It is gold!

The Under 20 men's national team climbs to the top of Europe and writes a page of history: six golds won by the Italian youth national teams in as many continental competitions during the summer.

In front of the 1600 spectators present at the Corrado Roma sports hall in Montesilvano this evening Italy beat Poland 3-2 (25-19, 25-19, 24-26, 17-25, 15-6).

The final for the bronze, played this afternoon at the PalaRoma in Montesilvano, was won by Bulgaria who beat Belgium 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17).

For the final of this European Under 20 men's coach Matteo Battocchio chooses the sextet with the diagonal Boninfante-Bovolenta, the spikers Orioli and Porro, the central Balestra and Volpe and the free Laurenzano.  

On the other side of the net for Poland coach Mateusz Grabda lined up the starting six with Szymendera, Kufka, Nowik, Sliwka, Majchrzak, Kubicki and the free Hawryluk.

Poland attacked the pitch at the start of the match (2-5).

Bovolenta scores and two ace from Porro restore parity (5-5).

The Poles try to stretch again (5-7), the Azzurri recover (7-7) and with two ace from Bovolenta they reach +2 (10-8).

Coach Grabda's boys mend (12-12) and we proceed point by point (15-15).

It is Italy that turns the inertia in its favor (19-15) and keeps the opponents at a distance (21-17).

Italy keeps the pace high and wins the first set with two aces from Porro (25-19).

At the start of the second set, Italy is still the protagonist of the match (5-3).

The azzurrini find good continuity, Poland disunites and Boninfante and his teammates capitalize by placing the break which is worth +6 (6-5, 11-5).

Poland shortens (14-12, 16-14), but fails to re-establish parity and the Azzurrini accelerate again: a lob from Porro is worth 21-17.

The excellent team play of the azzurrini allows Italy to easily conquer the second set (25-19).

Upon returning to the field, Boninfante and his teammates are still setting the pace (7-4).

The time out called by coach Grabda puts Poland back on the road (7-5) who exploits the moment of difficulty of the Azzurri to even the score (8-8) and overtake (8-11).

Coach Battocchio opts for the diagonal change: Boninfante-Bovolenta outside, Fanizza-Iervolino inside.

With patience the Azzurrini shorten to -1 (13-14), Poland returns to +3 (13-16).

In the final, Italy returns to -1 (19-20) and the diagonal Boninfante-Bovolenta returns to the field.

Volpe replies (22-23) in the pit of PalaRoma in the extension of the Poles (21-23), Poland conquers the set point (22-24), the azzurrini take the set to the advantages (24-24), but they are the boys of coach Grabda to conquer the set (24-26) and to reopen the game.

At the start of the fourth fraction it is Poland to impose their game: an ace from Kufka is worth 4-8 in favor of the Poles who push hard on the accelerator and go to +5 (5-10).

Italy is struggling to find the right continuity (9-14) and coach Battocchio decides that it is time to stop the game for the second time and opts for a change in direction: outside Boninfante, inside Fanizza.

Italy struggled to find the right set-up and the Poles increased their advantage (14-20), won the fourth set (17-25) and the match continued at the tie-break.

Good start for Italy in the 5th set (4-1).

The azzurrini are irrepressible (6-2), they arrive at the change of field on +6 (8-2) and keep their opponents at a distance (11-5).

The public supports the Azzurri who fly on 15-6 and conquer the top of Europe!

The 14 azzurrini gold at the Under 20 European Championships

Dribblers

: Mattia Boninfante, Alessandro Fanizza

Opposite

: Alessandro Alberto Bovolenta

Hitter

: Luca Porro, Mattia Orioli, Gaetano Penna, Federico Roberti, Riccardo Iervolino

Central

: Ionut Alin Ambrose, Cosimo Balestra, Mattia Eccher, Nicolò Volpe

Free: Gabriele Laurenzano, Matteo Staforini

The gold staff at the Under 20 European Championships: Matteo Battocchio (first coach), Nicolò Zanni (second coach), Giorgio Sabbadin (assistant coach), Roberto Vannicelli (doctor), Francesco Bettalico (physiotherapist), Annalisa Pinto (scoutman), Mattea Tosetti (team manager).

Medal table

With the one won today, the medals won by the Under 20 National Team at the European Championships in the category rise to 12: 4 Golds (1992, 2002, 2012, 2022), 5 Argenti (1988, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2020), 3 Bronzes (1984 , 1994, 2006).