The first day of the 22nd World U20 Championships in Otopeni, near Bucharest, offered a lot of excitement.
Since the Championships have been played by a new formula, it is hard to single out one game as the derby of the day.
All games in Groups A and B (informally called Division 1) were encounters between teams of high quality.
Still, the day’s highlight was a clash between defending champion Serbia and Hungary (Group B). After 32 minutes, the score was 12:12. Since there are no ties in new World Aquatics’ rules, a winner had to be decided in a shootout. Hungary took two points with a 17:15 victory. Serbia won one point.
Team USA made a small surprise by beating Greece by three goals (13:10) in the same group.
Montenegro beat Spain 10:8 in the first match in Group A, while Croatia defeated Italy with the same score – 10:8.
Day 1, Results
Division 1 – Group A: Spain – Montenegro 8:10, Italy – Croatia 8:10. Group B: Greece – USA 10:13, Serbia – Hungary.15:17 – PSO (12:12)
Division 2 – Group C: Germany – South Africa 19:4, Group D: Netherlands – Brazil 13:6, Group E: New Zealand – Romania 6:15, Group F: Iran – Argentina 15:13.
2023 World U20 Championships, Otopeni, Day 1
Division 1
GROUP A
Spain – Montenegro 8:10 (1:3, 3:1, 1:3, 3:3)
Spain: Valls 3, Bargallo 2, Gomila 2, Gil 1.
Montenegro: Mrsic 3, Sladovic 2, Vujovic 1, Stupar 1, Stevovic 1, Gojkovic 1, Bastrica 1.
Montenegro stunned Spain in the opening quarter, earning a 3:0 lead. Spain, which won European U19 bronze last year with almost the same team, was able to come back. In the dying seconds of the first half, Gomilla scored with an extra man and leveled at 4:4. At the beginning of the third period, the team quickly exchanged the goals for 5:5. Then, Montenegro produced a new 3:0 run, keeping Spain scoreless for more than nine minutes, and went to 8:5.
Marko Mrsic (MNE) and Gerard Gil (ESP) All photos: Romanian Water Polo Federation
Spain reduced the gap, but Montenegro replied with two goals. Marko Mrsic made it 10:6 three minutes before the end by converting a penalty shot and the game was decided.
Italy – Croatia 8:10 (0:3, 4:3, 3:3, 1:1)
Italy: Balzarini 2, Provenziani 2, Rossi 1, P.Faraglia 1, Condemi 1, Boezi 1.
Croatia: N.Cubranic 2, Radic 2, Zvono 2, Burdjelez 1, Ljepava 1, Tonicic 1, Stojanac 1.
The second match in Group A produced the same result as the opening game in Division 1.
Croatia’s performance in the first half was almost perfect. The Croats scored three goals and killed four of Italy’s man-ups to enter the second half leading 3:0. However, Italy found its rhythm and leveled at 3:3 by the middle of the second period. The Croats re-found their rhythm and regained a lead shortly after Italy’s equalizer- 4:3. The young “Settebello” leveled once again (4:4). However, at the finish of the quarter, the team in the blue caps earned a 6:4 advantage.
Mauro Ivan Cubranic (CRO)
The second half produced a balanced battle, but Croatia didn’t let Italy level again. Two minutes before the end of the third period, Croatia rebuilt a 3-goal advantage (8:5). Italy cut the deficit to one (7:8), but Burdjelez beat the buzzer. Just three seconds before the end of the third period, he netted from the deep right (9:7). Centre-forward Ljepava opened the final period with a power-play goal for 10:7. It was Croatia’s last goal in the match. Still, its defense, commanded by goalkeeper Mauro CUbranic (12 saves) was up to the task, so Italy just narrowed the gap.
GROUP B
Greece – USA 10:13 (3:2, 2:6, 4:2, 1:3)
Greece: Gkillas 4, Georgaras 2, A. Bitsakos 1, Ch. Bitsakos 1, Pouros 1, Kastrinakis 1.
USA: Ch. Dodd 3, R. Dodd 3, Liechty 2, Castillo 2, Schneider 1, McFarland 1, Rowe 1.
Team USA was the only of three teams from the American continents that recorded a win today. The Americans made a crucial difference in the second quarter, scoring four action goals in 03:26 minutes.
The first quarter belonged to Greece, but Team USA went in front (4:3) with two quick goals early in the second period. The Europeans leveled at 4:4. Then came the mentioned 4:0 series. The Americans jumped to 8:4. Olympiacos’ Gkillas converted a man-up for 5:8 and closed the first half. Greece came very close twice during the second half (9:10 and 10:11), but it couldn’t equalize.
Noah James Rowe made a crucial block and scored an important goal in the 4th period
In the 28th minute, Georgaras scored the 10th goal for Greece (10:11). The Americans didn’t score in their next attack, and the Greeks got a great chance to level the score. They earned a man-up, but Rowe blocked a shot from Gkillas. The Greeks paid for the missed chance. Twenty seconds after, Rowe found the net for 12:10. Liechty set the final score a minute before the end.
Serbia – Hungary 15:17 (3:3, 4:1, 0:3, 5:5, PSO 3:5)
Serbia: Kojic 3, Gladovic 2, Gavrilovic 2, Martinovic 2, Kovacevic 2, Stanic 1, Dimitrijevic 1, Bozovic 1, Urosevic 1,
Hungary: Ekler 4, Vigvari 4, A. Nagy 3, Tatrai 1, Molnar 1, Szalai, Varga 1, Lakatos 1, Vismeg 1.
