Funchal 2026: Israel, Netherlands and Italy book places in next phase

Day 2 of the Women’s European Water Polo Championships in Funchal delivered a decisive shake-up in the race for the knockout stages, as Israel, the Netherlands and Italy all secured qualification to the next phase with matches to spare.

While several games followed expected scripts, the standout encounter came in Group D, where Israel defeated Great Britain 11–6 in a tense, emotionally charged contest with a top-eight berth on the line. Elsewhere, Italy underlined their authority in Group C, while the Netherlands continued their relentless scoring march.

Israel edge Great Britain in decisive Group D clash

Israel 11–6 Great Britain
(2–1, 2–1, 4–2, 3–2)

With qualification hanging in the balance, Israel delivered a composed, defensively disciplined performance to eliminate Great Britain and book their place in the top eight alongside the Netherlands.

The matchup carried echoes of Eindhoven 2024, where the British had edged Israel on penalties in a dramatic quarterfinal decider. This time, Israel flipped the script.

The opening half was tight and tactical. Both teams executed their defensive plans well, limiting centre-forward involvement and forcing shots from less favourable positions. Israel edged the early exchanges through greater efficiency, taking a narrow 4–2 lead into halftime after Noga Levinshtein struck late in the second quarter.

Goalkeepers played a crucial role. GB’s Cassidy Ball produced a series of outstanding saves, including a point-blank stop on Miya Tirosh, while Israel’s Roni Kakuzin responded in kind by denying Toula Falvey from close range.

The decisive moments came in the second half. Israel began to punish British turnovers more ruthlessly, and Alma Yaacobi—absent through suspension in Eindhoven—rose to the occasion, finishing with four goals. Her third, early in the fourth quarter, made it 9–4 and effectively shut the door.

For Israel, the final whistle brought scenes of unrestrained celebration. For Great Britain, it marked the end of their top-eight hopes in Funchal.

Italy power past Serbia to secure Group C supremacy

Italy 17–6 Serbia
(5–2, 5–1, 4–2, 3–1)

Italy confirmed their dominance in Group C with a comprehensive win over Serbia, ensuring qualification and guaranteeing first place in the group.

Carlo Silipo’s side were in control almost from the outset, racing to a 10–3 halftime lead through crisp ball movement and clinical finishing. Serbia struggled to cope with Italy’s structured offensive sets and suffered repeated breakdowns defensively.

With the result decided early, intensity dipped slightly after the long break, but Italy continued to rotate effectively, placing eight different players on the scoresheet. Claudia Marletta, Roberta Bianconi and Sofia Giustini led the way with three goals apiece.

For Serbia, Ana Miličević provided a rare positive, scoring a hat-trick after going goalless in the opener against Türkiye.

Croatia recover after slow start to beat Türkiye

Türkiye 9–16 Croatia
(4–2, 2–5, 2–4, 1–5)

Türkiye made a bright start and briefly threatened an upset, but Croatia’s experience told as they gradually asserted control.

After falling behind 4–2 in the first quarter, Croatia responded with a five-goal unanswered run spanning the second and third periods. Once Jelena Butić extended the lead to 10–6, the momentum had fully swung.

Türkiye showed spirit late, but Croatia’s depth and physicality proved decisive, setting up a decisive group clash with Serbia on Thursday.

One-sided results elsewhere

Netherlands 28–2 Switzerland
The reigning champions produced another ruthless display, scoring a tournament-record 10 goals in the first quarter. Switzerland battled gamely and enjoyed vocal support, but the gulf in class was unmistakable.
Germany 22–11 Slovakia
After a shaky opening two minutes, Germany settled quickly and pulled away decisively, showing clear progress since Eindhoven 2024.
Greece 23–5 France
Greece dominated throughout, maintaining their perfect recent record against France and reinforcing their status as medal contenders.
Hungary 28–3 Romania
Hungary were relentless, using the match to refine defensive structures and transitions while keeping intensity high.
Spain 22–7 Portugal
Spain bounced back strongly from their opening-day defeat, overpowering the hosts with pace and depth, despite spirited resistance from Portugal’s Maria Machado.