Serbia too strong for Hungary at Water Polo finals in Dubai

Quick start allows team to ease to title while losing coach disappointed at margin of defeat in Dubai.

Serbia’s Filip Filipovic scores a penalty shot against Hungary in his side’s 10-6 victory in the final at Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai yesterday. Sarah Dea / The National

DUBAI // Serbia continued their domination of the men’s Water Polo World League when they brushed aside reigning world champions Hungary 10-6 last night to win their eighth title in 13 years of the competition.

Playing each other in the final of the competition for the fifth time, Serbia raced to a 9-2 lead at the Hamdan Sports Complex before taking their foot off the pedal, which allowed Hungary to add some respectability to the score, with Denes Varga slinging a game-high four past the Serbian keeper.

Dejan Savic, the Serbia coach, was not pleased with his team’s performance in the fourth period when they conceded three goals, but he was delighted with the win and described it as the perfect start of their preparations for the European Championships, which start in Budapest on July 14.

Serbia, the defending European champions, have been drawn in the same group as the hosts Hungary and Savic is looking forward to renewing their rivalry there.

“They are World Champions and they played really good, but we did very well in defence,” Savic said. “We converted their opportunities into our opportunities. We showed a lot of motivation and this is a great preparation for the European Championships.

“We are in the same group as Hungary and I believe our third group game is against them. So that should be another exciting match in Budapest.”

A disappointed Hungary coach Tibor Benedek was not so sure if his team could prove to be a tough test for the Serbians in Budapest unless they lift their game in the coming weeks.

“I am disappointed because I expected a much closer game, not such a big difference,” he said. “Serbia were much stronger than us today. They were very precise in their shooting and they deserved to win this match.

“Now we have to go back home and work really hard, and try to make a good European Championships.”

The battle for bronze was decided by a penalty shoot-out after Montenegro and Australia were locked 8-8 at the end of the four quarters, with Nikola Murisic levelling the scores for the former Yugoslavia republic eight seconds from time.

Montenegro, the 2009 champions, never managed to get ahead of the Aussies in regulation time, but clinched the match 12-9 after Australia’s Jarrod Gilchrist and John Cotterill missed the target – the first shot into the keeper and the second hit the post.

“This is my second competition as Australia head coach and my second heartbreaking game, like Croatia in the World Championships,” said Elvis Fatovic, the Australia head coach, whose team lost in overtime to Croatia in the quarter-final of the 2013 Barcelona World Championships.

“But I must say I am so proud of these players of how they responded after yesterday and against a much, much more experienced team than we are. I’m really proud of how they played. We didn’t come here just to be part of the tournament.”

Vido Lompar, the Montenegro assistant coach, was also impressed with Australia’s performance and said: “Australia is to be congratulated on a great game and a great coach.

“This was a very, very difficult match as Australia was a strong team who swum all game. Just one goal difference most of the game. Look at the last attack – we had to score to go to penalties, which was fantastic.”

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