Eight matches on the first day of men’s water polo tournament at Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex. That was the programme at Mekka of water polo on Monday.

Men's water polo tournament of the 17th FINA World Championships, 1. day /fina-budapest2017.com/

M1 Group A:

Brazil-Kazakhstan 6-2 (1-1, 0-1, 3-0, 2-0)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Schwartz (ISR), Kajiwara (JPN)

Brazil: Soro – P. Stellet, Coutinho, R. Guimaraes, Rocha 1, G. Guimaraes 4, Cruz. Subs. Silva 1, Freitas, Carrulo, Almeida, M. Stellet. Head coach: Angelo Coelho

Kazakhstan: Shlemov – Medvedev, Pilipenko, Altayer, Shakenov, Ukumanov 1, Manafov. Subs. Shvedov, Shmider, Verdesh, Ruday, Turlykhanov 1. Head coach: Nemanja Knezevie

Extramen: 4/9 and 0/13
Exclused: Rocha (BRA) 

Photos: Máté Balogh/Bp2017 Media

First game of the day started in a really pleasent weather and atmosphere at Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex. Brazilian team traveled to Budapest with a new head coach, Angelo Coelho replaced legendary Ratko Rudic after the Olympic Games in Rio.

The game started with great goalie-performances on both sides, and after almost four minutes, the head coach of Kazakhstan called a time-out at 0-0, but Brazil scored first, Gustavo Guimares was the firts goalscorer of the men’s world championship, but Kazakhstan equalized before the first break.

The attacking sides were not too strong in the forecoming quarters, teams played and fought without scoring, though the Asians led in halftime by 2-1. Brazil started to play a more successful water polo from the third quarter and scored three times in a row. Only the South Americans can beat the goalkeepers in the last quarter, which meant a four-goal victory to Brazil. 

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M2 Group A

Montenegro-Canada 8-8 (3-1, 2-2, 1-1, 2-4)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Stavridis (GRE), Buch (ESP)

Montenegro: Scepanovic – Drasko Brguljan, Petkovic 3, Draskovic 1, Radovic 1, Cuckovic, Murisic 1. Subs. Banicevic, Darko Brguljan 1, Ukropina, Misic 1. Head coach: Vladimir Gojkovic

Canada: Radenovic – Constantin-Bicari 2, Halajian, Robinson, D’Souza 2, Torakis 2, Thomwood 1. Subs: Patterson, Blanchard, Lappins, Radojcic, Soleimanipak 1. Head coach: Giuseppe Porzio

Extramen: 1/6 and 2/9
Exclused: Robinson (CAN)

Canada started its first game in the World Championships with some unpleasent foreshadow as they were beaten three times (against Romania, Germany and Hungary) in BENU International Cup in Budapest last week.

Montenegro (fourth placed team in the Olympic Games last year) was the possibly winner of this game but Canada kept itself well during the first half (4-3 in the middle of second quarter).

In the third quarter Marko Petkovic scored his third goal and Montenegro were in a 6-3 advantage. Moreover in the last period 8-4 was on the table and nobody thought that Canada could able to make a spectacular comeback. But Canada did it: North American team made a 4-0 series at the end of the game, Georgios Torakis scored the equalizer goal in the last minute.

This draw is the first surprise of the World Championships.

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M3 Group B:

France-Italy 9-18 (2-5, 3-3, 1-7, 2-3)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Putnikovic (SRB), Ohme (GER)

France: Garsau – Kovacevic 1, Piot, Crousillat 3, Marzouki 2, Laversanne, Camarasa. Subs. Saudadier, Dino 2, Simon 1, Izdinsky, Peisson. Head coach: Hrvoje Hrestak

Italy: Volarevic – Di Fulvio 5, Gitto 1, Figlioli 2, Nora 1, Renzuto Iodice 2, Bodegas 2. Subs. Tempesti (gk), N. Presciutti 1, Mirachi, Fondelli 1, Aicardi 2, Bertoli 1. Head coach: Alessandro Campagna

Extramen: 3/10 and 7/13
Penalties: 1/1, and 0/0
Exclused: Guillame (FRA)

Italy lost three of its players in the last days: Marco Del Lungo, Valentino Gallo and Alessandro Velotto caught a virus in the training camp in Syracusa they can’t participate in the World Championships.

Because of these unexpected changes Alessandro Campagna should rethink the tactics of his team. Against France their performance was correct, they start with a 5-2 first period. Although French guys had a great attack in the second quarter (6-8 in the halftime), Italy made a power demonstration in the third one (7 to 1).

Finally Italy made the first step for its goals.

For flash quotes click here.

M4 Group C:

Spain–Greece 7–8 (1–3, 2–2, 1–1 , 3–2)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Koryzna (POL), Molnár P. (HUN)

Spain: Motos Martin – Munarriz, Granados 1, Del Toro 1, Minguell, Tahull 1, Mallarach 2. Subs: Lopez (kapus), Bustos Sanchez, Barroso Macarro 1, Albert Espanol, Miranda, Gutierrez 1. Head coach: David Martin

Greece: Flegkas – Genodouinas, Delakas 1, Fountoulis 2, Kolomvos, Gounas 1, Vlachopoulos 2. Subs: Dervisis 1, Kapotsis 1, Pontikeas, Mourikis. Head coach: Theodoros Vlachos

Extramen: 0/9 and 5/10
Exclused: Delakas (GRE)

It was a thriller in the end, Spain almost did the same as Canadians a few hours earlier. Greece dominated the game, bronze medallist of the previous World Championships was in a 3 to 1 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

This championships is David Martin’s first international event as head coach of the Iberians, he replaced Gabi Hernandez after the Olympic Games. Martin managed CNA Barceloneta before and everyone knows he has an extra motivational ability towards the players.

