Gzira 2025: Spain to face Greece for the gold at EA U18 Women Water Polo Championships

Spain recovered from an early 0-3 set-back in opposition to Hungary by smashing in 10 targets within the second quarter to take management of their semi-final conflict on the girls’s U18 European Championships in Malta on Saturday. The Magyars fought again to retake the lead, however one other late surge noticed Spain win a spectacular encounter. Elsewhere, Greece dominated the early exchanges in opposition to Italy and ran out comfy winners – additionally scoring 18 general identical to Spain – to e-book their place in Sunday’s showpiece ultimate.

Semi-finals: Spain beat Hungary after unimaginable twists

Spain gained a 32-goal epic in opposition to Hungary, which noticed astonishing twists because the younger girls gave it their absolute all.

After the Magyars soaked up some early strain with nice defending, they opened the scoring from their first additional after 4 minutes and shortly they have been 0-3 up because the Spanish have been frozen at each ends of the pool.

Though sluggish begins have been considerably a part of Spain’s performances in Malta, that they had beforehand by no means trailed by three at any level on this match.

For some time, they appeared to get into even larger hassle as Kincso Kenez buried a penalty for 2-6, two minutes into the second interval.

What got here subsequent was something however anticipated after such a starting. The Spanish began discovering the instruments to penetrate the Hungarian defence. In truth, it was extra – dismantling at its finest.

Spain managed to attain from each one in every of their possessions till the break. They put away all 4 extras, despatched pinpoint photographs to the web from the perimeter… And though the Hungarians may internet two extra, they have been unable to cease the Spaniards, who have been properly and really rolling.

When the buzzer went, the scoreboard confirmed one thing unimaginable – a 10-8 Spanish lead, which meant that they had scored 10 targets in a single quarter.

Firing in double digits in eight minutes is a rarity, even within the group stage, and it’s maybe by no means occurred earlier than in any semi-final at a serious occasion.

After such an unimaginable surge, one could have thought the Hungarians have been carried out, particularly after the Spaniards kicked off the third with one other woman-up objective.

But once more, it was gorgeous what the followers witnessed within the following minutes. A 0-4 rush by the Magyars noticed them retake the lead at 11-12.

Hungary scored back-to-back penalties on the finish of counters, then an additional, adopted by a superb lob by Sara Keszthelyi from motion, whereas their defence survived a woman-down, lastly, after conceding targets from 5 in a row.

And that they had one other six on 5, however missed it – after which the Spaniards began to regain their velocity and energy to power exclusions and convert their extras once more.

Inside 43 seconds, they went forward as soon as extra at 13-12. Surprisingly, two minutes adopted and not using a objective – however the devastating velocity of the sport had begun to take its toll on the gamers.

Liv del Sol’s 6m blast was essential, because it reset Spain’s two-goal lead, and though Hanga Szalkai netted an additional, Marina Munoz compelled herself into a very good place to hit one from the centre 29 seconds from time. After one other magnificent quarter, which noticed 5 targets apiece, Spain led 15-13.

The fourth started in dramatic style. The Magyars earned a penalty, however after burying 4, Kenez couldn’t beat the goalie this time and her subsequent shot in a six on 5 was additionally stopped by Maria Vaquero.

That was important, because the Spanish equipped and hit two excellent targets from the centre. Laia Tutusaus managed to attain with a defender round her neck, and Mari Duenas’ hit was additionally spectacular on the finish of a quick assault.

Instead of 14-15, the Magyars discovered themselves 13-17 down in 44 seconds, and though there was nonetheless 5:22 to play, it was laborious to see one other twist within the story.

It by no means got here, because the Magyars have been worn out by the devastating tempo of the match. They pulled one again quickly, however within the following minutes they missed two six on fives, so Munoz’s hit from a counter 1:03 from time was simply the icing on the cake.

Semi-finals: Greece overpower Italy

The second semi-final didn’t provide the identical thrills, because the Italians have been merely unable to match the Greeks’ tempo, and so they had light away by the top of the third interval.

