Day 2 of the Men’s World Championships in Singapore brought heavyweight showdowns, razor-thin margins, and crucial early steps toward the quarterfinals. Italy overcame Olympic champions Serbia in a dramatic penalty shootout, while Croatia and Montenegro edged their respective rivals in fierce Balkan duels. As the dust settles, the group stage is taking shape — and the pressure is rising.
Settebello’s nerve from the five-metre line proved the difference in a thrilling Group A clash with three-time Olympic gold medallists Serbia. With both teams unbeaten, the stakes were immense, and Italy’s 4–3 edge in the penalty shootout could be pivotal in determining who tops the group.
Meanwhile, Croatia emerged victorious from a fierce encounter with Montenegro to seize control of Group D, while Spain weathered a spirited Australian fightback in Group B. Hungary and Japan exchanged 41 goals in a whirlwind clash, and Canada turned on the style against Singapore with a 22-goal display.
Elsewhere, Greece bounced back emphatically against China, the USA cruised past Brazil, and Romania overran South Africa.
Group A
Italy 17 – 16 Serbia (13-13 FT)
Italy moved one step closer to the quarterfinals after a high-octane 13–13 draw with Serbia — which they converted into a 17–16 win after a cold-blooded shootout. The Settebello came into the match full of confidence after their 17–5 dismantling of Romania, but it was clear from the opening whistle that Serbia — the reigning Olympic champions — meant business.
It was a fiercely contested match, tied at 13–13 heading into the closing seconds. When the buzzer sounded, the teams were inseparable. In the shootout, Italy buried four of their five attempts, while Serbia missed twice. The win puts Italy on five points in the group and guarantees at least a top-three finish. With South Africa still to play, Alessandro Campagna’s side now control their route to the quarterfinals.
South Africa 5–24 Romania
The first match of the day saw Romania bounce back from their opening defeat with a commanding win over South Africa. The Eastern Europeans started strong and never looked back.
Romania exploded out of the gates with a dominant 10–0 run, led by Vlad-Luca Georgescu and Francesco Iudean, who both finished with four goals. South Africa managed five goals — two from Dean Sneddon — but struggled to contain Romania’s relentless counter and clinical finishing. A yellow card for South Africa’s coach underlined their frustrations, as Romania piled on 47 shots to 18. Two penalty saves by Matthew Smith were a bright spot for the South Africans, but the gulf in class was evident throughout.
Standings
- Italy – 3pts
- Romania – 3pts
- Serbia – 3pts
- South Africa – 0pts
Group B
A double-header of explosive clashes saw Hungary and Spain stay perfect — but not without a fight.
Japan 18–23 Hungary
The tournament’s most goal-laden match so far saw Hungary edge Japan in a 41-goal thriller. Vince Vigvari, Krisztian Manhercz, and Adam Nagy led the charge for the Magyars, who were matched early on by a fearless Japanese attack marshalled by Yusuke Inaba and Seiya Adachi. A 15-goal fourth quarter saw Japan close the gap but not enough to prevent Hungary from pulling clear. The intensity and tempo showcased the clash of playing philosophies at their absolute peak.
Australia 7–10 Spain
Spain appeared to be on course for a rout after storming to a 9–2 lead, but Australia regrouped and delivered a gutsy second-half performance. Goalkeeper Nic Porter was magnificent with 18 saves — many against his Barceloneta teammates. Luka Krstic converted two penalty shots for the Sharks in a match that showed both teams’ championship credentials. Spain’s Felipe Perrone had a goal disallowed via VAR in what is confirmed to be his final World Championships.
Standings
- Spain – 6pts
- Hungary – 6pts
- Australia – 0pts
- Japan – 0pts
Group C
North America dominated Day 5 in Group C, as Canada and the USA both claimed convincing wins.
Singapore 10–22 Canada
A frenetic first quarter saw Singapore match Canada goal-for-goal until Reuel D’Souza — who scored five in the opening eight minutes and finished with seven — helped his team break away. Aleksa Gardijan and Bogdan Djerkovic added key goals as Canada accelerated after halftime. Wen Goh thrilled the home crowd with four goals, including the opener, but Canada’s power and pace were ultimately too much.
USA 16–7 Brazil
The Olympic bronze medallists made light work of Brazil, jumping out to a 6–1 first quarter lead behind Ryder Dodd’s early hat-trick. Dodd and Max Irving each finished with four, while Hannes Daube and Jake Ehrhardt also impressed. Brazil fought valiantly in the second half, with captain Gustavo Guimaraes scoring twice, but couldn’t recover from a poor start. The Dodd brothers playing side-by-side proved to be a heartwarming subplot for Team USA.
Standings
- USA – 6pts
- Canada – 3pts
- Brazil – 3pts
- Singapore – 0pts
Group D
The “Group of Death” delivered its most gripping encounter yet — a Balkan classic — and a dominant Greek rebound.
Croatia 13–11 Montenegro
Croatia edged Montenegro in a hard-fought clash with first place in the group likely on the line. Loren Fatovic and Luka Bukic both netted three, while goalkeeper Marko Bijac was outstanding with 12 saves. Dusan Banicevic led Montenegro with three goals, but Croatia’s ability to strike immediately after exclusions proved decisive. A late backhand strike from Rino Buric sealed the win with one second left, adding gloss to an already impressive team effort.
Greece 26–5 China
Greece responded to their opening defeat with a masterclass in both attack and defence. Dimitrios Nikolaidis scored five, while Nikolaos Gkillas added four in a game that was 12–0 at halftime. China found the net late but were overwhelmed by Greece’s pressing defence and fluid counter-attacks. Emmanouil Andreadis impressed in goal with 10 saves as the Greeks used the game to fine-tune ahead of their clash with Croatia.
Standings
- Croatia – 6pts
- Greece – 3pts
- Montenegro – 3pts
- China – 0pts
What’s Next – Day 6 Fixtures
Match 17 – 09:00 – Canada vs Brazil (Group C)
Match 18 – 10:35 – Australia vs Japan (Group B)
Match 19 – 12:10 – China vs Montenegro (Group D)
Match 20 – 13:45 – Italy vs South Africa (Group A)
Match 21 – 16:00 – Serbia vs Romania (Group A)
Match 22 – 17:35 – Greece vs Croatia (Group D)
Match 23 – 19:10 – Singapore vs USA (Group C)
Match 24 – 20:45 – Spain vs Hungary (Group B)
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