Conference Cup Women: Cosenza crowned champions after holding off Sant Feliu’s late surge in thrilling final

Cosenza is all smiles tonight, as the city’s rising water polo side, Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto, became the first team to lift the trophy in the newly launched Conference Cup Women. The Italians sailed through the finals with a perfect record, though Sant Feliu mounted a spirited comeback from six goals down, ultimately missing their final chances to level the gold-medal match on Sunday afternoon in Athens. Earlier, hosts Panionios consoled themselves with a fine win over Tenerife in the bronze-medal game.

2025/26 Conference Cup Women
Final 8, Athens, Day 4
Finals
Sunday 29 March

Gold Medal Game

CN Sant Feliu (ESP) 13-14 Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto (ITA)

Bronze Medal Game

Panionios GSS (GRE) 13-10 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)

5th/6th Final

NC Chania (GRE) 18-12 ZAVK Mladost (CRO)

7th/8th Final

CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (ROU) 5-11 Galatasaray Zena (TUR)

Gold Medal Game

CN Sant Feliu (ESP) 13-14 Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto (ITA) (1-4, 3-4, 5-4, 4-2)

It was a perfect 10 for Smile Cosenza – the Italians won all their matches in the Conference Cup Women, 10 out of 10, most of them with commanding performances.

For long stretches, they were the dominant force in the final, though Sant Feliu went all-in in the second half, with their remarkable comeback ultimately falling one goal short.

After three minutes of testing each other, Cosenza struck twice in 44 seconds, and two minutes later Nikki Mejier netted an action goal to make it 0-3.

Mari Duenas pulled one back, but Mejier converted a penalty in the next possession, then the Italians killed a woman-down to close the opening quarter with a 1-4 lead.

Federica Morrone quickly extended the gap from a six-on-five at the start of the second period, then Sant Feliu began to find some rhythm and, with precise finishing on extras, cut the deficit to two goals twice, at 3-5 and 4-6.

Still, Cosenza always had an answer. Marta Misiti followed with a 6m blast, and 49 seconds later Morrone converted a penalty for a 4-8 half-time lead.

The Spaniards missed an extra late in the second quarter and early in the third, and despite Mejier hitting the post from a penalty, she tucked away the rebound.

To further shake their rivals, Iva Rozic finished a counter in 32 seconds and, with a 0-4 run, Cosenza looked firmly in control at 4-10.

After both teams added a six-on-five goal, midway through the third it remained the Italians’ game at 5-11.

Sant Feliu had other ideas and suddenly found composure and pace, scoring three goals in as many possessions to halve the gap.

Morrone struck from a penalty, but Olga Descalzi replied from a six-on-five, and the Spaniards denied Cosenza’s final extra before the break to close within 9-12.

At the start of the fourth, Mari Duenas scored on a counter, and Anneliese Miller added an extra for 10-13, with almost six minutes still to play.

A minute later Marta Ungria converted a six-on-five and, after a spell of battling, added a penalty to bring it to 12-13 with 2:38 remaining.

However, Morrone responded with a fine action goal, her fifth of the afternoon, to restore a two-goal cushion.

Moments later, another penalty was awarded and Ungria netted her third in succession for 13-14 with 1:46 left.

Sant Feliu, who had never led, had two more chances to force a shootout, but were unable to break the Italian defence again. Cosenza, surviving the late scare, could finally begin their celebrations in style.

Bronze Medal Game

Panionios GSS (GRE) 13-10 CN Tenerife Echeyde (ESP) (4-4, 4-2, 2-2, 3-2)

The bronze medal went to the hosts Panionios GSS as they downed the other Spanish side, CN Tenerife Echeyde, in a hard-fought match.

The opening period saw an even contest with four goals apiece, then the Greeks produced a 3-0 run, though it only caused partial damage as Tenerife climbed back to 9-8 midway through the third.

An action goal from Amalia Christodoulou settled the home fans’ nerves, as the strike restored the two-goal gap before the final quarter.

Midway through the last period, it was still anyone’s game, though, as the Spaniards moved within one again (11-10) with exactly four minutes remaining.

The following 90 seconds proved decisive – Sofia Lampropoulou converted an extra, then the hosts defended well in a woman-down before Margarita Bitsakou struck a brilliant goal from the centre with 2:03 on the clock, effectively putting the game to bed.

5th/6th Final

NC Chania (GRE) 18-12 ZAVK Mladost (CRO) (3-0, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6)

7th/8th Final

CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (ROU) 5-11 Galatasaray Zena (TUR) (1-2, 2-4, 2-3, 0-2)

The two matches for the lower ranks were repetitions of the games played in the group stage and the outcome remained the same in both, not surprisingly.

Chania blew away Mladost for the 5th place, the Greeks already led 15-6 before the fourth period, while Galatasaray gradually dismantled Alba Iulia to grab the 7th place.

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Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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