Greece acquired off to the higher begin, taking a 4-2 lead in little greater than 4 minutes, however two blasts from motion, by Malika Bovo and Marta Maninetti introduced the Italians again to even. They additionally had a six on 5, however couldn’t convert it.

That missed alternative rapidly got here again to hang-out them, as Despoina Drakotou netted from the following counter – and extra ache got here within the final second of the opening quarter when Nefeli Krassa shocked Italy’s excellent goalie Letizia Scibona from her personal half to make it 6-4.

Margherita Minuto put away an additional for Italy early within the second interval, however they missed their subsequent, and once more, Drakotou penalised them by scoring from the counter.

The Italians have been now on a downward spiral, lacking one other woman-up, and the Greeks quickly scored one other motion objective, and a bit later Krassa confirmed the right way to convert a six on 5 to provide Greece a 9-5 lead.

Minuto then managed to lastly put away an additional for Italy, however one other Greek counter within the dying seconds, completed off by Eleni Elmisian, reset their four-goal cushion by half-time, at 10-6.

The Greeks seemed extra composed and after the restart, they managed to ship one other blow in simply 90 seconds. Androniki Karagianni hit a double, a pleasant one from the perimeter to kick off the third interval, adopted by one other quick counter and the Greeks have been up by six.

The Italians had determined tries and managed so as to add a few targets, however their defence by no means began clicking. Scibona, who had produced great saves on their approach to the semis, acquired little or no assist from her mates within the type of blocks or good marking, plus they have been powerless to cease the Greeks’ countless counters.

In truth, the sport was over after three durations, at 15-9.

Krassa hit her sixth at first of the fourth, once more from a counter, and shortly they completed one other quick break – and the final Greek objective was additionally from a counter, as Rafaela Saltamanika netted her fourth. All in all, it was the eighth objective from that sort.

Looking on the ultimate rating, 18-10, it was simple to choose the one stat that displayed what made the distinction between the 2 groups.

For locations 5-8^th

Whether it’s a males’s, girls’s, seniors’ or age-group occasion, a Serbia versus Croatia conflict at all times guarantees a fierce and entertaining contest. And the younger girls didn’t disappoint in that respect, although the Croats proved their energy and qualities as soon as extra by turning the match right into a lop-sided sport within the third interval.

It seemed like it will be a simple experience for Croatia early on, as they rapidly constructed a 1-4 lead, then, after 4 extra minutes of ‘swimming & wrestling’, Neli Jankovic made it 5-1.

The Serbs lastly managed to seek out some rhythm, hitting two in 26 seconds, and that halted the Croats’ domination and rocked their confidence a bit of. Just like in the course of the quarter, the end noticed an motion goal-counter combo (with a penalty on the finish), which shaved off two extra from Croatia’s benefit, this time in 21 seconds.

It was Jankovic once more who stepped up and hit an enormous one 36 seconds from time to make it 5-7 at half-time.

The Serbs earned back-to-back six on fives early within the third, however missed each – the second after a time-out – and that finally value them the match. The Croatians, in distinction, produced good woman-up play, changing three in a row in simply 88 seconds, and now led 5-10.

Serbia lastly bagged one from an additional, however the Croats have been in no hazard of letting the match slip away. They led 7-11 earlier than the final break and added two extra early within the fourth to safe a advantageous victory.

Just just like the earlier evening in opposition to Hungary, Jankovic and Jelena Butic led the cost with 9 targets mixed – and these two are properly set to form the way forward for Croatian water polo.

The Netherlands proved too sturdy for Israel, although the underdogs managed to maintain up for your complete first half and even a bit of longer after that.

After leaping right into a 3-0 lead, the Dutch seemed firmly in management early on, however the Israelis shocked them with a few advantageous skip-shots and three minutes into the second, they even went forward at 3-4.

