On Day 2, the spotlight burned brightest on Groups A and B, where two standout showdowns delivered incredible intensity. Australia, USA, Hungary, and Spain are on track for the quarterfinals, with no major upsets expected on the final day of group play.
Day 2 brought drama, high scores, and commanding performances from the favorites. The morning session opened with four one-sided games, as China and Hungary dominated their opponents with 20-goal victories. Great Britain secured second place in Group D with a controlled win over South Africa, while Greece showcased their firepower in a dominant effort against Croatia. In the evening, Spain showed their title ambitions with a ruthless win over France. New Zealand followed with their first victory, comfortably beating Singapore.
But the thrillers of the day came later. Australia and Italy went head-to-head in an exciting Group A clash. The Aussie Stingers played with clinical precision in attack, matching Italy’s trademark physicality in a test of skill and composure. Abby Andrews led the way, in a performance that sent a clear message to medal contenders. The night ended with a world-class encounter between the Netherlands and the USA—two heavyweights going all in for group supremacy. It was Team USA who emerged victorious, capping off a day that truly delivered on expectations.
Australia tops table, Italy and New Zealand set for crossovers
Team captain Bronte Halligan opened the scoring for Australia before Roberta Bianconi responded for Italy. The opening quarter saw both teams trading goals, with neither side able to gain more than a one-goal advantage. High-speed transitions and moments of world-class execution helped Italy break through Australia’s defense, but the Stingers remained composed. A beautifully executed left-handed lob gave Australia a two-goal lead early in the second period, and they extended that cushion to four goals before Italy got one back with a buzzer-beater, heading into halftime trailing 8–5.
Inspired by their late goal, Italy scored first in the third to cut the deficit to two, but a swift counterattack earned Australia another three-goal lead. A rapid hat trick from Abby Andrews stretched the Stingers’ lead to six goals. Despite Chiara Ranalli’s outstanding individual effort—scoring six goals for Italy—the Italians couldn’t stop the Australians’ momentum. A late push by Ranalli narrowed the gap to three goals, but Australia responded with a clinical woman-up play, finished by smart precise passing and patient execution.
Abby Andrews was the standout performer for Australia with six goals, supported by dominant play from the team’s center forwards. Australia emerged victorious in a high scoring, action packed contest and now tops the group, securing a direct spot in the quarterfinals.
Led by last year’s World Championship top scorer, Morgan McDowell, who netted eight goals, New Zealand took early control of the match against Singapore. While Singapore showed improved rhythm compared to their previous game against Australia—scoring twice in the opening period and drawing energy from the home crowd—they were ultimately outclassed by the Kiwis’ pace and precision.
New Zealand’s quick transitions and sharp shooting defined the match, with the White Caps executing multiple fast breaks. Although Singapore gave New Zealand a stronger challenge in the second half, highlighted by Ji Suan Charlene Tio’s perfect four-for-four scoring performance, the damage had already been done in the first half. New Zealand’s early dominance secured a convincing and confident win.
Group A Results
Australia 19 – 15 Italy
New Zealand 22 – 7 Singapore
Group A Standings
Australia – 6 Points
Italy – 3 Points
New Zealand – 3 Points
Singapore – 0 Points
USA top Group B after high-quality clash with the Netherlands
Argentina fell to China in another one-sided contest. From the opening whistle, China made it clear who would be taking the three points. Every Chinese player contributed to the scoreboard, with eight players recording multiple goals. Argentina managed to organize their offense slightly better than in their previous match against the Netherlands, but defensively, they were unable to contain China’s firepower, conceding 29 goals.
Sanfeng Nong opened the scoring early with two consecutive goals and added two more later, finishing as China’s top scorer, next to Shang Zong, who made a significant impact, contributing four goals of her own.
The Netherlands took an early lead after drawing a penalty in the opening minute, with Simone van de Kraats calmly converting. The USA responded with a penalty of their own shortly after. Using their trademark speed and sharp movement, the Americans earned several early exclusions, capitalising on their precise passing to take a narrow one-goal lead at the end of the first period.
Ryann Neushul extended the lead early in the second to give the USA the game’s first two-goal advantage. The Netherlands kept pressing on offense, with Martje Keuning finishing a beautifully executed corner throw. However, the USA’s transition play proved decisive, helping them maintain control and carry a two-goal cushion into halftime.
It took over three minutes in the third quarter before either team found the back of the net, but Emily Ausmus confidently converted a penalty to extend the USA lead. A powerful backhand goal from Vivian Sevenich gave the Dutch some momentum, but the Americans held firm, entering the final quarter ahead 9–6.
What seemed to be a back-and-forth scoring sequence in the fourth quarter was broken when Team USA were awarded a crucial goal following a VAR review, pushing their lead back to three with just under four minutes to play. Keuning earned a late penalty with a strong drive, but Amanda Longan came up with a massive save—arguably the defining moment of the match. The Netherlands managed to close the gap to two, but another critical woman-down stop from Longan sealed the win.
