Allianz Milano took a strong step toward the Challenge Cup final by defeating Altekma SK Izmir 3–0 (25–21, 32–30, 25–18) in the first leg of their semifinal at Allianz Cloud.
Despite the straight-sets scoreline, the match was tightly contested, especially in the opening two sets. Milano pulled away late in the first set before surviving a dramatic second-set battle that stretched to 32–30 after 39 minutes.
Ferre Reggers led the Italian side with 28 points and was named MVP, while Yuki Otsuka added 14 points and Masulovic contributed 9. For Izmir, Ibrahim Lawani scored 16 points, with Jordan Ewert adding 10 and Cafer Kirkit finishing with 8.
Milano’s blocking proved important, finishing with 11 blocks compared to Izmir’s six, while the hosts also held the advantage in attack efficiency (46% to 38%).
The Italian club controlled the third set to close out the match, though the victory was overshadowed when Francesco Recine left the court with an injury at 9–7. His condition is being evaluated by the team’s medical staff.
With the win, Milano needs two sets in the return leg in Izmir on March 12 to secure a place in the Challenge Cup final.
