Second round of Euro Cup qualifiers sets up spectacular final day of action

Spandau 04 Berlin roared to their second victory in the men’s Euro Cup Qualification Round against ZV De Zaan, which was enough to secure the top spot in Group A and the first ticket to the main stage. The remaining top spots and three best runners-up spots are still up for grabs, with Saturday’s results setting up a grandstand finish on Sunday.

2025/26 Euro Cup Men
Qualification Round
Day 2, Saturday 4th October

Group A
Athens (GRE)

Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 21-9 ZV De Zaan (NED)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 14-12 A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)

Standings: 1. Spandau 04 Berlin 6pts, 2. GS Apollon Smyrnis 3pts, 3. A-Polo Sport Management 2pts, 4. ZV De Zaan 1pt

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) 11-11 (5-6P) BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 13-23 Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)

Standings: 1. Pallanuoto Trieste 6pts, 2. Vouliagmeni NC 4pts, 3. BVK Crvena Zvezda 2pts, 4. Montpellier Water Polo 0pts

Group C
Sibenik (CRO)

WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 8-14 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibenik (CRO) 21-14 CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU)

Standings: 1. CSA Steaua Bucharest 6pts, 1. VK Solaris Sibenik 6pts, 3. WPC Dinamo Tbilisi 0pts, 3. CS Rapid Bucuresti 0pts

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 13-8 Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)
Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) 14-10 OSC Potsdam (GER)

Standings: 1. CN Terrassa 6pts, 1. Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker 6pts, 3. Pays d’Aix Natation 0pts, 3. OSC Potsdam 0pts

Group A
Athens (GRE)

Spandau 04 Berlin (GER) 21-9 ZV De Zaan (NED)
GS Apollon Smyrnis (GRE) 14-12 A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)

Spandau 04 Berlin and ZV De Zaan shared 10 goals in an action-packed opening quarter, with the Germans starting strongly with a 4-0 rush, and although the Dutch fought back, they still trailed 6-4 at the first break.

In the second, Spandau stepped up a gear, outgunning their rivals 5-1 to lead 11-5 at the turnaround, and they kept the same intensity levels in the third, finishing the quarter with a 5-0 rush to move 18-7 ahead.

The Dutch stemmed the flow of goals in the fourth (3-2), but after losing the middle two periods 12-3, the damage was done, as Spandau secured their second win of the weekend, which was enough to top the group and book their ticket to the main stage.

Saturday’s second game in Athens saw GS Apollon Smyrnis come from behind to beat A-Polo Sport Management. Despite another loud and passionate home crowd on the poolside, the Greeks started slowly and slipped 2-4 behind.

A couple of 3-0 rushes in the second quarter put the hosts back on track, and finally their passionate fans had something to really cheer about as they led 8-6 at half-time. The tension inside the arena soon returned though, as the Georgians finished the third with a 0-3 surge of their own to tie the scores at 10-10.

Apollon’s Nikolaos Gardikas and Hannes Daube struck first in the fourth, but there was more drama to come, as after Dmitrii Alekseev pulled one back for A-Polo Sport from a six on five, emotions got the better of Apollon coaches Theodoros Lorantos and Nikolaos Bampanas, and both were red carded.

Late goals from Daube (his fourth of the night) and Alexandros Pappas ultimately sealed a narrow 14-12 victory for Apollon, who move up to second in the group, and they will need a bigger win on Sunday against ZV De Zaan for a chance of finishing as one of the best three runners-up.

Group B
Montpellier (FRA)

Vouliagmeni NC (GRE) 11-11 (5-6P) BVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
Montpellier Water Polo (FRA) 13-23 Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA)

BVK Crvena Zvezda got over the hurt of their day one defeat to Pallanuoto Trieste by beating Vouliagmeni NC, but they needed penalties to do so and had to settle for just two points.

The clash was a fierce end-to-end battle and although the Greeks kept taking the lead in the second and third quarter, the Serbians never let them get more than one ahead and levelled at almost every opportunity.

In the fourth, Crvena Zvezda edged ahead for the first time since the opening minute through Kristian Sulc and Dusan Markovic, but Vouliagmeni immediately went back in front after strikes from Nikolaos Kastrinakis and captain Nemanja Ubovic.