Group B Results
China 29 – 9 Argentina
Netherlands 9 – 11 USA
Group B Standings
USA – 6 Points
Netherlands – 3 Points
China – 3 Points
Argentina – 0 Points
Hungary unbeaten, final match to decide crossover placements
Hungary showcased their offensive prowess in a high-scoring match against Japan. Despite conceding 13 goals, the Magyars pressed forward with confidence, led by both Vanda Valyis and Natasa Rybanskas outstanding six-goal performances. Japan, unable to capitalize on their usual counterattacks, struggled to convert chances and missed three penalty shots. Hungary never allowed Japan to find their rhythm, maintaining a relentless offensive pace throughout the entire game.
Greece claimed their first win of the championship with a commanding performance against Croatia. Once again, Foteini Tricha led the Greek attack with five goals, while Stefania Santa added another five. Greece set the tone from the start, scoring five unanswered goals before Croatia could get on the board. Although Croatia showed slight improvement in the second period, they were ultimately outmatched by Greece from beginning to end.
The standings in Group C are set. Hungary, with two wins, will face Croatia in two days as they look to complete a perfect group stage. Greece awaits Japan in a matchup that will determine second and third place, with the Greeks entering as strong favorites.
Group C Results
Hungary 33 – 13 Japan
Croatia 7 – 31 Greece
Group C Standings
Hungary – 6 Points
Greece – 3 Points
Japan – 3 Points
Croatia – 0 Points
Spain confirms strength, France eyes final crossover spot
With Group B’s standings largely decided, Great Britain secured another victory—this time against South Africa—cementing second place in the group. Team captain Kathy Rodgers opened the scoring less than a minute into the game, setting the tone for GB’s dominant first period, which ended with five unanswered goals. South Africa attempted to respond in the second quarter, but two goals from center forward Toula Falvey extended GB’s lead, and from there, the British side pulled away decisively in the second half.
Lily Turner once again powered the British offense with four goals. In her first national team appearance, Cassidy Ball delivered a stellar performance in goal. Ball recorded eight saves, including a crucial penalty stop late in the game, effectively shutting down South Africa’s scoring hopes.
France responded well to their earlier defeat against Great Britain, showing resilience in the first half of their match against Spain. Despite France’s efforts, Spain left no room for doubt about the outcome, jumping to a commanding 5–0 lead in the opening period. France fought back with three consecutive goals, but the individual brilliance of the Spanish side, combined with their fluid team play, proved too much to overcome. Precise assists and well-timed drives continually broke through the French defense.
Spain experienced a brief dip in conversion efficiency, as France recorded several key blocks. However, the start of the second half marked a turning point, where the difference in quality between the two sides became undeniable. Spain scored thirteen unanswered goals, before France was able to convert their sole goal of the last 16 minutes. Spain’s signature pivot passes and Olympic-level execution repeatedly beat the French defense, further cementing their ambitions as title contenders.
Group D Results
Great Britain 12 – 3 South Africa
Spain 23 – 6 France
Group D Standings
Spain – 6 Points
Great Britain – 6 Points
France – 0 Points
South Africa – 0 Points
What’s Next?
Group A
Already through to the quarterfinals, Australia will look to finish group play undefeated. However, their final test against a rising New Zealand side could be more competitive than expected. In third position, New Zealand has shown significant improvement. A strong showing against Australia could build confidence ahead of their crossover match. Sitting second in the group, Italy is expected to win comfortably against Singapore. They will then head into the crossover round, to secure a place in the quarterfinals. Singapore has been outmatched so far and faces a tough final group game.
Group B
With the crucial group match won by Team USA against the Netherlands, the standings in Group B are now taking shape. The USA sits at the top of the group, with one match remaining against Argentina. The Netherlands and China will face off on July 15, with the Dutch expected to claim another three points and secure second place in the group. China is projected to follow in third. Argentina, meanwhile, will look to continue building on their performance as they prepare to face the reigning World Champions.
Group C
Hungary has secured the top spot in Group C with two convincing wins. They will face Croatia—already eliminated from crossover contention—in their final group match before advancing directly to the quarterfinals and taking a rest during the crossover round. Japan will need to tighten their defense in their upcoming clash against Greece. With both teams currently level on points, Greece enters as the favorite to claim second place. Regardless of the outcome, both sides are set to move on to the crossover round.
Group D
With both teams undefeated so far, Spain and Great Britain will face off in the final match of Group D. While both have recorded convincing wins over France and South Africa, Spain enters the match as the clear favorite. A win will secure the top spot and send Spain directly to the quarterfinals. Great Britain will then prepare to face Japan in the crossover round for a place in the top eight. France will meet South Africa, hoping to build on the encouraging moments from their performance against Spain and secure a place in the crossover stage.
See Waterpolo 360’s Singapore 2025 World Championship Page
Read more about women’s water polo
Follow Waterpolo 360 on Facebook, Instagram and X