Mladost stopped Olympiacos’ unbeaten run in the Champions League.
The Croats edged the Greeks 14:13 in an excellent match in Zagreb in the fourth round of Group A. Olympiacos had a 3-goal lead in the third period (10:7), but Mladost pulled a comeback and secured three points in a thrilling finish. Ivan Nagaev scored a winning goal from a penalty shot in the very last second of the derby.
Ferencvaros became the first team to mathematically qualify for the Quarter Final Stage. The reigning champion convincingly defeated Oradea in Romania in Group C, 17:5, thanks to an outstanding second half. At halftime, the score was 4:4.
It’s almost sure that Brescia will advance to the Top 8 round along with Ferencvaros from this group. The Italians beat Primorac Kotor this evening, 19:16. Brescia needs only one point in the remaining two matches to confirm 2nd place.
The series of upsets in Group D continued. Waspo Hannover narrowly defeated Marseille at home, 14:13. Considering that Marseille beat the Germans by 11 goals in France, this is a huge surprise that will make this group even more interesting.
2026 Champions League, Round 4
Mladost – Olympiacos 14:13 (3:4, 3:3, 2:3,6:3)
Mladost: Lazic 3, Nagaev 3, Vrlic 2, Kharkov 2, Vukicevic 1, Basic 1,Buljubasic 1, Biljaka 1,
Olympiacos: Genidounias 3, Fountoulis 2, Angyal 2, Zalanki 1, Dimou 1, Alafragkis 1, Kakaris 1, Pouros 1.
The game in Zagreb was a real derby between great teams, with twists and turns and a thrilling ending. There were many goals and even more personal fouls – 38 (19 for each team).
Olympiacos led 1:0 and 2:1. Mladost turned with two quick goals, but at the end of the quarter, the visitors went ahead again. Kakaris and Zalanki scored in the last 89 seconds of the period, and goalkeeper Tzortzatos (who was between the posts instead of Zerdevas) saved a penalty shot in the meantime.
A tough battle continued in the second quarter. Mladost went ahead at 6:5. However, just as in the first period, Olympiacos netted two goals after the hosts’ lead and was 7:6 up at halftime.
Mladost’s captain Ante Vukicevic leveled at 7:7 in the 18th minute, but that was followed by consecutive goals scored by Olympiacos after Mladost’s personal fouls – two with an extra player and one from a penalty shot. Two minutes and 20 seconds before the last break, Pouros converted a 6 on 5 to give Olympiacos a 10:7 lead. Mladost failed to capitalize on three man-up opportunities in this period, but Ivan Nagaev converted the hosts’ fourth 6 on 5 in the third quarter and his team trailed 8:10 before the final eight minutes.
The hosts managed to catch up with Olympiacos by the middle of the fourth period. Konstantin Kharkov netted a nice goal at 04:34 to make it 10:10. Immediately after the equalizer, Olympiacos forced a penalty shot. But, it didn’t convert it, as Mladost’s young goalkeeper Mauro Ivan Cubranic (who played the entire match this evening, Marcelic was on the bench) saved a shot from Gergo Zalanki. One of the keys to Mladost’s success was that the hosts managed to stop Zalanki, the 2026 Champions League’s top scorer, who found the net only once.
Ivan Nagaev Photo by Tom Franic/HAVK Mladost
After a few controversial referees’ decisions that sparked discussions between the referees and the teams, three and a half minutes from the end, a penalty shot was awarded to Mladost. Nagaev converted it into an 11:10 lead. A minute and a half later, a series of penalty shots was continued with a new 5 m shot for Olympiacos. Konstantinos Gendiounias hit the back of the net to equalize at 11:11. In the last two minutes, the teams quickly exchanged goals.
Fifteen seconds from the end, Danial Angyal equalized at 13:13, putting the match close to entering a penalty shootout. However, in the last second of the game, Angyal committed a penalty foul, giving Mladost the chance to secure all three points. Ivan Nagaev took the opportunity and scored his third goal, prompting a celebration from the home team and their fans.
Standings: 1. Olympiacos 9, 2. Mladost 9, 3. Radnicki (3 matches) 3, 4. Vasas (3) 0.
GROUP C
Oradea – Ferencvaros 5:17 (1:1, 3:3, 0:6, 1:7)
Oradea: Belenyesi 1, Insinna 1, Ilsie 1, Gardasevic 1, Velkic 1.
