Greece crushes Hungary, Spain ends Italy’s unbeaten run

After a day off, the Division 1 tournament resumed today with the second round of the second phase.

The teams that faced each other on Monday, the first day, competed again. In the upper group (places 1-4), the teams that were defeated on the first day earned points today. However, in the second round, the winners remained the same as those on Monday.

Greece completely outplayed Hungary 16:10, and Spain defeated Italy 16:12 in the upper group. Greece dominated throughout the match against Hungary (it led 7:1) in the middle of the second quarter. Spain didn’t achieve an easy win. Three minutes before the end, the World Champions had a slim 13:12 lead, and then secured a solid victory with a 3:0 run.

Spain is the leader heading into the last round, with six points, and will face Greece tomorrow in a battle for the top spot. Greece and Italy have three points each, but the “Settebello,” who were unbeaten until today, can’t move to the 1st place, unlike Greece.

Croatia beat Team USA 18:12, and Serbia defeated the Netherlands 16:12 in the group for 5th place. A round before the end, Croatia and Serbia are still in the race for 5th position, which brings the ticket for the Final tournament. The two big rivals will meet tomorrow in the decisive match. There are several possible outcomes, but most are favorable for Croatia, which has won six points, more than Serbia.

Croatia needs only one point to secure 5th place, regardless of the outcome of the match between the Netherlands and the USA. As for the Serbs, who lost to the USA (12:14) on Friday, they must win by four goals or more to qualify for Sydney. If they win by three goals or fewer, they will have to wait for the result of the match between the Dutch and the Americans.

2026 World Men’s Cup, Division 1, Day 5

Group 1st – 4th place, Round 1

(quarters 4:0, 5:3, 2:4, 5:3)

Greece: Pouros 3, Chatzis 3, Gkillas 3, Argyropoulos 3, Kalogeropoulos 2, Spachits 2.

Hungary: Fekete 2, Burian 2, Ven. Vigvari 2, Vin. Vigvari 1, Jansik 1.

The first duel between Greece and Hungary in Alexandroupolis was a thriller until the very end. Hungary secured a 13:12, scoring a winner with just six seconds to go.

Today, everything was decided in a one-sided first half.

Greece, playing strongly in defense, built a 3:0 lead in the 6th minute. Another encouragement for the home team came shortly after. Emmanouil Zerdevas, who played an excellent game, saved a penalty shot from Gergo Fekete. Chatzis converted a man-up to close the first quarter – 4:0.

Fekete put the Hungarians on the scoreboard after 21 seconds of play in the second quarter. However, it wasn’t a sign of Hungary’s comeback. Kalogeropoulos answered with two goals, and Gkillas prolonged the Greeks’ series with an action goal in the 13th minute to make it 7:1. The spectators in Alexandropoulis have watched a few big turns this week (including Greece’s comeback from 4:11 to a 16:15 victory against Serbia). However, Hungary couldn’t come back. In the rest of the first half each side scored two goals apiece and Greece entered the third period leading 9:3.

The second half began with a goal at each end of the pool, but after that, the defenses took control of the game. Both goalkeepers, Zerdevas and Vogel, made some impressive saves. In the 22nd minute, Gkillas scored during a 6-on-5 situation, marking the first time in the match that a seven-goal lead separated the teams, 11:4. Hungary then went on a 3:0 run in just 1 minute and 20 seconds. Hungary’s top scorer of the tournament, Vince Vigvari, capped off that series with a goal on a counterattack (7:11). He was well-guarded by the Greek defenders; this was Vigvari’s only goal of the game.

Greece refound its rhythm in the fourth quarter, and quickly restored a seven-goal advantage – 14:7 already in the 27th minute, and it was clear that the hosts would collect three points.

(quarters 2:6, 5:3, 2:1, 3:6)

Italy: Cassia 3, Ferrero 2, Bruni 2, Balzarini 2, Guerrato 1, Iocchi Gratta 1, Carnesecchi 1.

Spain: Granados 5, Valera 3, Biel 3, Sanahuja 2, Valls 2, Rodriguez 1.

After the first eight minutes, it seemed that the game would follow the pattern of most other matches in which Spain won at Alexandroupolis, with Spain quickly securing a lead through a series of goals and maintianing control until the end. Today, Spain did establish a significant advantage in the first quarter. However, Italy made a comeback and began chasing the World Champions and 2025 World Cup winners, but failed to catch up.

