FINA World Championships 2013: Water Polo Men: Day 3: ITA 12 KAZ 6

POLO AIR INDONESIA, Unbeaten Italy won Group D, turning a 6-2 halftime lead into a 12-6 victory over Kazakhstan, a team it has now beaten seven times on the elite world stage. Five of those appearances Italy won with 13 goals so the average has changed little against a team that went into the match with a win against Romania and a one-goal loss to Germany.

Italy held sway in the opening stages and led 4-0, thanks to a pair of goals by centre forward Matteo Aicardi and master blaster Pietro Figlioli.

Kazakhstan improved it to 5-2 midway through the second quarter and 7-3 by the final break. Figlioli, probably the fastest swimmer and hardest shooter in world water polo, scored his fourth goal and seventh for the championship at 11-4, just before Anton Koliadenko scored twice inside the last four minutes.

The coup de grace was delivered by Valentino Gallo with his second from five attempts a 10:54 for 12-6.

Alex Georgetti was in fine touch with a goal either side of the final break to go with his strike in the second quarter