The second day of the World U20 Men’s Championships in Zagreb was packed with thrilling and closely contested matches in Division 1.
Of the four games played in this division, two were decided by just a single goal, while one went to a penalty shootout.
After an exciting day, three teams advanced to the quarterfinals. Croatia, Hungary, and Spain secured their spots among the top two in their respective groups in Division 1 and qualified for the Top 8. Greece and Serbia will join these three teams after tomorrow’s third round.
2025 World U20 Championships, Day 1
Division 1
Group A
USA – Hungary 12:13 (3:2, 3:1, 2:6, 4:4)
Croatia – Montenegro 15:14 (5:5, 2:2, 5:5, 3:2)
Croatia and Hungary achieved convincing victories on Day 1, leading many to believe they wouldn’t face significant challenges in today’s game. However, both teams had demanding tasks in close encounters.
Team USA set the pace in the first two periods of their match against Hungary, leading 6:3 at halftime. However, the title-holders began to mount a comeback after the break. They scored three quick goals to start the third period, leveling the match at 6:6. Zeman then gave Hungary an 8:7 lead in the 22nd minute, which was only Hungary’s second lead after an initial 1:0 advantage. The remainder of the game was a tightly contested battle, with the Americans equalizing four times, only for Hungary to regain a slight advantage each time. As the final minute approached, the score was tied at 12:12. Thirteen seconds before the end, Team USA missed a chance to take the lead. Hungary then forced a man-up situation just four seconds from the end. Botond Balogh beat the buzzer, finding the net with only one second remaining to secure a dramatic 14:13 victory. The top scorers of the match, each with three goals, were Lugosi (Hungary), USA’s captain Ryder Dodd, and Carcarey.
Croatia overcame a deficit in the third period to achieve a victory over Montenegro. The game was a tight contest throughout. Two goals separated the teams only twice. Both times, Montenegro had a 2-goal lead. Deep into the second period, Montenegro was 7:5 up, but Croatia leveled at 7:7 by halftime. With two minutes left in the third period, Montenegro rebuilt a two-goal lead at 11:9. Croatia caught up by the end of the third quarter, tying the score at 12:12. Susic put Croatia in front with the first possession of the fourth quarter, making it 13:12. From then on, the teams traded goals; however, Montenegro could not respond after Penava made it 15:14 with 26 seconds remaining. Vlaho Pavlic emerged as the hero for the hosts, scoring eight goals.
VLaho Pavlic Photo by Croatian Water Polo Federation
Standings: 1. Croatia 6, 2. Hungary 6, 3. Montenegro 0, 4. USA 0.
Group B
Greece – Serbia 20:21 (2:5, 6:2, 2:3, 3:3, PSO 7:8)
Italy – Spain 13:16 (3:3, 3:3, 4:3, 3:7)
Serbia started very well against Greece, taking a 5:2 lead in the first quarter. However, the Greeks made a comeback and went ahead 8:6 in the second quarter. The Serbs narrowed the deficit to 7:8 shortly before the middle break. Serbia chased the Greeks in the second half of the big battle. In the 30th minute, the Serbs earned their first lead in the second half. Luka Gladovic, the best scorer of the game, added the fourth goal to his tally and made it 13:12. Greece forced a man-up in their following possession, and Georgaras converted it to level the score at 13:13. Neither of the teams could find the net in the final two minutes and the match prolonged into a penalty shootout. Serbia won two points after nine rounds of shots. Serbia’s goalkeeper Dimkovic played a crucial role in a penalty thriller by saving two shots for a 21:20 win.
Luka Gladovic Photo by Croatian Water Polo Federation
The last match of the day, Italy – Spain, was similar to the previous three in Division 1 and produced many twists and turns. The teams were tied after the first quarter (3:3). Nothing separated them at halftime (6:6). With two and a half minutes left in the third period, Spain’s Lema was excluded for a violent foul when the score was 8:8. This could have been a turning point. Still, the Italians failed to capitalize on their man-up advantage in the following four minutes. When the exclusion ended, Italy held a narrow lead at 10:9. Spain quickly leveled the score at 10:10, and shortly after, regained the lead (11:10). The Italians managed to equalize twice, first at 11:11 and then at 12:12. Spain then went on a 3:0 run within 110 seconds, pulling ahead to 15:12 with 1:40 remaining in the game. They maintained control in the final minutes, ultimately securing a 16:13 victory. Aguirre and Gomilla were instrumental for Spain, scoring five and four goals, respectively. Additionally, goalkeeper Pina made a significant contribution to the win with 13 saves, while Marini scored four goals for Italy.
Standings: 1. Spain 6, 2. Greece 4, 3. Serbia 2, 4. Italy 0.
Division 2
Australia is the first team to advance from Division 2 to the eighth-finals. The „Sharks“ defeated two South American teams in Group E – yesterday they beat Colombia (16:11), and today earned three points against Argentina (19:11) to secure 1st place in Group E.
Photo: Croatian Water Polo Federation
Group C: Germany – South Africa 30:1 (3:1, 11:0, 5:0, 11:0). Brazil bye.
Standings: 1. Germany (1 game) 3, 2. Brazil (1) 3, 3. South Africa (2) 0.
Group D: Iran – New Zealand 15:13 (6:3, 3:4, 2:3, 4:3). Kazakhstan bye.
Standings: 1. Iran (1) 3, 2. Kazakhstan (1) 3, 3. New Zealand (2) 0.
Group E: Argentina – Australia 11:19 (1:2, 4:5, 4:6, 2:6). Colombia bye.
Standings: 1. Australia (2) 6, 2. Colombia (1) 0, 3. Argentina (1) 0.
Group F: China – Singapore 13:8 (3:2, 7:1, 3:3, 0:2). Canada bye.
Standings: 1. Canada (1) 3, 2. China (1) 3, 3. Singapore (2) 0.
