Paola top scorer (19) but with a modest 39% in attack Miriam better in reception (50%) but struggles to close the shots
/ CONEGLIANO
Italy hardly conquers the third victory in Group C of the 2021 European Championship and continues its slow growth path: there is the bronze of 2019 to defend, there is the recent Olympic disappointment of Tokyo to redeem. The lost set leaves Croatia in first place and must sound a wake-up call for the rest of the tournament; ends 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 25-27, 25-17), only with the last set at a sufficient level.
The Slovakia led by Fenoglio does not give anything and builds its resistance on the strength of the attack shots, on the good positioning on the defensive trajectories and on the aggressiveness on the wall. The blue, against another technically inferior opponent, struggle to find rhythms and measures: the one who suffers the most is Egonu, who takes two steps back from the test against Hungary. Her jumping times, on the attacks and on the wall, are not as precise as it would be, partly for her demerit, partly for defects of the supports that arrive to her; only when the ball is fast and perfect is there no story, but it happens so rarely that it fails to enter the game, to be the protagonist and driver. Yes, she is the top scorer (19), but with 20 direct errors, a modest 39% in attack and no block.
Compensate well the companions, especially Pietrini, Chirichella and Danesi with the attack phase, where instead Sylla is in hiding, despite the priceless resourcefulness: the captain struggles to close the shots, makes mistakes even without a wall in front, while putting everything on the field. his determination and good will in the replays. It went better yesterday in reception (50%) and with the cover in the second line, as well as with the tactical serve. De Gennaro is permanently adjunct playmaker, especially in the break phase: the speed of his second touch does not change with the execution technique, whether it is bagher or dribble. She also experiences some difficulties on the violent blows of the Slovakian crushers, able to bend her wrists. For Fahr, replaced by Danesi in the starting sextet, a rest session has arrived in view of the most important challenges of the next few days.
It starts tomorrow at 21, with the challenge to Croatia, the hostess: here we will decide the first place in the group, which will lead to the round of 16 in Belgrade to cross the fourth classified of group A. In front, after the Conegliano-Perugia match of the last Serie A championship, the two coaches Davide Mazzanti and Daniele Santarelli will find themselves as opponents; it was the latter, before the draw for the groups, who chose Italy as the opponent, based on the rule that allowed the host nations to indicate an option among the other twenty opponents. Imoco fans watch curiously, while the other panthers train. –