Funchal 2026: Türkiye edge Germany in shootout as race for ninth place heats up

The battle for a place in the top 10 at the European Championships heated up on Friday, with Türkiye earning their first victory in Funchal after a thrilling shootout win against Germany. It was the first game of the tournament to end in a tie, and Türkiye goalkeeper Elif Dilara Aydinlik proved to be the hero, expertly saving three penalties despite playing no part in regular time. Later, Serbia cruised past Slovakia, hosts Portugal comfortably beat Switzerland, and Great Britain surged to a second successive victory in Madeira by smashing 20 past Romania.

Women’s 2026 European Water Polo Championships – Funchal
Day 5, Friday 30 January

Group G
(9th-16th classification)

Germany 12-12 (2-3P) Türkiye
Serbia 12-4 Slovakia

Group H
(9th-16th classification)

Portugal 17-10 Switzerland
Great Britain 20-2 Romania

Group G
(9th-16th classification)

Germany 12–12 (2-3P) Türkiye
(3-4, 3-1, 1-4, 5-3, 2-3P)

The classification group games got under way on Friday afternoon in Funchal with a thrilling encounter between Germany and Türkiye, which required penalties to separate the two teams.

Türkiye looked to be heading to the three points in regular time, leading 7-10 early in the fourth quarter, but Germany hit back with a late 4-0 surge – and a penalty save from Darja Heinbichner – to edge them ahead with 3:14 remaining.

Yelizaveta Ivanova quickly levelled for the Turks – scoring her fourth of the game – then Ira Deike wrestled back the lead for Germany with a fine finish.

We were inside the last minute at this point, but Karsten Seehafer’s squad couldn’t hold on, and Dilara Burali, who had missed that earlier penalty, redeemed herself with a stunning six-on-five strike to take the game to a shootout.

Türkiye goalkeeper Elif Dilara Aydinlik – who only came in for the penalties – was the hero, saving three of Germany’s shots – from Geisa Deike, Jana Stuewe and Belen Vosseberg – to hand her side the two points.

Despite the loss, Germany – who carried over three points from Group Stage I – remain in the hunt for the 9th/10th place final, with their clash with Serbia on Sunday set to decide their fate.

Türkiye, meanwhile, could reach the 11th/12th final, if they beat Slovakia in their final game, and the Germans slip up against the Serbs.

Group G
(9th-16th classification)

Serbia 12-4 Slovakia
(2-2, 5-0, 2-2, 3-0)

Serbia and Slovakia were meeting at a European Championships for a third time, with their last clash coming in Split in 2022 when the Serbians triumphed 9-6.

In Funchal, the Slovaks were able to keep up in the opening quarter (2-2), before the Serbians took full control.

Jovana Radonjic converted a penalty early in the second period, then completed her hat-trick moments later from a counter, as the Serbians started to pull away.

Slovakia’s defence was clearly struggling, with the Serbs streaming forward at every opportunity, and they added three more without reply to lead 7-2 at half-time.

The third quarter followed a similar pattern, with Serbia stretching their advantage to 9-2, before Monika Sedlakova finally found a way past Maja Dulic to end Slovakia’s 11:51 drought (and Serbia’s 7-0 rush).

Another Slovak goal reduced the deficit to five (9-4) before the final eight minutes, but the outcome was never in doubt.

Serbia comfortably closed the game out by winning the last quarter 3-0, to move two points clear at the top of Group G, and now need just a point against Germany on Sunday to progress to the 9th/10th final.

Group H
(9th-16th classification)

Portugal 17–10 Switzerland
(5-2, 3-3, 6-1, 3-4)

Switzerland’s struggles in Funchal continued against Portugal, as the hosts established a 5-2 lead inside the first eight minutes.

A penalty from Paola De Feo, and a fierce strike from the left wing by Lotti Verhagen, gave the Swiss some hope at 3-2, but Portugal hit back with two more.

The second quarter was much more balanced (3-3), but the Portuguese were able to maintain their three-goal advantage.

Madalena Lousa scored the pick of the goals for the hosts – a spectacular backhander from the centre that flashed past Swiss keeper Meret Schmidt.

In the third quarter, Alice Rodrigues fired in from a six-on-five, and Maria Machado converted a penalty to extend Portugal’s lead (10-5), before Switzerland’s Jacqueline Kholi was given the freedom of the pool to score from distance.

It was a stunning strike that flew into the left corner of the goal, catching everyone off guard, including the Portugal keeper, Maria Sampaio.

That was the only moment of joy for the Swiss in the penultimate quarter, as the hosts finished it strongly with four more strikes, including an exquisite lob from Beatriz Jardim.

In the fourth, the biggest cheer came with 5:34 on the clock, when Portugal’s replacement keeper Mariana Carvalho rose majestically to keep out Verhagen’s penalty.

The Swiss did edge the last eight minutes 3-4, but it wasn’t enough to stop the hosts sealing a second victory in Funchal.

Portugal will now clash with Great Britain on Sunday to decide who heads to the 9th/10th final.

Alice Rodrigues, Carolina Fernandes, Maria Machado and Beatriz Pereira all hit hat-tricks for Portugal, while De Feo and Verhagen each scored three for Switzerland.

Group H
(9th-16th classification)

Great Britain 20-2 Romania
(3-0, 6-0, 5-1, 6-1)

Great Britain picked up where they left off against Switzerland, hitting three past Romania without reply in a dominant first-quarter display.

After finding success in the centre against the Swiss, the Brits were forced to come up with different solutions in attack against the Romanians, who were doubling – sometimes trebling – up on Toula Falvey, and later Lucy Blenkinship.

This freed up space for the likes of Katie Brown, who opened the scoring after being left alone on 4m for an easy finish into the far corner.

Glyfada star Lily Turner struck next from the Brits’ first six-on-five, and Katy Cutler added another to put Theo Nousios’ side in control at the first break.

Great Britain were also winning their defensive battles, limiting Romania to speculative shots from distance that failed to trouble former Catalunya keeper Cassidy Ball between the posts.

Katie Brown completed her hat-trick early in the second quarter, then Harriet Dickens rifled in three, and Izzy Howe was on target to give the Brits an unassailable 9-0 advantage at half-time.

In the third, Great Britain continued to rip through Romania’s defence, who were powerless to stop the onslaught.

After Howe and Cutler added two more, Falvey finished off a well-worked extra for 12-0.

Romania – the lowest-scoring team in Funchal (with 14 goals prior to this game) – finally found a breakthrough after a barren 19:41, as Anastasiia Melnychuk’s six-on-five shot just evaded Sophie Jackson’s desperate grasp.

By the end of the third it was 14-1, and it only got worse for the Romanians (despite a Krisztina-Emese Szeghalmi strike from the centre), as six more British goals followed to rubber-stamp their emphatic victory.

Great Britain are likely to face a much sterner test in their final Group Stage II match on Sunday, when they face the hosts, Portugal, with the winners from that clash advancing to the 9th/10th final.

For the full schedule, results and tables from the women’s European Water Polo Championships in Funchal, click here

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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