Not too long ago, playing water polo against the Serbian national team or team was synonymous with almost certain defeat. Now, the world hierarchy has changed diametrically: the Serbs, Olympic champions, are undergoing generational reconstruction and the feared are the Spanish, in full competitive maturity, current world champions (Budapest 2022). With this new cast, the Spanish team opened with a convincing victory against the Balkans by 14-16 in the Fukuoka World Cup.
In the Fukuoka World Cup debut, David Martín’s team imposed their excellent defense and the whip of Álvaro Granados, their best scorer, with five goals chosen Man of the Match, seconded by the eternal Felipe Perrone (four goals).
Despite the fact that Spain did not start the duel at all well, with a 2-0 conceding with two punches from Rasovic, David Martín’s team did not break down. With the job he has acquired as a continental and world penta-medalist in the seven years with the Barcelona coach, clinging to the defense and the wall of Unai Aguirre in goal, the Spanish team reacted with a furious 0-3 lead by Álvaro from Egar Pomegranates.
With the wind in favor of 2-3, Spain launched their steamroller from defense with a superb 0-4 run at the start of the second quarter, which led them to 2-7, the maximum advantage. A 5 that came in a work of art, mobility throughout the attack arc, with assistance from Granados to Álex Bustos, who tapped in a buoy position.
Rasovic closed the gap (4-7), but Blai Mallarach appeared to establish again the 4 that restored calm (4-8) before Jaksic made it 5-8 at the half-time buzzer.
Serbia intimidated with a start of reaction after the intermission. They came within three goals (8-11 and 9-12 from Rasovic), but again Blai Mallarach widened the gap with his third goal (9-13).
Spain faced the last quarter with a three-goal advantage, and far from collapsing, ended up passing over Serbia like a tsunami with a 0-3 run by Famera, Perrone and Bernat Sanahuja, which established the maximum lead of 6 (10- 16).
From winning by six goals, to inexplicably relaxing, Serbia cut the deficit with a 4-0 run (14-16), but in the final three minutes the Spanish victory no longer worried.
Next station, Montenegro (Wednesday, 6.30), a rocky team with which the first position of group D will be played, and with it, the pass to the quarterfinals without having to play the round of 16 crossing.
