Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
BOLZANO – A defeat with heads held high for Teamnetwork Albatro Syracuse, who came within a whisker of a stunning upset on Bolzano’s court in a nail-biting match. The side coached by Mateo Garralda lost 33-31, but the final twelve minutes showcased a team capable of responding with enormous character, clawing back from a heavy seven-goal deficit to within one, thanks to Leonardo Boggia with just two minutes remaining.
Before the opening whistle, there was a moving tribute to Rafi Rottensteiner, the 22-year-old Bolzano goalkeeper who died last June: both teams took to the pitch alongside the young athlete’s family, wearing commemorative jerseys.
The match scorecard
SSV BOZEN – TEAMNETWORK ALBATRO 33–31
(Half-time: 17–15)
Bolzano: Gozzi, Di Giulio 4, Trevisiol, Tamanini, Walcher 1, Glicic 1, Brantsch, Bortolot 1, Starcevic 9, Zanetti, De Leo, Boev, Zanutto 2, Udovicic 8, Garcia 5, Glisic 2. Coach: Sergio Palazzi.
Teamnetwork Albatro: Riahi, Pivato, Marino, Kucsera 7, Lorentzen 2, Angiolini 6, Zungri, Mazzone 4, Sirotic, Coutinho 2, Boggia 3, Hermones, Vinci 1, Guggino 6. Coach: Mateo Garralda.
Referees: Loris Curti and Michele Lazzari.
Balanced first half, then Bolzano pull ahead
With Sirotic rested on the bench due to a shoulder issue, the game started at a high tempo, with both sides trading blows. At the 15-minute mark, Albatro took the lead with a fine spin shot from Kucsera (the team’s top scorer with seven goals), but Bolzano responded with a 3-0 run. The Syracuse side levelled at 21 minutes thanks to Guggino (six goals), before another Bolzano surge made it 17-15 at half-time.
In the early stages of the second half, Bolzano looked set to seal the win: led by an unstoppable Starcevic (nine goals) and Udovicic (eight), the home side stretched their lead to a maximum of seven.
Riahi takes charge and reopens the match: a breathless finale
At their lowest ebb, Albatro found defensive solidity thanks to crucial saves from goalkeeper Riahi: his seven consecutive stops paved the way for a devastating 5-0 run for the Syracuse side, with goals from Angiolini, Mazzone and Boggia.
With two minutes left, Albatro closed to within one (32-31) and dreamed of a dramatic equaliser. In the frantic final minute, however, a Syracuse error from six metres allowed Bolzano to regain possession: it was Garcia who scored with just seconds remaining to make it 33-31 and end Albatro’s hopes.
