Serbia’s water polo team defeated Romania with a convincing score of 19:9 (5:1, 4:1, 5:3, 5:4), securing their spot in the Round of 16 at the World Championship in Singapore, where they will face Japan.
Serbia entered the match against Romania partly relieved, as their victory over South Africa in the first round (27:3) had practically ensured their progression to the knockout stage. However, they were also determined to prove that their previous duel against Italy, a penalty shootout loss (13:13 after four quarters), was merely an off day.
Controlled Performance Leads to Decisive Victory
Uroš Stevanović’s squad needed to play a confident, smooth match – and they delivered. They took a 3:0 lead with goals from Đorđe Lazić, Sava Ranđelović, and Miloš Ćuk. Ranđelović and Ćuk then found the net once more before the end of the first period, making it 5:1.
The second quarter continued in the same rhythm – Lazić made it 6:1, followed by a Dušan Mandić penalty for 7:1, effectively deciding the winner. The “Dolphins” first reached a double-digit lead through Lazić at the start of the final period (15:5), ultimately confirming their triumph with a 19:9 score and securing their second-place finish in the group.
Round of 16 Match-Up
In the Round of 16, they will play against Japan, who finished third in Group B after defeating Australia, behind Hungary and Spain.
Ranđelović led Serbia to victory with four goals, while Lazić and Nikola Jakšić each scored three. Dušan Mandić contributed two goals, as did Ćuk and Nikola Murišić. Viktor Rašović and Boris Vapenski each scored one goal.
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Source: Nova.rs; Foto: Albert ten Hove/Marcel ter Bals / DeFodi Images / Profimedia