Novi Sad 22.08.2017
The morning session of the third Championship day saw national teams of Greece, Hungary, Italy and Russia record convincing victories.
Greece rolled past Romania with no trouble, 18:1, and thus finished the group stage as 2nd in Group D. In no moment was there any doubt about the winner, as Greek ladies were constantly enlarging their advantage. The result was 5:0 after the first quarter, and 9:0 at halftime. Romania managed to score only once, in the 18th minute of the match. Then Greece’s new series of goals followed, leading it to the convincing triumph ahead of the eighth finals. Eirini Ninou and Maria Myriokefalitaki led their team with four goals.
Greece – Romania 18:1 (5:0, 4:0, 5:1, 4:0)
Hungary water polo players won all games in the preliminary phase, and it was obvious already after its triumph over Russia in the 2nd round that it will advance straight to the quarterfinals. In the third round game, Hungarian girls easily overpowered Bulgaria, 31:3.
The only thing uncertain about this match was the ending result since Hungarian squad achieved a big advantage without trouble already in the first quarter which ended with 7:1. The lead was continuously increasing, and Hungary was particularly efficient in the second half when they netted 17 goals, leaving Bulgaria scoreless. Borbala Kekesi excelled with five goals, while Fanni Muzsnay, Luca Katica Petovary, and Csenge Szellak each added four. Teodora Dimitrova netted a pair for Bulgaria.
Hungary – Bulgaria (7:1, 7:2, 9:0, 8:0)
Italy also recorded three victories in the group stage, as it forcefully beat the Czech Republic, 22:2, in the third round. It was exciting in the first period when the Czech ladies kept parity and equalized in the last second of that quarter (2:2). However, Italy dominated the rest of the game, scoring 20 more goals, while the Czechs failed to find the net. Italy was led by Roberta Santapaola who netted six goals.
Italy – Czech Republic 22:2 (2:2, 8:0, 8:0, 4:0)
Russia will proceed to the eighth finals as ranked 2nd in Group C, which was clear after it suffered a loss to Hungary. In the last group stage match, Russian ladies accomplished an emphatic triumph over Portugal in a routine manner, 29:2. They took the first lead after a penalty shot, after which they were constantly scoring. They went on a break with a 13:0 lead and the scoreboard was showing 20:0 three minutes before the end of the third quarter. That was when the Portuguese squad netted the first goal, whereas their second came in the final moments of the last quarter. Brilliant Regina Galimzianova netted eight goals, and nine more of her teammates managed to score.
Russia – Portugal 29:2 (6:0, 7:0, 10:1, 6:1)
Day 3
Group A
Italy – Czech Republic 22:2 (2:2, 8:0, 8:0, 4:0)
Serbia – France (20:15)
Standings: Italy 9, Serbia 3, France 3, Czech Republic 0.
Group B
Slovakia – Israel (15:45)
Spain – Turkey (17:15)
Standings: Spain 6, Slovakia 3, Israel 3, Turkey.
Group C
Hungary – Bulgaria 31:3 (7:1, 7:2, 9:0, 8:0)
Russia – Portugal 29:2 (6:0, 7:0, 10:1, 6:1)
Standings: Hungary 9, Russia 6, Bulgaria 3, Portugal 0.
Group D
Greece – Romania 18:1 (5:0, 4:0, 5:1, 4:0)
Netherlands – Great Britain (18:45)
Standings: Netherlands 6, Greece 6, Great Britain 3, Romania 0.