The series of the games in the final of the Croatian League playoffs won’t end before the fourth match.
Jug defeated Jadran Split 11:9 in the second game of a best-of-five series and leveled the score to 1:1.
Today’s match, played in Dubrovnik, was a roller coaster. Both teams had ups and downs. Jug opened the match excellently, with a 3:0 lead. Jadran found its rhythm and went in front before the middle break (6:5). Jug dominated in the third quarter and built a 3-goal lead (10:7). After that, Jadran couldn’t make a new comeback.
The next game is in Split on Wednesday.
Primorje defeated Mladost in the second game of the third-place playoffs so the series will end in the third game in Zagreb. Solaris won 5th place.
2022/23 Croatian League, final (best-of-five), Match 2
Jug – Jadran 11:9 (3:2, 1:4, 5:2, 1:1) – score in the series 1:1
Jug: Popadic, Burdjelez, Fatovic 4, Zvono, Jokovic 2, Vukojevic, Biljaka, Lazic, Krzic 2, Kakaris 2, Grgurevic, Zuvela 1, Jurisic, Mozara. Head coach: Kobescak.
Jadran Split: Marcelic, Buric, Marinic Kragic 2, Cagalj, Z.Butic 2, Pejkovic, Bukic, Tomasovic 1, Delic 1, Dobud, Setka 1, Duzevic, Anic, Zovic. Head coach: Marelja.
The begining of the game was very similar to the first match in Split. Jug started furiously once again. The hosts earned a 3:0 advantage in less than four minutes. However, Jadran came back into the match quickly. Zvonimit Butic netted two goals in 50 seconds (an action goal and a goal from a penalty shot) and cut the deficit to 2:3. Jug’s Marko Zuvela converted a man-up in the very last second of the first quarter and Jug was 4:2 at the first break.
In the second period, Jadran continued its comeback. Marin Tomasovic leveled at 5:5 in the 12th minute. Shortly after, Marin Delic put Jadran in front – 6:5. The Split-based team kept that advantage until the end of the first half.
After Jadran’s excellent second quarter, the hosts dominated the third period and that turned out to be a turning point.
Konstantinos Kakaris leveled at 6:6, but Cagalj responded immediately with an extra player and Jadran regained the lead. However, Jug took control in the middle of the quarter. The hosts scored four goals in four minutes (Loren Fatovic 3 and Filip Krzic 1) for a 10:7.
Jadran still didn’t say its last word. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Jadran’s goalkeeper Anic saved a penalty shot from Maro Jokovic. Jadran earned a man-up in the next possession. Andjelo Setka sent the ball into the net from that man-up for 9:10. However, Jug didn’t let Jadran go further. The visitors missed two chances to equalize. After that, Filip Krzic doubled Jug’s advantage – 11:9. Three minutes were left on the clock, but nobody scored after Filip Krzic and Jug started celebrating the win.
3rd-place playoffs (best-of-three), Match 2
Primorje – Mladost 8:5 (1:1, 3:2, 1:0, 3:2) – score in the series 1:1
Primorje:Brubnjak 2, Cubranic 2, Babic 1, Te Riele 1, Da.Brguljan 1, Muslim 1.
Mladost: Gluhaic 2, Dadvani 1, Jelaca 1, Herceg 1.
The third place will be decided in the third match in Zagreb. Primorje dictated the pace throughout the game in Rijeka and saved a chance to finish 3rd. Mladost leveled twice (1:1, 2:2). Primorje entered the final period leafing 5:3, and didn’t let Mladost level the score. Four minutes before the end, Darko Brguljan converted a penalty for 7:5. Everything was decided in the 30th minute when Luka Babic scored from a 6 on 5 to set the final score.
5th-place playoffs (best-of-three), Match 3
Solaris – Mornar 7:6 (3:4, 3:1, 0:0, 1:1) – score in the series 2:1
Solaris: Penava 4, Burburan 1, T.Sparada 1, D. Butic 1.
Mornar: Buselic 3, D. Akrap 2, R.Akrap 1.
Solaris won 5th place beating Mornar in a low-scoring third game of the 5th-place playoffs. The quarter belonged to the visitors from Split, but Solaris had a slim 6:5 advantage at the middle break. Only two goals were scored in the second half. The man of the match Jerko Penava opened the fourth period with his 4th goal and gave Solaris a 7:5 lead. Duje Akrap halved the deficit in the next possesion (6:7). In the last six minutes and a half there were no goals.
More news about water polo in Croatia and Serbia
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more video content, subscribe to our Youtube Channel and Tik Tok account