With 40 seconds remaining, Crvena Zvezda’s Georgian international Stefan Pjesivac stepped up and his shot from distance took the game to a shootout. Both teams were perfect with their first five attempts, then Vouliagmeni’s Dimitrios Chatzis saw his penalty saved, which allowed Marko Radovic the chance to score and claim the two points.

The Serbians now need something of a miracle on the final day if they are to progress as the third-best runners-up – a win against Montpellier maybe the easier part, but results going their way elsewhere will be the bigger problem.

Later, Montpellier Water Polo began their second game knowing they needed a win to keep their hopes of qualification alive, and their gameplan appeared to be working when they went 7-5 up against Pallanuoto Trieste early in the second quarter.

The hosts’ seventh goal served as a wake-up call for the Italians, though, as they responded with a real show of force, smashing in the next seven goals without reply to take a 7-12 lead 38 seconds into the third.

Trieste were comfortably ahead for the remainder of the game, winning the last three quarters 8-18 and their 24-year-old Montenegrin international Vuk Draskovic was the star of the show, hammering in eight goals.

The stage is now set for a high-stakes clash between Vouliagmeni NC and Pallanuoto Trieste on Sunday morning to see who takes the top spot in Group B.

Group C
Sibenik (CRO)

WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) 8-14 CSA Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
VK Solaris Sibenik (CRO) 21-14 CS Rapid Bucuresti (ROU)

Steaua Bucharest continued from where they left off on day one, by blowing WPC Dinamo Tbilisi away in the first half. It took the Georgians almost 11 minutes to breach the Romanians’ excellent defence, and by that time Steaua were 0-5 up and in command.

Dinamo trailed 2-6 at half-time and things only got worse for them at the start of the third, as Steaua added three more to take total control of the game at 2-9.

Steaua’s advantage was cut to six by the last break (4-10), but they were able to keep their opponents at arm’s length for the last eight minutes and cruised to another vital three points. Dorde Vucinic top scored again for the Romanians with four, taking his tournament tally to nine.

Hosts VK Solaris Sibenik later joined Steaua at the top of the group after they won all four of their quarters against CS Rapid Bucuresti.

Niko Cubranic starred for the hosts, top scoring with seven goals, while Eugen Koprcina was also on fine form, hitting five.

The Croats may have won by seven in the end, but Rapid put up a good fight and made Solaris work hard for the victory, as they only trailed by two (12-10) late in the third.

Saturday’s results set up a tantalising showdown between VK Solaris Sibenik and CSA Steaua Bucharest on the final day to decide who will finish first in the group.

Group D
Terrassa (ESP)

CN Terrassa (ESP) 13-8 Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)
Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker (HUN) 14-10 OSC Potsdam (GER)

OSC Potsdam came flying out the blocks in their clash against Szolnoki Dozsa Praktiker and stunned the Hungarians by taking an early 2-5 lead, which included a spectacular 0-4 surge to finish the opening quarter.

Szolnoki regrouped during the break and started the second by scoring three without reply, but the young Germans kept battling and went into the turnaround 6-7 up.

In the second half, Szolnoki maintained the pressure and eventually it proved too much for Potsdam, as a 6-0 rush – that began at the end of the third and finished midway through the fourth – swung the game their way, and at 13-9, the three points were safe.

CN Terrassa also made it two wins from two with a dominant performance against Pays d’Aix Natation. The French side did lead early on (2-3), but the Spaniards hit back in the second quarter to take a 6-4 lead.

The hosts’ advantage was four by the last break (10-6), as Pays d’Aix Natation started to run out of ideas and they were unable to trouble Terrassa in the closing stages.

With Szolnoki and Terrassa both taking maximum points so far, a huge final-day battle between the two group leaders awaits, while Pays d’Aix Natation’s and OSC Potsdam’s qualification hopes are over.

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

Watch all the action live and via full replays on European Aquatics TV

Stay tuned to the European Aquatics Water Polo social media accounts for more news and live updates on Facebook and Instagram

Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

The post Second round of Euro Cup qualifiers sets up spectacular final day of action first appeared on European Aquatics®.