Croatia edges out Italy; Spain and Serbia share points in Prague

August 29, 2021

Jaksic (SRB), Asensio (ESP), Milojevic (SRB) Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Total Waterpolo

After a series of lopsided wins on the first day of the World U20 Championships, the second day of the tournament in Prague offered more excitement.

Two derby games were played today. Spain and Serbia shared the points in Group B (6:6) and that was the first match of the tournament that ended in a tie. The day was closed by an encounter between Italy and Croatia (Group A), which was a replay of the bronze medal match at the 2019 World Junior Championships. Two years ago, Italy defeated Croatia 9:6 to win 3rd place.. Today, the Croats took revenge. After a lot of turns, they recorded a one-gal victory (13:12) and they are step closer to 1st place in the group

Titleholder Greece, Hungary, the USA, and Argentina were too strong for their respective opponents.

Day 2, results – Group A: Argentina – Uzbekistan 30:7, Italy – Croatia 12:13, Group B: Czech Republic – USA 2:18, Spain – Serbia 6:6, Group C: Brazil – Hungary 10:22, Group D: Greece – Kazakhstan 26:2.

All photos by Laszlo Balogh/Total Waterpolo

2021 World U20 Men’s Championships, Prague, Day 2

Group A

Italy – Croatia 12:13 (2:3, 3:2, 5:2, 2:6) full statistics and play-by-play

Italy:Ferrero 6, Iocchi Gratta 2, Patchaliev 1, Occhione 1, Caldieri 1, F.Condemi 1.
Croatia: D.Akrap 4, Brubnjak 3, Zuvela 3, R.Akrap 1, Tomasovic 1, Penava 1.

Extra player shots: Italy 6/10, Croatia 4/10

Argentina – Uzbekistan 30:7 (7:1, 5:1, 10:2, 8:3) – full statistics and play-by-play

Argentina:Conti 8, Lema 5, Freyere 3, Marquez 3, T.Giri 2, M. Giri 2, Setti 2, Lorent 2, Soler 2, Tarascon 1, Tilatti 1.
Uzbekistan:Mirzaakhmedov 2, Visnhyakov 1, Dashkov 1, Syfuddinov 1, Krivokhijin 1, Turgunov 1.

Extra player shots: Argentina 5/6, Uzbekistan 1/5. Penalty shots: Argentina 2/2, Uzbekistan 1/1.

Russia bye

Croatia dictated the pace for most of the first half of the derby. Midway through the first quarter, the Croats built a 2-goal lead for the first time (3:1), but the Italians halved the distance before the first break. Duje Akrap opened the second period with a goal from a distance to give Croatia a 4:2. Croatia maintained a 2-goal lead for a while. Still, the Italians caught up with the rival with two goals in 76 seconds. A minute and 20 seconds before the end of the first half, it stood 4:4. Brubnjak converted a man-up at 0:48, and the Croats went in front again (5:4). However, Iocchi Gratta leveled at 5:5 with 17 seconds remaining.

The game followed the same pattern in the first five minutes of the third quarter. The Croats were taking the lead, while Italy was successfully chasing the rival. Croatia went in front twice (6:5 and 7:6), but Italy equalized on both occasions.Three minutes before the end, Italy went ahead for the first time as Occhione found the net from seven meters(8:7). Shortly after, the “Settebello” added two goals and entered the final quarter with a solid 10:7 lead.

But the Croats were able to come back quickly. By the middle of the fourth quarter, they produced a 3:0 series (Roko Akrap, Duje Akrap, Brubnjak) and equalized (10:10). The fourth quarter saw many exclusions and many goals. Most of the goals in this period were scored with a man-up.

Immediately after Croatia’s equalizer, Ferrero converted a man-up to put Italy in front (11:10). But, the Croats responded with two goals (Zuvela and Duje Akrap) for a new lead (12:11) with 03:18 minutes left on the clock. After that, there were no goals for a while. Just 54 seconds before the end, Ferrero leveled at 12:12. Still, it wasn’t the end. Zuvela scored on an extra with 25 seconds to go, and Croatia earned a new lead (13:12). Italy had a great chance to secure a point in the finish, but ROko Pavic saved a shot from Mladossich in the last second.

Although Argentina isn’t in a circle of the best water polo nations in the world, the South Americans trashed Uzbekistan. Argentina took an opening 4:0 lead. The Asians scored for 1:4 in the 5th minute, but Argentina, led by Tizziano Conti, jumped to an 11:1 early in the second period and killed all excitement. Both teams should be praised, because the players tried to do their best until the end. Therefore, the fourth quarter saw 11 goals, despite everything was decided before the final eight minutes.

1 Croatia 2 – 4
2 Russia 1 – 2
3 Argentina 2 – 2
4 Italy 1 – 0
5 Uzbekistan 2 – 0

Group B

Spain – Serbia 6:6 (1:1,2:2, 2:2, 1:1) – full statistics and play-by-play

Spain: Biel 2, Ponferrada 1,Valera 1, Valls 1,Daura 1.
Serbia: Radulovic 2, Stanojevic 2, Brankovic 1, Radovic 1.

Extra player shots: Spain 5/10, Serbia 1/3.Penalty shots: Serbia 1/2.

Czech Republic – USA 2:18 (0:5, 1:5, 0:5, 1:3) – full statistics and play-by-play

Czech Republic: Smerda 1, Rames 1.
USA: Tierney 4, Frazier 3, Zamanian 3, Kranz 2, Avakian 2, Hosea 2, Cain 1, McFarland 1.

Extra player shots: Czech Republic1/4, USA 4/6. Penalty shots: Czech Republic 0/1, USA 2/2.

Slovakia bye

The derby game Spain – Serbia ended in a draw, but the Spaniards could be happier with this outcome. They secured a point with a power-play goal just 23 seconds before the final buzzer.

It took a while before the first goal was scored. Spain’s Valls Ferrer broke the deadlock in the fifth minute by converting a man-up. Serbia got on the scoreboard only seven seconds before the end of the first period (Stanojevic).

Defenses, commanded by goalkeepers Unai Aguirre and Vladimir Misovic, dominated. Radovic gave Serbia a 2:1 lead in the 13th minute from the deep left. Unai Biel ended Spain’s goalless phase that lasted almost ten minutes, for 2:2. Two goals were seen in the last 37 seconds of the first half (Radulovic 2:3 and Biel 3:3).

Ferrer (ESP) and Jaksic (SRB)

Serbia opened the second half very well – with two goals in two minutes. Radulovic converted a penalty for 4:3 in the 17th minute. In the next possession, Spain missed a man-up. Immediately after, Stanojevic finished a quick attack with a goal for 5:3. For the first time, the distance was two goals. Serbia had a great chance to go to 6:3 with a man-up in the19th minute, but Spanish Olympian Aguirre, who was voted the MVP of the game, posted an excellent save. Shortly after, the Spaniards earned a man-up, and Gomez converted it to 4:5. In the last minute of this quarter, Ponferrada scored from a new 6 on 5 to level the score at 5:5.

Early in the fourth, Brankovic gave Serbia a new lead (6:5). In the following minutes, both defenses worked well. Nobody could find the net. There were a lot of saves, blocked shots. Spain earned a man-up in its last attack in the match. Ponferrada assisted Valera, who closed the match 23 seconds before the end for 6:6, and the big rivals shared the points.

Kriz (CZE) surrounded by the Americans

The United States defeated the Czech Republic with ease. The hosts, who suffered a 0:28 loss to Serbia yesterday, scored their first two goals at the Worlds. The first came four seconds before the middle break (1:10) and the second in the fourth quarter.

1 USA 2 – 4
2 Serbia 2 – 3
3 Spain 1 – 1
4 Slovakia 1 – 0
5 Czech Republic 2 – 0

Group C

Brazil – Hungary 10:22 (1:6, 1:4, 4:6, 4:6) – full statistics and play-by-play

Brazil: Puls 3, Chiappini 2, Melges 2, De Araujo 1,Pereira 1, Gomes 1.
Hungary: Vin. Vigvari 6, Konarik 5, Ven. VIgvari 4, Aranyi 3, Meszaros 2, Szeghalmi 1, Gabor 1.

Extra player shots: Brazil 4/5, Hungary 6/6. Penalty shots: Hungary 1/2.

Germany and Egypt bye

Pereira (BRA) and Vince Vigvari (HUN)

Hungary played its first game in Prague, and recorded a big win, as expected. Brothers Vince and Vendel VIgvari and Akos Konarik sank Brazil. The fact that Brazil scored 10 goals is a consolation for the South Americans. Still, everything was decided after a 10:2 first half.

1 Hungary 1 – 2
2 Germany 1 – 2
3 Egypt 1 – 0
4 Brazil 1 – 0

Group D

Greece – Kazakhstan 26:2 (6:0, 8:1, 7:0, 5:1) – full statistics and play-by-play

Greece: Kalogeropoulos 7, Pouros 3, Panagiotis-Sgouiridis 3, Korderas 2, Chalyvopoulos 2, Kechalaris 2, Gkillas 2, Mokkas 2, Myrilos1, Ilipoulis 1, Kougiounis 1.

Extra player shots: Greece 5/12, Kazakhstan 0/2. Penalty shots: Greece 1/1.

Montenegro and South Africa bye

Reigning champion Greece showed no mercy to Kazakhstan in its first match at the Prague championships. Each field player of Greece scored today, while Efstathios Kalogeropoulos was unstoppable, he netted seven.