Trieste and Spandau secure crucial wins on day one of Euro Cup qualifiers

The opening-day clashes of the Euro Cup Men Qualification Round produced plenty of drama and entertainment, including Spandau 04 Berlin sinking hosts GS Apollon Smyrnis in Athens, and Pallanuoto Trieste edging past BVK Crvena Zvezda by a single goal in Montpellier.

2025/26 Euro Cup Men
Qualification Round
Day 1, Friday 3rd October

Group A
Athens (GRE)

ZV De Zaan (NED) 14-14 (4-5P) A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 10-14 Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB) 11-12 Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 9-23 Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Group C
Sibinik (CRO)

CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU) 10-19 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibinik (CRO) 17-14 WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 24-9 OSC Potsdam (GER)
Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) 23-10 Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)

Group A
Athens (GRE)

ZV De Zaan (NED) 14-14 (4-5P) A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 10-14 Spandau 04 Berlin (GER)

Penalties were needed to separate ZV De Zaan and A-Polo Sport Management after a thrilling encounter that saw the Dutch side fight back from 8-11 down in the fourth to force a shootout.

De Zaan’s Hungarian star Andras Garancsy – who missed a penalty in the third – fired in twice in the last quarter, including a six-on-five goal to tie the scores at 14-14 with just 18 seconds remaining.

The Georgian side were perfect with all their penalties, while Dutch international Daan Bakker saw his shot saved by Irakli Razmadze, which handed A-Polo Sport Management the win.

In the day’s second game, hosts GS Apollon Smyrnis came unstuck against Spandau 04 Berlin, who ultimately proved too strong for their opponents.

The Germans were three ahead (3-6) midway through the second and began to take control from there. At half-time, their lead was four (5-9) and when Spandau’s Marton Nagy struck next from a six on five three minutes into the third, Apollon were in real trouble.

A 3-0 surge from the Greeks, including a penalty from their star US summer signing Hannes Daube, put the hosts right back in it at 8-10 – and with 7:04 still to play – but Spandau replied with two quick goals, which helped steer them to a crucial victory.

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB) 11-12 Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 9-23 Vouliagmeni NC (GRE)

Pallanuoto Trieste impressed on day one with a fine victory against BVK Crvena Zvezda, in a game where they were never behind. A 0-3 rush in the first quarter set them on the right path, as the Serbians were forced to play catch-up from the start.

Crvena Zvezda did level the scores five times (at 3-3, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9), with their last equaliser arriving in the fourth with 5:18 remaining, but another 0-3 surge by Trieste ultimately won them all three points.

Marko Radovic and Veljko Tankosic struck twice late on to cut the gap to one, but the Italians held the ball well for the last 92 seconds and also managed to force an exclusion, which ate up more valuable seconds.

After losing both of their Champions League qualifiers a few weeks ago, Vouliagmeni NC returned to winning ways with a resounding win against the hosts, Montpellier Water Polo.

It was a goal feast in the end for the Greeks, as they won all four quarters (including the second half 4-13), with Semir Spachits firing in seven, Kas Te Riele hitting four, and Ioannis Tottis and Charalampos Troulos each scoring hat-tricks.

Montpellier’s poor start to the season continues, as they also lost their opening two games of the 2025/26 French Elite Championnat, against Marseille (21-10) and Strasbourg (25-14).

Group C
Sibinik (CRO)

CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU) 10-19 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibinik (CRO) 17-14 WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO)

Steaua triumphed in their Romanian derby against CS Rapid Bucuresti, as Dorde Vucinic and Andrija Jaukovic led the charge with five and four goals respectively.

Rapid did lead twice in the second quarter (at 5-4 and 6-5), but the scores were locked at 8-8 by half-time. The third period proved to be the turning point, with Steaua shutting their rivals out, while hitting four at the other end.

Two more unanswered strikes at the start of the fourth stretched Steaua’s advantage to six (8-14) and from there, Rapid continued to fade, losing the game 10-19 – and the second half 2-11.

VK Solaris Sibinik treated their fans to an entertaining encounter, as they took all three points after downing Georgia’s WPC Dinamo Tbilisi. Niko Cubranic and Roko Pelicaric starred for the hosts, each scoring four, but they were made to work hard for the victory.

After edging the first half 8-6, Solaris showed their class in the third, hitting three without reply to help open up a 12-7 lead as the game headed into the last eight minutes.

Dinamo weren’t ready to throw the towel in, though, and cut the gap to one (12-11) with four straight goals that rattled the home team and supporters. However, Cubranic and David Mijic struck next to settle the nerves and end the Georgians’ momentum.

Giorgi Magrakvelidze was another stand-out performer, smashing in six goals for Dinamo, but it still wasn’t enough to end up on the winning side.

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 24-9 OSC Potsdam (GER)
Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) 23-10 Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)

Spanish side and hosts CN Terrassa comfortably swept OSC Potsdam aside, with a powerful 8-0 start setting the tone. The young Germans struggled throughout, but Finn Taubert did finish off a counter early in the second to finally get them off the mark after a barren nine minutes.

Potsdam reduced the gap to six (10-4) 4:27 before half-time through Filip Dittmer’s shot from the centre, but that was as close as they got. With goal difference possibly set to be crucial in the standings, Terrassa kept piling forward and were 14-5 ahead at the turnaround.

Terrassa added 10 more in the second half to win by 15, with their Netherlands star Lars Ten Broek top scoring in the game with five. Ignasi Bargallo and Gerard Cuacos were also on fine form, hitting four each.

Later, a dominant first quarter (7-1) saw Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker take the upper-hand against Pays d’Aix Natation, and although the French started to show glimpses of their capabilities in the second and third, by then the result was beyond doubt.

The Hungarians’ advantage remained at six (14-8) at the end of the third and they put their foot back on the gas in the fourth, winning the last quarter 9-2 with a devastating show of power.

For the full schedule/results and standings of the Euro Cup Men Qualification Round, click here

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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