Challenger Cup Women: Jadran Split and Goztepe to clash for gold after semifinal success

VK Jadran Split were the first team to book their place in Sunday’s Challenger Cup Women final after edging a fierce battle with SSV Esslingen in Saturday’s opening semi. The Croatians looked to be cruising towards the gold medal game shortly before half-time, holding a commanding 2-10 lead, but the Germans produced a stunning turnaround and led 14-13 heading into the final minute. Mare Jankovic then stepped up, striking with just 28 seconds remaining to force a dramatic shootout. Eight rounds of penalties were needed to separate the sides, with Esslingen captain Jamie-Julique Haas missing twice, the second proving decisive. Later, Goztepe Sport Klub totally outclassed Clube Fluvial Portuense, winning all four quarters convincingly and storming to a dominant 10-0 victory.

2025/26 Challenger Cup Women
Final Four, Semifinals
(Cottonera, Malta)
Saturday 21 March

SSV Esslingen (GER) 14-14 (6-7P) VK Jadran Split (CRO)
Goztepe Sport Klub (TUR) 25-3 Clube Fluvial Portuense (POR)

Final Four, Semifinals

SSV Esslingen (GER) 14-14 (6-7P) VK Jadran Split (CRO) (1-4, 4-6, 6-1, 3-3, 6-7P)

VK Jadran Split got off to a flying start against SSV Esslingen, with goals from Neli Jankovic, Tonia Tadic, Magdalena Butic and Bruna Barisic helping to open up a commanding 1-4 lead for the Croatians.

Ana Desnica then struck early in the second period to extend the gap to four, and they soon looked to be cruising when their advantage stretched to eight (2-10) heading into the final minute of the half.

Esslingen had been chasing shadows up to this point and were powerless to stop the onslaught, but three successive goals inside the last 89 seconds – two from Kleopatra Ntona-Tsiaka and a buzzer-beater from Jamie-Julique Haas – gave the Germans some hope at the long break (5-10).

Those three goals before half-time marked the start of a remarkable turnaround, as Jadran began to misfire in attack and the momentum swung completely in Esslingen’s favour.

Their 3-0 run quickly turned into a spectacular 8-0 surge, with Haas levelling the score at 10-10 thanks to a skip shot from the perimeter that flashed past stunned Jadran keeper Marcela Misic, who was forced to pick the ball out of her net for the eighth time in a row.

Jankovic finally broke the Croatians’ 8:55-long silence with a fierce long-range strike that flew into the bottom left corner. However, Maite Schafft responded almost immediately, overpowering her marker on 2m, turning sharply and smashing the ball into the roof of the net to make it 11-11.

By now, the contest was finely poised and could have gone either way, with the lead changing hands more than once in the fourth quarter.

After 13-13, Iva Gronih looked to have won it for Esslingen, finding space on the left wing during an extra and hammering the ball past Misic with 2:16 remaining.

Esslingen had the chance to move two clear but struck the post from distance. Jadran then forced an exclusion, and Mare Jankovic rifled in from the right wing with just 28 seconds remaining to send the game to a shootout.

Eight rounds were needed to decide the outcome, and Haas proved the unfortunate figure for Esslingen, seeing both of her penalties saved. The second stop was decisive, sending Jadran through to the final after Barisic had made it 20-21.

Final Four, Semifinals

Goztepe Sport Klub (TUR) 25-3 Clube Fluvial Portuense (POR) (5-0, 6-2, 7-1, 7-0)

Goztepe Sport Klub completely overpowered Clube Fluvial Portuense in the second semi-final from start to finish.

The Turks opened with a stunning 9-0 burst that set the tone, and as early as midway through the second quarter it was already clear who would be advancing to Sunday’s grand final.

While Esslingen had earlier shown that an eight-goal deficit could be overturned, Clube Fluvial Portuense had no answers to Goztepe’s relentless and precise attacking play.

Portugal international Jessica Teixeira finally broke through Goztepe’s solid defensive wall after a 13:13-long drought.

She soon added a second a minute later from a six-on-five, but the damage had already been done, with the deficit remaining at nine at half-time (11-2).

The one-way traffic continued through the third and fourth quarters, with Canada star Emma Wright leading the charge for Goztepe and finishing with a six-goal haul.

Hanzade Dabbag was also in fine form, scoring five, as the Turks delivered a memorable all-round performance – both in attack and defence – to emphatically secure their place in the gold medal game.

The margin could have been even greater, had captain Kubra Kus and Maria-Eleni Mimides not seen their penalties strike the post, while Teixeira ended the game with a consolation hat-trick after grabbing her third goal late in the third from the 5m line.

Watch all European Aquatics water polo action live on European Aquatics TV

For full Challenger Cup Women water polo fixtures, results, stats and tables, click here

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 Challenger Cup Women: Jadran Split and Goztepe to clash for gold after semifinal success first appeared on European Aquatics®.