The World Aquatics water polo qualification tournament for the World Beach Games has started in Soma Bay (Egypt).
A total of 15 teams from 14 countries have taken part (only South Africa has a male and female team).
I The medal winners will qualify for the World Beach Games in Bali (Indonesia) which will take place in August.
The surprise of Day 1 was a very exciting duel between Egypt and Serbia in the men’s tournament. After a balanced battle, Egypt defeated Serbia in a penalty shootout (14:13)
Photo by Torin Koos/World Aquatics
Qualifications for World Beach Games (Soma Bay, May 12 – 15), Day 1
Men
According to the provisional entries, 12 teams were supposed to play in the tournament. But, 11 teams have taken part and they are split into four groups.
The draw was held yesterday evening. Since there is one group with two teams (group D – Hungary and Kazakhstan) these two teams will play each other twice. The single round-robin system will be applied in the remaining three groups.
The first-placed and second-placed teams will qualify for the quarterfinals (1A – 2D, 1B – 2C, 1C – 2B, 1D – 2A)
GROUP A
Kuwait – Ukraine 12:15 (3:1, 3:4, 3:5, 3:5)
Kuwait: Mulla, Yousef Bossakhar 2, Hasan 1, Alboloushi 1, Younis Bossakhar, Ali 3, Alrumaidhin 4. Head coach: Markoglou
Ukraine: Babskyi, Osyka 4, Mametyev 3, Diadiura 3, Kechedzhyi 3, Babaienko 2. head coach: Dobush.
Georgia – Kuwait 14:4 (3:1, 5:1, 3:2, 3:0)
Georgia: Gvetadze, Kikaleishvili 1, Bazhinov 2, Magrakvelidze 6, Baraldi 2, Rusishvili 2, Jakhaia 1.
Kuwait: Mulla, Yousef Bossakhar 2, Hasan, Alboloushi 1, Younis Bossakhar, Ali 1, Alrumaidhin. Head coach: Markoglou
The competition in Group A was opened with an interesting encounter between Kuwait and Ukraine. The Asians started well. However, Ukraine entered the final period leading 10:9. Kuwait leveled at 11:11, but Ukraine responded with a 4:0 run, jumped to a 15:11 lead and secured the victory.
Georgia, composed of former and current players of Dinamo Tbilisi, was too strong for Kuwait, so the team from the Arabian Peninsula lost all chances to qualify for the quarterfinals. Georgi Magrakvelidze was the top scorer. Fabio Baraldi, a former member of the Italian and the Georgian national teams, added two goals, etc.
Standings: 1. Georgia 3 pts (1 game), 2. Ukraine 3 (1), 3. Kuwait 0 (2)
GROUP B
South Africa – Saudi Arabia 12:8 (3:1, 4:3, 2:2, 3:2)
South Africa:Hashatse, Stewart 6, Rademeyer 2, Coryndon-Baker 1, MacDonald, Neser 2, Margro 1. Head coach: Mantle.
Saudi Arabia: Barnawi, Aldughther 3, Gahal 1, Aljazzar, Alhawsawi 1, Almuraihel 1, Almalki 2. Head coach: Laitadze.
Montenegro – South Africa 13:3 (4:3, 5:0, 4:0)
Montenegro: D.Cetkovic, P.Cetkovic 3, Markovic 1, Brkic 4, Korac 1, Porobic 1, Adzic 3. Head coach: Maslovar
South Africa:Hashatse, Stewart 1, Rademeyer, Coryndon-Baker, MacDonald, Neser 2, Margro. Head coach: Mantle.
The South Africans earned a 4-goal lead (6:2) in the middle of the second quarter of the game against Saudi Arabia and maintained the difference until the end.
Photo: Water Polo Federation of Montenegro
Montenegro left no chance to South Africa. This game ended even before the last buzzer in the third quarter. Nikola Markovic made it 13:3 with 16 seconds left in the third period. According to the beach water polo rules, if the goal difference between the two teams is ten goals or more after halftime, the game is declared finished, and the leading team is the winner.
Standings: 1. Montenegro 3 points (1 game), 2. South Africa 3 (2), 3. Saudi Arabia 0 (1)
GROUP C
Egypt – Romania 16:11 (3:2, 2:4, 6:3, 5:2)
Egypt: Reda, Abdalarahman, Salah Farag 4, Elsapagh 5, Atef 6, Seif 1, Ghounim. Head coach: Mansour.
Romania: Stoenescu, Amarie, Costa 4, A.Gheorghe 1, Insinna 3, Zamfir, Radoi. Head coach: E. Georgescu.
Serbia – Egypt 13:14 (5:6, 3:1, 2:3, 1:1, PSO 2:3)
Serbia: Risticevic, Andrin 2, Sulc 3, Rogac 4, N.Radulovic 1, Stojanovic 3, Jankovic. Head coach: Maljkovic.
Egypt: Reda, Abdalarahman , Salah Farag 2, Elsapagh 7, Atef 3, Seif 1, Ghounim 1. Head coach: Mansour.
Egypt got off to a good start, beating Romania. After a few twists and turns in the first 10 minutes, Egypt took control in the second half and recorded a 16:11 win.
The hosts prepared for the tournament very well, and they showed that in the second game. Several players who are on Serbia’s roster have played for the national water polo team. Still, they had not much experience playing beach water polo (Serbia, like Montenegro and Hungary, debuted in an international beach water polo competition). The home team, which had great support from the fans in the stands and the boat anchored near the field, made the most of it.
The first quarter produced 11 goals. Serbia led 4:2, but Egypt entered the second period with a 6:5 advantage and doubled its lead early in the second quarter (7:5). Still, Serbia started dictating the pace and made a 4:0 rush for a 9:7 lead. Late into the third period, Serbia was still two goals ahead (10:8), but the hosts leveled before the last break.
After 20 goals in the first quarter, a lot of time passed before somebody found the net in the final period. Egypt’s goalie Marwan Reda posted one save after another. Still, Ognjen Stojanovic gave Serbia an 11:10 lead by converting an extra player with 55 seconds left on the clock. But Egypt forced a penalty shot with 11 seconds remaining. Ahmed Elsapagh, the man of the match, converted a penalty, scored his 6th goal, and leveled at 11:11. Serbia’s goalkeeper Dimitrije Risticevic found the net from the middle of the in his team’s last possession. Still, the time expired, and the match entered the shootout.
Reda saved a shot from Ognjen Stojanovic in the first series. All the other players scored in a shootout, and Egypt started celebrating a big win. They shocked the favorite and secured 1st place in the group.
Serbia will battle with Romania for 2nd place. The winner of that match will probably play against Montenegro in the quarterfinals.
Standings: 1. Egypt 5 pts (2 games), 2. Serbia 1 (1), 3. Romania 0 (1)
GROUP D
Kazakhstan – Hungary 6:12 (2:5, 1:4, 2:1, 1:2)
Kazakhstan: Makhmetov, Tsoy 2, Akhmetov 3, Yeremin, Shonzhigitov 1, Pustovalov, Temyrkhanov. Head coach: Ukumanov.
Hungary: Karos, Kolozsi 1, Bencz 1, Kereszturi 2, Pellei, N.Nagy 2, Boros 4. Head coach: Petovary.
Hungary secured a win over Kazakhstan in the first half. After ten minutes of play, the Hungarians lead 9:3 and maintained the difference. It’s interesting to mention that last week, three players on Kazakhstan’s roster (Akhmetov, Tsoy, Shonzhigitov) represented their country at the World Cup Division 2 tournament in Berlin. Kazakhstan advanced to the playoffs in Berlin but didn’t qualify for the Super Final.
Standings: 1. Hungary 3 pts (1), 2. Kazakhstan 0 (1).
Women
Two European teams (Greece and the Czech Republic) and two African nations (South Africa and Greece) participate in the women’s tournament. After three rounds in the group, the top two teams will play in the final, the 3rd-placed and 4th-placed will face off in the bronze-medal match.
Group Stage, round 1
Zimbabwe – Greece 10:16 (2:2, 1:7, 0:2, 7:5)
Zimbabwe: Meyer, Bond 9, Harris 1, Wood, Chitsurura, Ashwin, Gentlemen. Head coach: Manthe.
Greece: Mavrota, Chaldaiou 8, Koureta 3, Berikou 1, Galanopoulou 2, Tsimara 2, Kalaitzi. Head coach:: Karagianni.
Czech Republic – South Africa 12:8 (4:1, 4:3, 1:3, 3:1)
Czech Republic: Remisova, Busauerova 3, Fugnerova 1, Kilianova 3, Javurkova, Hola 1, Hlavata 4. Head coach: Fugner.
South Africa: Laguma, Tancrel 2, Caswell, Hannan, Van den Bosch 1, Vd Loosdrecht 2, De berr 3. Head coach: Meecham.
Midway through the first quarter of the first match of the tournament, Zimbabwe had a 2:1 lead. After that, Greece, led by Nefeli Chaladiou, produced a 10:1 run for a comfortable 11:3 advantage before the final period.
The Czech Republic built a four-goal lead in the first half of the game against South Africa, which proved crucial for the Europeans’ victory.
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