That lastly sounded the alarm bells for the Netherlands gamers and in 33 seconds they turned the match again round, then Kiara Heerink doubled their lead, however Israel’s Libby Gur-Koren put away an additional 12 seconds earlier than half-time for 6-5.

Israel trailed by only one for nearly three minutes within the third, however then the Dutch lastly broke their resistance for good. It was a devastating demonstration of their energy, with 5 targets from as many possessions in a span of three minutes, and yet one more shortly earlier than the top of the quarter.

This 6-0 rush put the sport to mattress because the Dutch led 13-6 coming into the fourth quarter. The scoreline opened the door for a little bit of a scoring competition within the closing phases, because the Israelis additionally discovered the web a couple of instances, however the Netherlands cruised to victory.

Classification matches

Apart from a quick section early within the second interval, Türkiye bossed their sport in opposition to Germany and clinched the 9^th place, as a sort of proof they’re nonetheless the very best of the remainder, after being dropped from the highest eight within the crossovers.

They surged right into a 4-2 lead contained in the opening eight minutes, however the Germans equalised with two quick targets early within the second.

That momentum didn’t final lengthy, although, as Mina Bozkurt’s motion objective gave the lead again to Türkiye, and later, Arik Bilge buried a penalty, and extra importantly, their defence was doing an amazing job.

Türkiye shut out the Germans for a prolonged 10:22 minutes, whereas their assault added three extra targets within the third to finish a decisive 5-0 rush.

The Germans have been in a position to rating within the latter a part of this quarter. however the Türks additionally netted a few targets, with Bozkurt’s advantageous motion hit 13 seconds from time securing a 11-7 lead earlier than the final interval. Ultimately, the Türks seemed extra decided in the important thing moments, and that helped safe them an enormous win.

Great Britain additionally completed their marketing campaign on a excessive observe in opposition to Slovakia. They have been 2-6 forward by half-time, however their opponents had a greater spell early within the third after they climbed again to 4-6, whereas the Brits seemed a bit slower than regular.

However, Slovakia’s fourth objective served as a wake-up name and the Brits then staged an ideal storm, stringing collectively a 4-0 rush within the final two minutes earlier than the final break for 4-10, which set them on the highway for a snug victory.

Great Britain’s sharpshooters Zianna Wright and Amelie Perkins fired in 4 targets every, which remarkably took Perkins’ general match whole previous the 50-mark to 51 (from eight video games).

The mini-tournament for 17^th place noticed the ‘final’ performed on Saturday as properly. Both Ireland and Switzerland had crushed Bulgaria within the earlier days, in order that they clashed for the 17^th spot.

Ireland took a flying begin, establishing a powerful 5-1 lead, however the Swiss response was simply as nice, as they caught them up early within the third interval at 6-6.

However, they couldn’t deal with Laura Casserly, who put the Irish again on the profitable monitor nearly single-handedly. Also, the Swiss appeared to expire of steam as soon as they levelled the scores – certainly, they have been unable so as to add any within the final 14:42 minutes.

Casserly went on delivering objective after objective, and ultimately she stopped at seven, which proved to be a game-winning effort in a match the place the ultimate consequence was 10-6.

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Follow our livescoring website for outcomes and extra – https://results.microplustimingservices.com/ewpcU18w25/#/schedule-bydate/ASF

Women’s U18 Europeans, Malta
Results, Day 7
Saturday 6 September

Semi-finals

Spain v Hungary 18-14
Greece v Italy 18-10

For 5-Eighth locations

Serbia v Croatia 8-13
Netherlands v Israel 15-10

For ninth place

Turkiye v Germany 14-9

For eleventh place

Slovakia v Great Britain 6-13

For 17-Nineteenth locations

Ireland Switzerland 10-6

Fixtures for the ultimate day
Sunday 7 September
(Local instances proven)

20.30 – Final

Spain v Greece

19.00 – Bronze medal match

Hungary v Italy

17.30 – For the 5^th place

Croatia v Netherlands

16.00 – For the 7^th place

Serbia v Israel

Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics