Podgorica’s waters are boiling with anticipation as Greece surges into the 2025 World Cup final, ready to challenge Spain for water polo supremacy. The Hellenic squad’s electrifying semifinal victory over Hungary on Friday was a statement of intent, blending heart, precision, and vengeance to secure their fourth shot at major tournament glory.
Semifinal Showdown: Greece’s Revenge
*Greece 18–14 Hungary*
*(4:4, 4:3, 2:5, 4:6)*
Greece erased the sting of a 20:10 thrashing by Hungary in Otopeni’s Division 1 semifinals three months ago with a performance that radiated maturity. The early exchanges were a deadlock, with Hungary sneaking a 4:3 lead late in the first quarter. Greece countered swiftly, keeping it tight, but Manhercz’s penalty handed Hungary an 8:7 edge at the break.
The third quarter saw Greece unleash their fury. Star man Argyropoulos lit the fuse with two clinical strikes, while Skoumpakis hammered a long-range dagger, flipping the score to a two-goal Greek lead. In the final eight minutes, Greece’s man-up game was surgical—9 of 13 converted, including Argyropoulos’ fifth goal to stretch the gap to four. Hungary faltered, managing only 6 of 12 man-ups, as Greece’s defense smothered their late rally to clinch a historic win.
*Top Scorers:*
Greece: Argyropoulos 5, Skoumpakis 3
Hungary: Manhercz 4, Nagy 3
Spain’s Path to the Final
*Spain 19–14 Croatia*
*(8:6, 6:3, 3:2, 2:3)*
Spain, the defending champs, punched their ticket with a relentless offensive display against Croatia. They erupted for 14 goals on 18 shots in the first half, building a 14:9 lead. Croatia clawed back to 14:11 in the third, but Granados and Sanahuja’s quick replies snuffed out the threat. A VAR call late in the fourth disallowed a Granados goal, gifting Croatia a penalty that Basic buried, but Spain sealed it with Valera’s power-play strike.
*Top Scorers:*
Spain: Granados 7, Munarriz 4, Sanahuja 4
Croatia: Basic 3, Zuvela 3
Greece’s Moment of Destiny
This is no fluke for Greece. Their semifinal masterclass showcased a team peaking at the perfect time. Argyropoulos, with his five-goal heroics, is the spearhead, but Skoumpakis’ clutch scoring and a rock-solid team defense have turned Greece into a juggernaut. Their 69% man-up efficiency against Hungary signals a nightmare for Spain’s backline. After falling short in past finals, Greece hungers for their first World Cup crown—a victory that would etch their names in water polo lore. Spain’s firepower looms large, but Greece’s resolve could tip the scales in this David-versus-Goliath clash.
**5th–8th Place Semifinals**
*Montenegro 19–15 Germany*
*(5:3, 8:4, 3:4, 3:4)*
Montenegro roared past Germany, piling on a 13:7 halftime lead with three 3:0 bursts. Germany battled back late but fell short.
*Top Scorers:*
Montenegro: Moskov, Gardasevic 3 each
Germany: Strelezkij 5, Gansen 4
*Netherlands 20–15 Japan*
*(6:2, 2:5, 7:4, 4:4)*
The Dutch overwhelmed Japan with a 6:2 opening salvo and a third-quarter surge, holding firm despite Japan’s grit.
*Top Scorers:*
Netherlands: S. Hassels 4, Te Riele 3
Japan: Inaba 5
**Final Day Lineup (April 13)**
Don’t miss Greece’s charge for glory—stream every splash live on the Total Waterpolo Arena app for real-time updates.
– *7th-Place Match*: Germany vs. Japan – 14:00
– *5th-Place Match*: Montenegro vs. Netherlands – 16:10
– *Bronze-Medal Match*: Hungary vs. Croatia – 18:20
– *Final*: Greece vs. Spain – 20:30