Ferencvaros: Vigvari 4, Nagy 3, Vamos 3, Argyropoulos 3, Manhercz 2, Fekete 1, Jansik 1
After conceding 43 goals in the first three rounds of the Champions League, Ferencvaros’ defense finally was at a level that was expected from the European champion. However, in the first 16 minutes, the Hungarians had problems with their attack. Oradea scored the first goal in the match, and Ferencvaros leveled at 1:1 only 27 seconds before the first break. The visitors missed three extra player opportunities in the first quarter. Ferencvaros took a one-goal lead three times in the second period, but the brave water polo players of Oradea leveled on each occasion, so the teams were tied at 4:4 after the first 16 minutes.
Marton Vamos (Ferencvaros) Photo by CSM Oradea
But, after the middle break, Ferencaros ruled both ends of the field. Oradea couldn’t outsmart the visitors’ strong defense, while the Budapest-based side’s scoring machine found the net 13 times. Just 24 seconds before the end, Oradea scored its only goal in the second half.
Brescia – Primorac 19:16 (4:2,7:7, 4:4, 4:3)
Brescia: Ferrero 3, Popadic 3, Gianazza 3,Giri 3, Balzarini 2, Guerrato 2, Dolce 2, Alesiani 1.
Primorac: Mrsic 4, Inaba 3, Vuckovic 3, S. Cetkovic 1, Murisic 1, Vidovic 1, Brkic 1, P.Cetkovic 1, Stanojevic 1.
Brescia dictated the phase from the beginning of the game. Early in the second period, the hosts built a 3-goal lead (5:2). stage of the game. The Italians maintained that difference for a while, but in the 15th minute, Primorac came very close (8:9). Brescia quickly responded with two goals to reestablish a 3-goal lead. Primorac’s Brkic closed the first half and narrowed the gap to 9:11.
Photo: Eleonora Frigerio
Brescia increased its lead to four goals in the third period (13:9), but Primorac didn’t surrender and halved its deficit (11:13, 12:14, 13:15). At the beginning of the fourth period, Yusuke Inaba made it 14:15. Still, Brescia quickly responded with a 3:0 run and jumped to 18:14 with four minutes to go. The hosts controlled the game until the end.
Brescia continued going towards the Top 8 Round, while Primorac lost its last slim chance of advancing, so it will play in the Euro Cup in the second half of the season.
Standings: 1. Ferencvaros 12, 2. Brescia 9, 3. Oradea 3, 4. Primorac 0.
GROUP D
Waspo Hannover– Marseille 14:13 (2:3, 3:2, 6:4, 3:4)
Waspo 98 Hannover:Schipper 3, Macan 2, Strelezkij 2, Buha 2, Gansen 2 Leangiewicz 1, Jaeschke 1, Vukicevic 1.
Marseille: Nagy 5, Drasovic 2, Spaic 2, Vernoux 1, Crousillat 1, Kalogerpopulos 1, Marion-Vernoux 1.
Waspo Hannover opened the match quite well, leading 2:1 deep into the first quarter. Marseille then went on a 4:2 run to take a 5:3 lead, and the French team’s fans believe their team had found its rhythm.
However, Marseille didn’t keep its momentum for long. Hannover went on a 3:0 run between the 15th and 17th minute and regained a slim advantage (6:5) early in the third quarter. A few minutes later, Hannover earned a 2-goal lead (9:7). Marseille leveled at 9:9, but the Germans replied with two goals to go to 11:9 before the final quarter .
Photo by Gianluca Tancredi
The hosts stretched the margin to three after less than 30 seconds of play in the fourth quarter (12:9). Throughout the final period, Hannover maintained a 2-goal or a 3-goal lead. Two minutes from the end, the home side was 14:11 ahead. All of Marseille’s comeback attempts ended in failure. The visitors reduced the gap to one when it was too late, 19 seconds before the end.
Hannover kept its Quarter Final Stage hopes alive, while Marseille entered a period of crisis. The French started the season strongly, but two consecutive narrow and surprising losses (to Sabadell and Hannover) put them in trouble.
Standings: 1. Barceloneta (2 games) 6, 2. Marseille 6, 3. Waspo 98 Hannover 6, 4. Sabadell (2) 3.
Visit Total Waterpolo Arena for live results and the statistics of the 2025/26 Champions League
