The Serbian men’s water polo team advanced to the quarterfinals of the first 4×4 Water Polo World Championship in Dubrovnik, after defeating Spain 3:2 in the final round of the league stage after scoring five goals.
After four sets, the score was 2:2, while Serbia won the penalty shootout with a score of 8:7. Coach Goran Krstonošić’s team finished the league stage with nine points.
Spain won the first two sets. Serbia led 3:1 in the first with goals from Aleksa Petrovski, Petar Stanić and Miroslav Ranđić, but Casabello Bellès scored a two-goal equalizer five seconds before the end to tie the game at 3:3. Valera Calatrava then scored a “golden goal” to give Spain the first set. The Spaniards also won the second period with a score of 3:2.
Serbia fought back in the third set. Aleksandar Kovačević scored the first goal for Serbia, and Đorđe Ljubenović scored a goal from his own half, worth two goals, to make it 3:2. Spain equalized, but Petar Jović scored two seconds before the end for Serbia’s 4:3 victory.
The biggest drama was seen in the fourth set. Petar Stanić scored from his own half early on, giving Serbia a 2-0 lead. Spain tied the game at 2-2 with two seconds left, but goalkeeper Radosav Virijević, with less than a second left in regulation, scored from goal to goal. His shot was worth two goals, and Serbia won the set 4-2 and went to a penalty shootout.
All eight Serbian five-pointers ended in the net. Miroslav Ranđić and Aleksandar Kovačević were accurate three times each, and Filip Ćorić twice. In the eighth series, Virijević saved a shot by Alberto Sabadell Porcar, after which Kovačević scored for Serbia’s victory.
Serbia will play Bulgaria in the quarterfinals on Friday, September 4, at 7:40 p.m.
Spain–Serbia 2:3 (4:3, 3:2, 3:4, 2:4; 3-0 score 7:8)
SPAIN: Estevez Rodriguez 2, Valera Calatrava 1, Sabadell Porcar 3, Herrero 1, Blasco Arroyo 1, Casabella Bellos 4.
Coach: Javier Sanchez-Toril del Pino.
SERBIA: Virijevic 2, Jovic 1, Petrovski 1, Randjic 1, Ljubenovic 3, Kovacevic 2, Stanic 3.
Selector: Goran Krstonošić.
Peterci: Spain 1/1, Serbia 0/1.
Bonus points: Spain 0/0, Serbia 0/0.
Penalty series: Spain 7/8, Serbia 8/8.
Referee: Tony Karaman (USA).
