Israel will play at the Men’s European Water Polo Championships for the first time in history.
On the last day of the ECH Qualifiers, Israel defeated Turkey 9:7, secured 2nd place in Group D, and advanced to the 35th European Championships (Split, August 27 – September 10).
Other today’s matches offered expected outcomes. Germany and France qualified for the Championships from Group A.
Israel, France, and Germany joined the teams that secured their spots at the tournament in Split yesterday: Georgia, Slovakia, Malta, Romania, the Netherlands.
The same 16 teams competed at the previous three Championships (2016, 2018, 2020). This time, one participant changed – Israel replaced Turkey, which finished 12th at the 2020 Championships in Budapest.
-Participating teams in the male tournament at the European Championships-
Pre-qualified as quarterfinalists of the 2020 European Championships: Hungary, Spain, Montenegro, Croatia (host), Serbia, Italy, Greece, Russia; winners of the groups in the qualifications: France, Romania, Georgia, the Netherlands; 2nd-placed teams in the qualifications: Germany, Malta, Slovakia, Israel.
2022 European Championships, Qualifications, Day 4
Group A (Kranj, Slovenia)
ROUND 5
Belgium – Germany 5:16 (1:3, 1:6, 2:4, 1:3)
Belgium: Van der Linden 2, Van der Jeugt 1, Van Hoey 1, Gheysen 1.
Germany: Schuetze 5, Kueppers 3, Stamm 3, Kubisch 1, Cuk 1, Restovic 1, Gansen 1, Schipper 1.
Slovenia – France 11:26 (2:7, 2:5, 4:5, 3:9)
Slovenia: Kadivec 3, M.Nastran 3, Lah 2, Rajsp 1, Pus 1.
France:Bouet 10, Khasz 4, Canonne 4, Marzouki 3, Crousillat 2, Vernoux 2, Izdinsky 1
Switzerland bye
Germany opened the last day in Kranj with an easy win over Belgium and secured at least 2nd place.
France left no chance to Slovenia in the last match of the tournament. The French were the favorite. They secured the three points much before the end of the game, but they chased a goal difference. At the end of the game, France, led by unstoppable 21-year-old Alexandre Bouet (10 goals), recorded a 26:11 victory.
France and Germany won 10 points each, but the French had a better goal difference (France 80:27, Germany 64:20). Therefore, they finished atop Group A.
The top spot in the group is important because of a future draw for the tournament in Split. The four 1st-placed teams will be in the third, and the 2nd-placed sides in the fourth “pot” of the draw.
Photo by Tit Kosir
Slovenia is the only host of the qualification tournament that didn’t reach the European Championships. The Slovenians fought hard, but they had been drawn into the toughest group. France and Germany can make problems for the best European teams. It would have been a big surprise if France and Germany hadn’t qualified for the Split tournament.
1. France 4 – 10 (+53)
2. Germany 4 – 10 (+44)
3. Slovenia 4 – 6
4. Switzerland 4 – 3
5. Belgium 4 – 0
Group B (Tbilisi, Georgia)
ROUND 3
Poland – Belarus 10:17 (2:3, 4:6, 2:4, 2:4)
Poland: Macijewski 4, Kowalewski 3, Ozga 2, Paczyna 1.
Belarus: Filimonau 4, Radzko 3, Malyshau 3, M. Fedarovich 3, Varenik 2, Hirdziuk 1, Akhrymuk 1.
Georgia – Slovakia 18:16 (7:5, 5:3, 3:6, 3:2)
Georgia: Shushiashvili 3, Vasic 2, Dadvani 2, Jelaca 2, Saric 2, Baraldi 2, Vapenski 2, Bitadze 1, Imnaishvili 1, Magrakvelidze 1.
Slovakia: Zatovic 3, Caraj 3, Balaz 2, Zareva 2, Marek Tkac 2, Durik 2, Furman 1, Tisaj 1.
Defenses didn’t shine in the match between Georgia and Slovakia, but fans enjoyed an interesting battle for the top spot in the group.
Twenty goals were scored by the middle break. Georgia had a 5-goal lead (11:6) in the 14th minute. The Slovaks started coming back. They equalized at 14:14 in the 22nd minute. However, Georgia built a 3-goal lead midway through the fourth period (17:14). Slovakiacut the deficit with 55 seconds remaining (16:17), but an experienced Montenegrin, who has been playing for Georgia for years, Jovan Saric closed the match with 24 seconds converting an extra player to the final score – 18:16.
Belarus beat Poland to confirm 3rd place.
1. Georgia 3 – 9
2. Slovakia 3 – 6
3. Belarus 3 – 3
4. Poland 3 – 0
Group C (Gzira, Malta)
ROUND 3
Ireland – Lithuania 5:17 (1:2, 0:2, 4:7, 0:6)
Ireland: Connolly 2, Fitzgerald 2, Hynes 1.
Lithuania: Tomasevski 3, Gostautas 3, Galinok 3, Vitkauskas 3, Pumputis 2, Jakutis 1, Jonkus 1, Pelakauskas 1.
Malta – Romania 4:18 (1:5, 0:2, 2:3, 1:8)
Malta: Galea 2, Abela 1, D.Zammit 1.
Romania: Fulea 4,Georgescu 4, Neamtu 3, Gheorghe 2, Prioteasa 2, Czenk 1, Vancsik 1, Vatrai 1.
Romania was too strong for all three rivals in Gzira.
Today’s encounter between Romania and Malta, which was a battle for 1st place, lacked excitement. Romania outplayed Malta in all aspects of the water polo game. The Romanians recorded an 18:4 victory and finished the tournament with an impressive goal-difference (73:10).
Lithuania won consolation 3rd place thanks to a convincing victory over Ireland.
1. Romania 3 – 9
2. Malta 3 – 6
3. Lithuania 3 – 3
4. Ireland 3 – 0
Group D (Netanya, Israel)
ROUND 3
Ukraine – Netherlands 8:20 (2:3, 2:8, 4:6, 0:3)
Ukraine:Ashanin 1, Diadura 1, Gryshchuk 1, Dzhura 1, Babaienko 1, Gusakov 1, Voitenko1, Alieksieiev 1.
Netherlands: De Weerd 3,Muller 3, Janssen 3,Gbadamassi 2, Van Ijperen 2, Koopman 2, Lucas 2, Te Riele 2, De Mey 1.
Israel – Turkey 9:7 (3:1, 4:1, 2:4, 0:1)
Israel: Gros 4, Schlein 2, Fried 2, Goldschmidt 1.
Turkey: Acar 2, Albayrak 1, Somnez 1, Ergin 1, Kahraman 1, Yalcin 1.
As expected, the Netherlands defeated Ukraine in the first match of the day. Therefore, the game Israel – Turkey was a direct duel between the teams that had been targeting 2nd place.
An excellent start put the hosts on the right track. Israel’s defense did a good job in the first half, while the players were up to the task in the attack. The home side earned a 5:1 advantage in the 14th minute. By the middle break, Israel stretched the margin to five (7:2). Early in the third quarter, Israel went to 8:2.
In the middle of the third period, Turkey started recovering from a shocking first half. It scored three goals in 82 seconds and halved the deficit – 5:8. But, the Turks didn’t go further. Before the final quarter, Israel led 9:6. In the last eight minutes, the hosts focused on defense. They conceded only one goal and recorded a 9:7 victory in the end. The pool “exploded” after the final buzzer. This is a big success for the Israeli water polo, so the ECH berth brought great joy for fans and players.
1. Netherlands 3 – 9
2. Israel 3 – 6
3.Turkey 3 – 1 (-10)
4.Ukraine 3 – 1 (-13)
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