FTC edge past Recco to secure sixth Super Cup title
In a fantastic match of twists and turns, FTC-Telekom edged out Pro Recco 15-14 to lift the Super Cup trophy for the sixth time in their illustrious history. The Hungarian giants successfully maintained the Champions League winners’ tight grasp on the famous trophy, as this was the 22nd victory for the European champions in the last 23 finals. Watch all the highlights at the bottom of this article.
2025/26 Super Cup Men
Wednesday 8th October
Budapest
FTC Telekom (HUN ) 15-14 Pro Recco (ITA)
The game started at a frantic pace, and after a quick exchange of man-up goals, by Szilard Jansik and Alvaro Granados, Fradi also buried their second as Dusan Mandic fired another one in for 2-1. Then Soma Vogel made a save in Recco’s second six on five and Gergo Fekete blasted the first one from action at the end of a counter.
Vogel added another save and Fekete came up with another action goal, this time from the centre for 4-1. Recco missed another extra, but Fradi also failed to put away theirs and Francesco di Fulvio’s fierce shot crossed the line, bouncing in off the bar – and approved by the new VAR cameras.
Krisztian Manhercz’s joined the party from the perimeter, which led to the quick substitution of Tommaso Negri, but Gianmarco Nicosia couldn’t stop Manhercz’s next shot either – and between those two strikes, Rino Buric delivered an extra and finished it off from close.
The Italians failed to take a shot in their next six on five, though Nicosia made his first stop soon and Granados cut the gap to 6-4 with a fine finish after a counter.
Both sides missed their last man-ups before the first break. Recco were on two from six, and of a greater consequence, Dusan Mandic got his second major foul, which wasn’t the best piece of news for the Champions League winners.
Defences stepped up in the second quarter after the 10-goal opening period. It took three and a half minutes to see the first goal – home players hit the bar twice in man-ups, Recco also missed one, then Lukas Durik found some space in the centre to shave off one more, but Fekete immediately replied, also from action for 7-5.
Rino Buric also blasted one from the centre – well, at least from 4m, like Durik – then Vogel stopped di Fulvio’s shot in man-down, while fellow Italian, Edoardo di Somma finished Fradi’s extra with a brilliant lob, to reset the two-goal gap.
Not for long, though, as Buric put away another one from the centre, so Recco scored three from the same position in 101 seconds (all one-timers, after nice feeds from the wing).
Still, Fekete was on fire, and netted his fourth from a man-up, but he couldn’t add another one from the next six on five, while Giacomo Cannella managed to find a tiny hole from the perimeter 31 seconds from time and Recco still had time to hit the equaliser after a turnover foul, as Francesco di Fulvio finished off the counter for 9-9.
Fradi drew first blood in the third, when Mandic outmuscled Cannella in the centre, but the Italian quickly erased that memory with a fine distant shot.
And soon Recco took the lead for the first time, when Granados put away an easy extra, since the sub-goalie Daniel Szakonyi was sent out.
Manhercz buried FTC’s next too for 11-11, three minutes into the third. Fradi missed an extra, and Granados had a clear one-on-one, but Szakonyi did a brilliant steal swimming out to 6m or so. The goalies were delivering saves at both ends.
With the tension at its peak, Francesco Cassia produced a moment of brilliance, lofting a magnificent lob to bring the score to 11–12. Fradi then squandered possession during a man-up situation, yet Szakonyi came to the rescue again, denying Recco a clear counterattack opportunity. Even so, the Italians pressed on, then FTC’s Jansik’s shot from the ensuing recounter rattled the post.
With just 57 seconds remaining in the third, after a timeout, Marton Vamos delivered under pressure, converting a crucial six-on-five chance to level the match at 12–12.
Recco responded immediately with a man-up of their own, but fortune turned against them as the post intervened once again.
Then came a defining moment, as with only seven seconds left on the clock, Fekete earned a penalty. Up swam Manhercz, ice-cool under immense pressure, to bury the shot and send the Magyars ahead 13–12.
For sure, water polo enthusiasts already felt sorry that only eight minutes remained from this amazing battle.
Condemi opened the scoring with a buzzer-beater from a six on five, 55 seconds into the fourth – then Mandic beat the ref’s whistle as his shot just found the back of the net while an exclusion was called.
Durik made it even, again from the centre, when he seemed to be out of position. Nicosia delivered back-to-back saves, then after a steal of the home defence he could deny Manhercz too when Sandro Sukno called his first time-out just in the middle of the period to let the legs and minds refresh.
It almost worked, but returning Vogel made a big save on Granados in a man-down while Vamos finished off Fradi’s six on five for 15-14, with 3:17 to go.
As unbelievable as it may sound in a game of offensive superpowers, it turned out to be the winner.
Vogel had another big save in a man-down, then Mandic hit the bar from Fradi’s six on five, and Recco also missed an extra as the green defence worked brilliantly.
No calls came in Fradi’s next possession on the centre-feed, but the clock was running down and when Fulvio sent the ball wide, only 25 seconds remained. The hosts burnt that with ease to open the gate to another night of wild celebrations.
This was their sixth Super Cup win and the ninth final in a row across all competitions where they could lift the trophy. At the same time, the brilliant match was a fantastic preview of what we might expect in the thrilling Champions League season, which kicks off next week.
Watch the Super Cup final replay on European Aquatics TV
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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
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