Even at the World Cup in water polo, Serbia did not manage to reach the semi-finals and enter the medal fights.
Source: Profimedia
The Serbian water polo team is in great crisis from winning the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the withdrawal of the best players, and it seems that even the departure of coach Dejan Savić and the arrival of Uroš Stevanović did not “shake up” our water polo players. The crisis continued at the World Cup, where Serbia lost after a big upset against the host United States of America in Los Angeles. Despite the fact that the “dolphins” led by three points before the last quarter, in the end defeat 10:9.
That there is a crisis is best evidenced by the fact that since the mentioned gold at the Olympic Games two years ago, Serbia has not reached the semi-finals in any competition. That tradition continued in Los Angeles as we stopped in the quarterfinals, so in a sport where we are used to winning awards every year – now we have a crisis.
The most efficient player in Serbia was Strahinja Rašović with four goals, Nemanja Ubović added two, and Vasilije Martinović, Nikola Jakšić and Marko Radulović scored one each. Let’s remind you, the best Serbian handball player Dušan Mandić, behind whom is a turbulent season in New Belgrade, asked the selectors not to participate in the World Cup because he is “mentally and physically” not ready to submit to the national team.
It is clear that without him, but also without the giants from the picture – such as Filip Filipović, Milan Aleksić, the Pijetlović brothers, Stefan Mitrović and Andrija Prlainović – Serbia is no longer the power it once was and it is difficult for us to get used to it.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH SERBIAN WATER POLO? SERIOUS CRISIS! Shock defeat at the World Cup, no medal from Tokyo!
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Thus, Spain and the USA will play on one side for the final (“red fury” defeated the Germans even 18:9), while on the other side of the draw are Italy and Hungary. And while the Azzurri made it to the semi-finals against Romania (20:2), in a hard-fought derby match, the Hungarians were better than Greece 6:4.
BONUS VIDEO:
00:21 Dejan Savić shouts at the time-out Source: RTS 2
Izvor: RTS 2