Win Over World Champions Sends Water Polo Team into European Semifinals

The Hungarian national team beat defending champions and world champions Spain 15-14 in a penalty shootout in the final match of the intermediate round of the Men’s European Water Polo Championship in Belgrade on Tuesday, advancing to the top four.

The hero of the match was undoubtedly goalkeeper Soma Vogel, who saved two penalty shots in both regular time and overtime. The Ferencváros star put in an outstanding performance during the match with an efficiency of over 47 percent, but the Spaniards equalized at the last second through Sergi Cabanas, with the Hungarian goalkeeper feeling somewhat complicit.

Soma Vogel. Photo: MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt

“What happened in Fukuoka against the Greeks, where I practically scored the goal myself after a save, played on my mind. I knew I had to make up for it as quickly as possible, then I managed to save a shot and three five-meter throws at the end. It gave me a lot of strength that the others immediately encouraged me. I trust our shooters, and they trust me,” said the World and European champion goalkeeper, noting that they were mentally very down after the defeat against Olympic champions Serbia.

According to national coach Zsolt Varga, the Hungarian men’s water polo team fought with great commitment. “It was not an easy situation because the Spaniards’ last-minute equalizer could have given them a psychological advantage. Gergő Fekete also felt responsible for Cabanas’ goal, which is why he needed a lot of mental strength to get ready for the last shot.

Congratulations to the team, because this time we persevered and played with great commitment in the fourth quarter as well,”

said Zsolt Varga in the mixed zone, who was among the top four at the European Championships every time during his career as a coach and player.

Zsolt Varga’s team thus remained undefeated against the Spaniards in the history of the continental championships: it was the 21st meeting between the two teams, with the rival never winning a single game. The Spanish had been on the podium at every World Championship since 2018, with the exception of the two Olympic Games, but that streak has now come to an end.

The Hungarian team now has two days off and will likely face Greece in the semifinals on Friday.

Men’s Water Polo Team Advances as European Championship Group Winners