BVSC wins Danube League, beating Szentes in all-Hungarian final in Belgrade

Hungarian BVSC is the winner of the 2023 Danube Women’s Regional League.

The Final Six of this season’s edition of the Danube League finished in Belgrade today.

Two Hungarian clubs faced off in the final. BVSC beat Szentes 11:9, which won the trophy in 2022.  BVSC clinched the winning trophy for the first time in the history of the competition, launched in 2018.

In the third-place game, Serbian champion Vojvodina took bronze with a narrow 12:11 victory over German Spandau 04.

Host Crvena Zvezda was better than Strakonice (Czech Republic) by 17:11 in the 5th-place game.

All medal winners Photo by S.Sandic

Final standings: 1. BVSC (HUN), 2. Szentes (HUN), 3. Vojvodina (SRB), 4. Spandau 04 (GER), 5. Crvena Zvezda (SRB), 6. Strakonice (CZE)

Serbia’s former head coach and current member of the General Board of the Women’s Water Polo Club Crvena Zvezda Dejan Savic then Crvena Zvezda’s general secretary Ivana Corovic and others awarded the trophies and medals.

2023 Danube Water Polo League, Final Six (Belgrade, April 13 – 15)

Quarterfinals

Spandau 04 – Strakonice 17:3 (4:1, 4:1, 3:0, 6:1)

Vojvodina – Crvena Zvezda 11:10 (2:0, 4:3, 4:3, 1:4)

Spandau ran over Strakonice in the first match of the tournament.

One of the best German players in the 21st century Marko Stamm, who was the captain of the national team until this season, is Spandau women’s head coach

The winner in the Serbian derby between Vojvodina and Crvena Zvezda in the second quarterfinal was decided only at the finish, although Vojvodina led most of the time. The first quarter belonged to Vojvodina, but Crvena Zvezda produced a big comeback, scoring three straight goals in the first four minutes of the second quarter and going ahead – 3:2.

Vojvodina – Crvena Zvezda Photos by S.Sandic/waterpoloclubredstar.org

But Vojvodina responded with a 4:0 run in less than four minutes and entered the second half leading 6:3. The Novi Sad-based team stretched the margin to 9:4 and led 10:6 before the final quarter. Crvena Zvezda added speed at the finish and cut the deficit to one (9:10). Vojvodina immediately doubled its advantage. Crvena Zvezda scored a consolation goal in the last second.

BVSC and Szentes, the best team in the regular season, had a bye in the quarters.

Semifinals

Spandau – BVSC 15:16 (1:3, 4:2 1:3, 4:2, PSO 5:6)

Vojvodina – Szentes 6:17 (0:4, 1:2, 1:5, 4:6)

The semifinal game Spandau – BVSC was an even contest with a few twists and turns. Still, Szentes was a better rival for almost the entire fourth period, and it looked like the finish wouldn’t be exciting. Two minutes before the end, BVSC led 10:7. However, the Germans produced a quick comeback and leveled at 10:10 with 25 seconds left on the clock. BVSC lost the ball in its last possession., Spandau couldn’t prepare an attack after that and the match entered a penalty shootout. After a long penalty drama, BVSC advanced to the final with a 16:15 victory.

BVSC – Spandau

Szentes proved too strong for Vojvodina. The Hungarian team started very well and cruised to a 17:6 win.

Ranking matches

5th-place game

Crvena Zvezda – Strakonice 17:11 (3:3, 6:2, 4:4, 4:2)

Crvena Zvezda: Lazic, Koreni 1, Damjanovic, Marinkovic, Mamoglu 7, Todorovski 1, Radonjic 4, Diaz-Hesa 2, Ilic 2, N. Milenkovic, M.Milenkovic, A.Lazovic. Head coach: Ivkovic.

Strakonice: Remisova, Kopencova, Capova 2, Javurkova 3, Hlavata 1, Hola 3, Ximkova, Fugnerova, Zelinkova, Kilianova 2, Huliakova. Head coach: Fugner.

Anna Mamoglu (6) scored seven goals for Crvena Zvezda

Crvena Zvezda was the favorite in the 5th-placed game, but the Serbs started slowly. The team from the Czech Republic had a 2:0, 3:1, 4:3 and 5:4 advantage. After Strakonice’s fifth goal, the home team produced a 5:0 run and was 9:5 up at halftime. Strakonice cut the deficit to one (9:10) in the third period. But, Crvena Zvezda, led by a Greek Anna Mamoglu, retook control and downed the Czech by six goals.

3rd-place game

Vojvodina – Spandau 04 12:11 (5:2, 2:2, 3:5, 2:2)

Vojvodina: Travar, Svec 2, Zagar, Banjac, Pantovic, Amliaeva 3, Spasojevic, Popov, Savshenko 1, Damjanovic 2, Hamzaeva 2, Mocan 2, Corda. Head coach: Drezgic.

Spandau 04: Millichich, Koch, Linder 2, Deike 1, Weber, Bushaerova 1, Ludwig 2, Dories, Czirbus, Dieck, Houghton 3, Riley 2, Oldenburg. Head coach: Stamm.

Vojvodina

The Serbian champion built a 4-goal lead in the second quarter (6:2, 7:3). However, the Germans could come back, just like a day before in the semifinals, but, this time, they lost in the regular time. Before the third quarter, Vojvodina had a 7:4 advantage and maintained the distance until 9:6. Still, the Serbs had a slim lead before the final quarter (10:9). Midway through the fourth quarter, Spandau equalized (10:10), but Vojvodina responded with two quick goals – 12:10. The Berliners set the final score just seven seconds before the end.

FINAL

Szentes – BVSC 6:11 (1:4, 2:2, 2:2, 1:3)

Szentes: Fusti, Varga 1, Hevesi, Macsi-Kata, Dankina, Horvath, Bicskei, Samsonova 1, Bonca 2, Biro, Kover-Kis 1, Toth 2, Z.Horvatsh. Head coach: Matjaz.

BVSC-Zuglo: Kakas, Fekete 2, Meszaros-Farkas 2, Toth, Dobos, Armai, Batizi, Kolarova 1, Urvari 1, Bereczki, Kendres, Gemes 4, Polak, Hajdu. Head coach: Steiber.

Fekete (BVSC) and Dankina (Szentes)

BVSC’s excellent opening set the tone for the final. The Budapest-based side netted four unanswered goals in less than six minutes and earned a 4:0 lead. After that, BVSC didn’t let the defending champion get back into the game. In the following minutes. Szentes reduced the gap to three several teams, but BVSC controlled the game. The Budapest-based team secured a comfortable 11:6 victory with two goals in the last 85 seconds.

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