Greece secured a decisive victory over Italy on Thursday in Belgrade, claiming a 12-5 win in the bronze medal match of the European Water Polo Championships. the loss effectively ends Italy’s medal hopes at the tournament, while together marking a historic achievement for Greece, who are now guaranteed their first-ever medal in the competition’s history [[3]]. The result also has implications for the upcoming gold medal match between Serbia and Hungary, suggesting Italy’s earlier defeat to Serbia may not have been as clear-cut as it appeared.
Italy’s hopes for a medal at the European Water Polo Championships took a significant hit on Thursday, as they were convincingly defeated by Greece 12-5 in a bronze medal match held in Belgrade. The Italians struggled to find the back of the net, failing to score against the Greek defense throughout much of the contest.
Marco Del Lungo, Italy’s standout goalkeeper, had a rough start, conceding four goals in the first six minutes. However, the biggest issue for the 2019 world champions was their inability to respond offensively. Filippo Ferrero managed to score a goal, but it proved to be a small consolation as Greece dominated the first quarter, leading 4–1.
The three-time European champions couldn’t close the gap in the second period, falling behind 7–1. A late goal with just four seconds remaining on the clock offered a brief respite for Italy, but they still trailed significantly.
Things didn’t improve after halftime, as Konstantinos Kakaris quickly extended Greece’s lead. Greek goalkeeper Emmanouil Zerdevas continued his stellar performance, boasting an impressive 80% save percentage – a performance that would make many a soccer goalkeeper envious. A controversial goal by Konstantinos Giouvetsis, confirmed by video review to have crossed the line, further demoralized the Italians (3–9). Del Lungo could only watch as the shot appeared to graze the crossbar before falling in.
The final quarter, starting at a 10–4 scoreline, wasn’t about a potential comeback for Greece, who are aiming for their first continental medal. Instead, the focus shifted to the margin of victory. Efsathios Kalogeropoulos scored a beautiful goal, prompting a celebration from the Greek supporters in the stands, with several members of the Greek coaching staff even joining the players in the pool to celebrate the 12–5 win. The scene felt more like a championship celebration than a bronze medal match.
Italy’s disappointing performance casts a new light on Serbia’s dominant 17–13 victory over them earlier in the tournament. The result suggests Serbia’s win wasn’t as overwhelming as initially believed, potentially boosting the confidence of Team Hungary ahead of Friday’s final.
The Hungarian men’s water polo team will compete for their 14th European Championship title against the host nation, Serbia, at 8:30 PM local time in Belgrade. Serbia has won both of its previous European Championship finals held in Belgrade.
Index.hu will provide live, minute-by-minute coverage of the gold medal match, followed by a recap and player reactions.
Men’s Water Polo European Championship, Belgrade
Italy–Greece 5–12 (1–4, 1–3, 2–3, 1–2)
Later
For 1st place: Serbia–Hungary, 8:30 PM)
