Hungary won 5th place in the European qualifications for the World League Super Final.
The European champions defeated Croatia 14:9 in the 5th-place match on Day 3 of the Final Eight in Podgorica. Two series of four straight goals that gave Hungary a 7:4 and a 12:6 lead were crucial for the outcome.
Greece finished 7th as it beat France in a 30-goal game that opened today’s program – 18:12.
Day 3, results and schedule – 5th-place game: Hungary – Croatia 14:9, 7th-place game: Greece – France 18:12. Evening session – bronze-medal game: Montenegro – Spain (19:00 CET), Final: Italy – Serbia (21:00 CET)
European Qualifications for World League, Final Eight, Podgorica, Day 3
5th-place match
Hungary – Croatia 14:9 (3:1, 1:3, 5:2, 5:3)
Hungary: Vamos 4, Burian 3, Angyal 2, Konarik 2, Mezei 1, VIgvari 1, Nagy 1
Croatia: Marinic Kragic 3, Krapic 1, Zovic 1, Bukic 1, Vrlic 1, Benic 1, Kharkov 1.
Hungary, led by Marton Vamos (who missed yesterday’s game against Greece), built a 2-goal lead in the first quarter (2:0, 3:1). Croatia opened the second period excellently, scoring three goals in a row (Kharkov, Benic, Krapic), and went ahead – 4:3 (12th minute). Both goalkeepers (Vogel and Bijac) posted some nice saves in the following minutes. Still, Hungary leveled at 4:4 in dying seconds. Two seconds before the middle break, the European champions earned a penalty shot, which Vamos converted to 4:4. It was the start of Hungary’s first 4:0 rush.
Vendel Vigvari (HUN) Photo by VPSCG/Krsto Vulovic
The Hungarians found their rhythm. They opened the third quarter with three goals in 84 seconds (Vamos and Burian 2) and earned a 3-goal advantage for the first time (7:4). In the 12th minute, Josip Vrlic ended Croatia’s goalless phase that lasted for 7:44 minutes and made it 5:7. But, Hungary regained a 3-goal lead (8:5, 9:6).
Hrvoje Benic (CRO) and Tamas Mezei (HUN) Photo by VPSCG/Krsto Vulovic
Hungary kept the momentum and started in the fourth quarter in the same way as in the third – scoring three unanswered goals. In the middle of the final period, Hungary had a 12:6 advantage. There was no way back for Croatia.
Marton Vamos was voted the MVP of the game
7th-place match
Greece – France 18:12 (5:2, 4:3, 6:3, 3:4)
Greece: Kakaris 4, Argyropoulos 3, Genidounias 2, Papanastasiou 2, Alafragkis 2, Gkiouvetsis 2, Skoumpakis 1, Gkillas 1, Nikolaidis 1.
France: Vernoux 4, Marion-Vernoux 2, Marzouki 2, Bouet 1, Khasz 1, Caumette 1, Piot 1.
Greece opened the tournament in Podgorica with a big 6:13 loss to Serbia in the quarterfinals and finished its appearance in the 2022 World League with a convincing win in the least important game.
Greece’s centre-forward Konstantinos Kakaris (MVP of the game), France’s Remi Saudidier and goalkeeper Hugo Fontani Photo by VPSCG/Krsto Vulovic
The Greeks controlled the match from the beginning and led 5:2 at the first break. The French reduced the gap early in the second period (4:5). The Greeks’ answer was a 4:0 series. The Olympic silver medalists jumped to 9:4. France did everything to come back and narrowed the margin to three (7:10 and 8:11). But, the Greeks produced a new 4:0 rush. They scored four goals in less than four minutes to enter the final period with a 7-goal advantage (15:8) and secure the victory.
For live scoring, schedule, and statistics visit Total Waterpolo Arena’s page World League, European Qualifications F8.
Results and schedule
Thursday, April 28, quarterfinals
Croatia – Italy 6:8
Hungary – Spain 9:10
Montenegro – France 11:10
Serbia – Greece 13:6
Friday, April 29, semifinals
5th-8th place
Hungary – Greece 14:13
Croatia – France 13:12
1st – 4th place
Montenegro – Italy 7:9
Spain – Serbia 10:11
Saturday, April 30, classification games
7th-place match: Greece – France 18:12
5th-place match: Hungary – Croatia 14:9
3rd-place match: Montenegro – Spain follow live on Total Waterpolo Arena (19:00 CET)
Final: Italy – Serbia follow live on Total Waterpolo Arena (21:00 CET)
