Serbian water polo players beat Spain and qualified for the World Cup.
The Serbian water polo team beat Spain, the world champion, 14:13. With that success, the Serbian team qualified for the World Cup in Los Angeles! Uroš Stevanović’s team achieved the biggest triumph since he succeeded Dejan Savić five months ago and started a new era of “dolphins”. The great victory was achieved in five-pointers, after the “dolphins” failed to defend a two-goal advantage (9:7) with two minutes left in the end.
Given that a win in five-a-side brings two points, and a loss one, Serbia could say that it is a safe traveler to Los Angeles, for the finals of the World Cup, from June 30 to July 2, given that there is still expects a duel with Georgia.
Perhaps even more important than the victory is how it was achieved, because Spain led by as much as 5:0, and then Stevanović’s players managed to forget the first 12 minutes of the match and at halftime they were tied with the opponent, 5:5. Viktor Rašović was the first to hit the Spanish net in that period, he was joined by the nimble Đorđe Lazić, the twice great Dušan Mandić and 12 seconds before the end of that part of the game Marko Radulović.
In the second half, goals for Serbia were scored by Strahinja Rašović and Vuk Milojević, and with those goals they equalized the result, and then Dušan Mandić surprised Loria with his trademark, the screw, for the first lead of the Serbian team – 8:7.
When, three minutes before the end, Nemanja Ubović knocked the ball into the net after a great pass from Đorđe Vučinić, it seemed that everything was over. It was a series of “dolphins” 9:2, but still it was not the end. Bustos scored first, and 69 seconds before the end, Sanahuja equalized. Serbia had two attacks, Spain one but without success and the five-pointers decided.
After three series, the score was tied. Then Serbian coach Stevanović replaced Mitrović. It was a winning move, Misović deflected Munariz’s shot. Such an advantage was not lost. Strahinja Rašović took the lead 13:12, Kabanas equalized and Drašović made a routine shot for an important triumph.
- Spain – Serbia 13:14 (3:0, 2:5, 2:2, 2:2- 4:5)
- Morača pool. Referees: Colombo (Italy), Peris (Croatia), Player more: Spain 9 (3), Serbia 7 (2).
- Spain: Aguirre, Munariz 1, Barroso 2, Sanahuja 4, De Toro, Biel, Famera 1, Cabanas, Taul, Perone, Malarac 1, Bustos, Lorio. Selector: Martin.
- Serbia: Mišović, Mandić 3, S. Rašović 1, Ranđelović, Lazić 1, Radulović 1, Drašović, V. Rašović 1, Stanojević, Ubović 1, Milojević 1, Vučinić, Mitrović. Selector: Stevanović
- Scorers from the boxes: Perone, Sanahuja, Barroso, Cabanas for Spain and Mandić, Milojević, Vučinić, S. Rašović and Drašović for Serbia.
Ranking: Spain 10, Serbia 8, Greece and Montenegro 6, Georgia 3, Australia without points.
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