us with many lessons, especially on lucidity: in some moments we were not”.