And we witnessed the same on Monday: Spain equalized 3:27 minutes before the end by Tahull (7-7). Greece was in a critical situation but finally Georgios Dervisis decided the game with his goal.

Great game, great outlook for the future in this group.

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M6 Group C:

Serbia-Republic of South Africa 21-5 (6-1, 7-1, 5-1, 3-2)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Brooks (NZL), Ghafouri (IRI)

Serbia: Mitrovic - Rasovic 2, Randelovic, Cuk 2, D. Pijetlovic 2, Aleksic 3, Filipovic. Subs: Prlainovic 3, Mandic 1, Randelovic, Ubovic 1, Jaksic 3, Mitrovic 2. Head coach: Dejan Savic

South Africa: Lewis – E. le Roux 2, Badenhorst, Brown 1, Rodda 1, P. le Roux, Molyneux. Subs: Card 1, de Carvalho, Rabie, Olver. Head coach: Paul Martin

Extramen: 3/7 and 1/3
Exclused: Jaksic (SRB)

It was a really easy match-up for the Serbian team, who played absolutely fantastic back in July in the World League Super Final. Fort he first Serbian goal there was a fast answer from the South African side, but then they simply couldn’t take any pressure on the opposing team. The world champions could score any time they wanted to, only in the last quarter let they play the South Africans.

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M7 Group D

United States-Croatia 7-12 (1-3, 2-4, 1-3, 3-2) 
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Alexandrescu (ROU), Severo (ITA)

USA: Baron – Obert 1, Cupido 2, Dunstan, Carniglia, Bowen 2, Roelse. Subs.: McQuin (gk), Hooper 1, Vacic 1, Hallock 1, Ramirez, Irving. Head coach: Dejan Udovicic

Croatia: Bijac – Loncar 4, Jokovic 1, Buljubasic, Vukicevic 2, Setka, Garcia 4. Subs.: Matac, Fatovic 1, Buslje, Sukno, Krapic. Head coach: Ivica Tucak

Young but ambitious American team wanted to play a close game against Croatia, the silver medallist of the previous World Championships. It was not an easy venture, Ivica Tucak has one of the strongest roster of this event.

Luca Cupido took the lead for USA but Ante Vukicevic answered immediately, then Luka Loncar followed him (1-2). In the second quarter Croatian changed the rythm and it was not tasty for Americans.

This game finally was an easy one for Croatia, American players were a little bit shy in offence but Dejan Udovicic’s team is not in a pressure to beat such a good side as Croatian.

M4 Group B

Australia-Hungary 3-13 (1-1, 1-4, 1-2, 0-6)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Andrej Franulovic (CRO), Steven Rotsart (USA)

Australia: Hrysanthos – Ford G., Edwards 1, Gilchrist, Younger 1, Ford A., Hollis. Subs: Slade, Putt, Kayes 1, Power, Fannon, Brooks. Head coach: Elvis Fatovic

Hungary: Nagy – Vámos 2, Hosnyánszky 1, Gór-Nagy, Erdélyi, Varga 4, Hárai 1. Subs: Török 2, Manhercz 2, Zalánki, Decker Á., Mezei 1, Decker A. Head coach: Tamás Märcz

The teams started slowley in the first quarter, Márton Vámos was the one, who scored the host team’s first goal. It was 1-1 on the scoreboard after the first quarter, but in the second period Hungary’s captain, Dénes Varga scored three goals, while the defense was spectacular, led by Viktor Nagy, who made some extraordinary saves.

Hungary ran away with the victory in the fourth quarter, scored twice from center and the world championship rookie, Krisztián Manhercz scored twice as well. With this confident win, the team must have made head coach Tamás Märcz really happy on his birthday. After the game, the audience sang the Happy Birthday song for the coach, it was a truly amazing moment.          

For flash quotes click here.

M8 Group D

Japan-Russia 8-15 (1-5, 2-3, 2-3, 3-4)
Hajós Alfréd Swimming Complex, referees: Flahive (AUS), Ivanovski (MNE)

Japan: Tanamura- Adachi 1, Shiga 1, Yoshida 2, Iida, Arai 2, Okawa 2. Subs: Kawamoto, Takata, Inaba, Araki. Head coach: Omoto Yoji

Russia: Ivanov – Lazarev 1, Vasilyev 2, Merkulov 3, Nagaev 3, Kholod, Lisunov 3. Subs: Dereviankin 3, Bugaychuk, Ashaev, Suchkov, Shepelev. Head coach: Sergey Evstigneev

Extramen: 2/6 and  5/6
Penalties: 0/0 and 1/1
Exclused: Iida and Takata (JPN)

The favorit Russian team started the match spectacularly, after that they controlled the whole game. They enlarged their advantage step by step during the second and third quarters. In the last period the Japanese tried everything without result.

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Photos: Máté Balogh/Bp2017 Media