Shootout: Vigvari 0:1, Kojic 1:1; A.Nagy 1:2,Gladovic 2:2; Tatrai 2:3, Kovacevic hit the post; V.Varga 2:4, Urosevic 3:4; Ekler 3:5.
Today’s match was the second encounter between Serbia and Hungary this week. On Monday, Hungary edged out Serbia in the last match of the Belgrade trophy (12:11).
Today, the teams were in a neck-and-neck race until 4:4 (11th minute). Then Serbia took control and produced a 3:0 run in 03:04 minutes. The reigning champion was 7:4 up at halftime. However, the Serbs couldn’t keep the momentum gained at the finish of the first half. The Hungarians dominated the third period. Their defense was excellent. There were several excellent saves and blocks. The Serbs couldn’t find the net in this period. The Hungarians netted three unanswered goals at the other end of the pool. Zsombor Vismeg leveled at 7:7 in the 22nd minute.
Hungary’s defense was up to the task in the 3rd quarter All photos by Romanian Water Polo Federation
The Hungarians continued their series early in the fourth. They earned an extra player in their first possession in the final period, and Szalai converted that man-up to put his team in front. Bozovic responded immediately. He ended Serbia’s goalless phase that lasted ten minutes to level the score at 8:8.
The fourth quarter turned into a scoring festival. The teams traded the goals until 10:10. In the 28th minute, Aleksandar Kovacevic gave Serbia an 11:10 lead, but not for long as Akos Nagy converted a 6 on 5 in the following possession of the Hungarian team. In the 30th minute, Kojic netted a nice long-distance goal for 12:11. That was followed by missed man-ups at both ends of the pools. The goalkeepers did a great job in the final minutes. Hungary forced a penalty shot with 40 seconds remaining on the clock. The captain of the team in the blue caps Vince Vigvari (who was voted the MVP), took responsibility and leveled at 12:12.
Twelve seconds before the end, Hungary’s goalkeeper Viktor Gyapjas saved a great shot from Vasilije Martinovic. Vince Vigvari hit the post in the last second of the thrilling encounter, and the match entered a shootout.
In the third round of shots, Serbia’s Aleksandar Kovacevic hit the post and that decided the winner.
SCHEDULE AND LIVE SCORES OF THE WORLD U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TOTAL WATERPOLO ARENA
Division 2
GROUP C
Germany – South Africa 19:4 (6:1, 3:0, 9:1, 1:2)
Germany: Hofmann 5, Sekulic 3, Rehm 3, Dyck 2, Grosse 2, Portisch 2, Bauer 1, Metten 1.
South Africa: Harrod 3, Bungane 1, Imbriolo 1.
Japan bye
Germany showed no mercy to South Africa in the first three quarters. In the last eight minutes, the Europeans didn’t chase a goal-difference, and started thinking about the game against Japan on Monday, which will probably be crucial for the top spot.
GROUP D
Netherlands – Brazil 13:6 (5:0,2:1, 5:1, 1:4)
Netherlands: Ten Broek 4, Van der Weijden 4, Bakker 2, Snel 1, Smit 1,Heitink 1.
Brazil: Carsalade 3, Oliveira 2, Wulfshort 1.
After the first round, it’s certain which team will finish 1st in Group D and advance to the playoffs. Only two teams play here. They will face each other twice.
The Netherlands demolished Brazil in the first game, which means that the South Americans need an 8-goal win in the second game to win 1st place. It will be a mission impossible, considering what happened today.
Lars ten Broek (7) netted four goals for the Netherlands
The Netherlands led 7:0 after 10 minutes of play. The Brazilians got on the scoreboard only in the 13th minute. The Dutch earned a double-digit lead deep into the third period (11:1) and maintained the difference until 13:3. Brazil avoided a catastrophe with three goals in the last 143 seconds.
GROUP E
New Zealand – Romania 6:15 (1:2, 3:3, 0:6, 2:4)
New Zealand: McDowell 3, Morton 1, Soldatovic 1, Frazer 1.
Romania: Belenyesi 4, Neamtu 3, Dinca 2, Insinna 2, Piriianu 2, Tepelus 1, Armean 1.
Peru bye.
Romania’s defense was excellent in the 2nd half
GROUP F
Iran – Argentina 15:13 (4:3, 3:3, 5:3, 3:4)
Iran:Shams 5, Mehrikohneshahri 4, Iranpourtari 3, Behzadsabouri 1, Abolghasemi 1, Sadrnia 1.
Argentina: Giri 7, Lucero 3, Fernandez 1, Deluca 1, Medici 1.
Australia bye
Argentina’s Matteo Giri, who has experience playing in Europe (last summer, he moved from Serbian Stari Grad to Brescia), netted even seven goals. However, his performance didn’t help the South Americans open the tournament with a victory.
Argentina controlled the result for most of the first quarter (it led 1:0,2:1, 3:2). Late into the first period, Iran netted twice to take a 4:3 advantage. Iran imposed its rhythm, but Argentina successfully followed the Asians until the middle of the third quarter. Giri leveled at 9:9 in the 20th minute. Shortly after, Iran, led by Shams and Mehrikohneshahri, earned a crucial advantage. The Asians scored three unanswered goals in the next four minutes to enter the fourth period with a 12:9 advantage. Early in the fourth quarter, Shams streched the margin to four (13:9), and there was no way back for the South Americans.
It was a game with many personal fouls (14 for Iran and 19 for Argentina). Four penalties were awarded to each team. Iran converted all four opportunities, and Argentina scored two of four. Statistically, penalty shots conversion made the difference.
SCHEDULE AND LIVE SCORES OF THE WORLD U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TOTAL WATERPOLO ARENA
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