Jug Dubrovnik won its 16th title of the Croatian champion.
In the third game of the final series, Jug demolished Mladost 19:3 and clinched its fifth consecutive trophy for the national champion.
The result says everything about the third match. After the first two games of the final series, which offered a lot of excitement and excellent water polo battles, nobody could expect a one-sided contest in today’s encounter between the best two Croatian clubs.
However, Jug played excellently, while Mladost, the Croatian Cup winner and the Regional League winner, was far, far from its best. The Zagreb-based team, the seven-times European champion, suffered one of the hardest losses in the club’s history. The hosts dominated in all fields of the game and completely outplayed the big rival.
Croatian Championship, final (best-of-five), 3rd match
Jug – Mladost 19:3 (4:0, 6:0, 4:1, 5:2)
Jug AO: Fatovic 4, Merkulov 3, Benic 3, Papanastasiou 2, Krzic 2, Tomasovic 2 Obradovic 1, Loncar 1, Garcia 1.
HAVK Mladost: Radu 1, Bowen 1, Milos 1.
For the full match’s statistics visit the page powered by Total Waterpolo Arena: Jug-Mladost
Jug’s captain Xavi Garcia opened the scoring in the 2nd minute. Already in the sixth minute, Jug had a 4:0 advantage.
Nothing worked well in Mladost’s performance. But, after the first quarter, the visitors still had a hope that they could turn the score.
However, after the first break, Jug killed all hopes of the visiting side. In the middle of the second period, the score was 8:0.
At 0:7, Mladost’s reserve goalkeeper Jerko Jurlina replaced Ivan Marcelic, who was outstanding in the final of the Regional League and played very well in the first two games of the final series. But, that move by Mladost coach Zoran Bajic didn’t help his team. At halftime, Jug had a 10:0 advantage.
At the beginning of the second half, Mladost had a chance to score the first goal, from the counter-attack, but goalkeeper Toni Popadic, who was on a high level again, saved the shot.
After the first half, only the margin of the hosts’ win was in question.
The home side jumped to a 14:0 lead before Mladost finally scored its first goal. Thirteen seconds before the end of the third period, the visitors earned a penalty shot. Alexander Bowen sent the ball into the net from a penalty for 1:14 and home fans saluted that goal with applause.
In the fourth period, Mladost managed to find the net two times, but by the end of the match, Jug increased the difference to 16. The hosts celebrated their 16th title with a 16-goal margin win.
The home fans started celebration much before the end of the game Photo: Djino Filipi/Total Waterpolo
Schedule of the final series (best-of-five)
Saturday, July 18: Jug – Mladost 18:16 (PSO)
Wednesday, July 22: Mladost – Jug 11:13 (PSO)
Saturday, July 25: Jug – Mladost 19:3
SCORES AND STATISTICS ON OUR PAGE, POWERED BY TOTAL WATERPOLO ARENA: Jug-Mladost, the final series of the Croatian League
All champions
1992. Mladost Zagreb
1993. Mladost Zagreb
1994. Mladost Zagreb
1995. Mladost Zagreb
1996. Mladost Zagreb
1997. Mladost Zagreb
1998. POŠK Split
1999. Mladost Zagreb
2000. Jug Dubrovnik
2001. Jug Dubrovnik
2002. Mladost Zagreb
2003. Mladost Zagreb
2004. Jug Dubrovnik
2005. Jug Dubrovnik
2006. Jug Dubrovnik
2007. Jug Dubrovnik
2008. Mladost Zagreb
2009. Jug Dubrovnik
2010. Jug Dubrovnik
2011. Jug Dubrovnik
2012. Jug Dubrovnik
2013. Jug Dubrovnik
2014. Primorje Rijeka
2015. Primorje Rijeka
2016. Jug Dubrovnik
2017. Jug Dubrovnik
2018. Jug Dubrovnik
2019. Jug Dubrovnik
2020. Jug Dubrovnik