It started the way Spain’s fans enjoyed. The teams were tied at 2:2 with 03:01 minutes left in the first quarter. The Spaniards scored four unanswered goals in less than two and a half minutes. Granados made it 6:2 from a counterattack 38 seconds from the end of the first quarter. The World Champions continued dictating the pace in the second quarter. In the 12th minute, Fran Valera made it 8:3. Then, Italy did what is characteristic of Spain’s water polo team. The „Settebello“ scored four goals in a row in 02:24 minutes. Cassia reduced the gap to one from a counterattack – 7:8 – in the 14th minute. Italy’s defense and Marco Del Lungo, who was between the posts today, worked excellently. Spain’s attackers struggled a lot in the second period, but Sanahuja ended their scoreless phase 18 seconds before the middle break – 9:8.
There were only two goals in the third period, partially because of good defenses at both ends, but also because of mistakes that both teams made in the attack. But mistakes and lack of concentration are normal, since each team has played five games since Monday. Spain gained a 2-goal lead, but Italy trailed 9:10 before the fourth quarter.

The Spaniards earned a 3-goal lead in the fourth quarter (12:9 and 13:10). Three minutes from the end, Italy reduced its deficit to one goal for the last time (12:13). Granados quickly responded by scoring a goal from a penalty shot. The game remained competitive for a while until Unai Biel extended the lead to 15:12 with an extra player with 76 seconds to go, sealing Spain’s win. Marc Valls sent the ball into the empty net in the dying seconds.

Standings: 1. Spain 6, 2. Italy 3, 3. Greece 3, 4. Hungary 0.

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5th – 8th place group

(quarters 4:2, 4:3, 7:3, 3:4)

Croatia: Zuvela 5, Brubnjak 3, Kharkov 3, Jerkovic 2, Buric 1, Bukic 1, Butic 1,Pavlic 1, Curkovic 1.

USA: Irving 4, Liechty 2, Nelson 2, R. Dodd 2, Vavic 1, Daube 1.

The Croats once again proved they were better than Team USA at the moment.

The Americans managed to level at 1:1 and kept up with the Croats for a while. At the first break, the rivals were separated by two goals. Early in the second period, Butic scored the fifth goal for Croatia. That was followed by minutes in which defenses dominated. The Americans had a few good chances, but Croatia’s goalkeeper, Marko Bijac, was up to the task. In the 12th minute, Konstantin Khakov pulled a counterattack to stretch the margin to four goals (6:2).

The Americans narrowed the gap to three, but Croatia got off to an excellent start in the second half. Left-handed Ante Jerkovic netted two goals, and Kharkov prolonged the series, so the Europeans had a six-goal lead (11:5) in the 20th minute. That series was decisive for the outcome. At the finish of the quarter, they went to “+7” – first at 14:7 and then at 15:8.
Croatia, led by Marko Zuvela, didn’t let Team USA come close and recorded another convincing victory.

(quarters 3:2, 4:4, 6:1, 3:5)

Serbia: N.Jaksic 5, Martinovic 4, Stanojevic 1, Lazic 1, Milojevic 1, Murisic 1, Gladovic 1, P.Jaksic 1, Dimitrijevic 1.

Netherlands:Ten Broek 3, De Weer 2, M. van der Weijden 2, Bakker 1, Te Riele 1, J.van der Weijden 1, Van den Burg 1, Snel 1.

On Tuesday, Serbia beat the Netherlands 15:11, thanks to a good finish. Four goals separated the rivals today again, but the game had a different storyline. Everything regarding the outcome was clear in the third quarter.

The first half was a balanced battle. Serbia opened the match with a 2:0 lead, and the persistent Dutch leveled at 2:2, 3:3, 4:4, and 5:5. In the middle of the second quarter, Lars ten Broek put the Netherlands in front – 6:5 by converting a man-up. After that goal, the Serbs tightened their defense. Djordje Lazic leveled at 6:6 immediately, and Nikola Jaksic gave Serbia a 7:6 lead with 43 seconds left in the first half.

Serbia kept the momentum after the mid-break. Luka Gladovic netted twice in the first three minutes, increasing Serbia’s lead to 9:6. Serbia’s defense, led by Milan Glusac, was better and better, with a few nice saves and blocks. Sam van den Burg gave the Dutch some hope, scoring for 7:9. Still, in the last 04:04 minutes of the third period, Serbia went on another 4:0 rush – captain Nikola Jaksic netted three goals (two from penalty shots) and Martinovic added one and the European Champions secured a nice 13:7 advantage before the final eight minutes. They earned a 7-goal lead in the fourth quarter. Midway through this period, Nikola Jaksic scored his 5th goal, making it 15:8 from a counterattack, and the contest was over.

Standings: 5. Croatia 6, 2. USA 3, 3. Serbia 3, 4. Netherlands 0.

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