Greece produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the tournament so far to headline Day 2 of the 2026 World Men’s Cup Division 1 in Alexandroupolis, overturning a seven-goal deficit to stun Serbia 16:15 in a dramatic Group A clash.
Trailing 4:11 late in the second quarter, the hosts looked out of contention as Serbia dominated early, carving through the Greek defence with a ruthless 7:0 run. Even at halftime, Greece remained firmly on the back foot at 7:11, with Serbia in complete control.
But the momentum shifted dramatically after the break. Led by an inspired Stylianos Argyropoulos and a string of crucial saves from Emmanouil Zerdevas, Greece clawed their way back into the contest. Argyropoulos brought the hosts level at 13:13 in the third period, setting up a tense final quarter.
Serbia regained a narrow edge at 15:13 with just over six minutes remaining, but the decisive moment came in the final 90 seconds. A violent foul by Petar Jaksic reduced Serbia to five field players, and Greece seized the opportunity. Argyropoulos converted from the penalty spot to make it 15:15 before striking again with 45 seconds remaining to complete an extraordinary turnaround and secure a 16:15 victory.
Argyropoulos finished with six goals in a standout performance, while Zerdevas anchored the comeback with 10 saves.
Earlier in Group A, Hungary edged a thriller against the Netherlands, eventually winning 16:15 after a penalty shootout following an 11:11 draw in regular time.
The Dutch pushed Hungary all the way and looked set for a famous win after taking an 11:10 lead with just 29 seconds remaining. However, Adam Nagy struck with three seconds left to force a shootout. Hungary held their nerve from the spot, with goalkeeper Kristof Csoma returning for the decisive moment to make a crucial save in the fifth round, allowing Gergo Fekete to seal the win.
The match itself was a rollercoaster. The Netherlands started strongly, leading 4:2 after the first quarter, before Hungary responded with a dominant defensive stretch and a 5:0 run to take control. The Dutch then surged back in the fourth quarter, only for Hungary to rescue the game at the death once again.
After two rounds, Hungary sit top of Group A with five points, while Greece and Serbia are level on three. The Netherlands have one point, leaving all four teams still in contention heading into the final day. Greece will face the Netherlands, while Hungary meet Serbia in decisive encounters.
Group B proved more straightforward, with Spain and Italy both recording comfortable victories.
Spain defeated Croatia 14:10 in a controlled performance, building their advantage with a decisive 5:0 run in the second quarter. Alvaro Granados led the way with four goals as the Spaniards maintained their strong form, having beaten Croatia convincingly earlier this year as well.
Croatia, fielding a younger lineup, showed glimpses of promise but were unable to recover from Spain’s mid-game surge. Despite improving defensively in the second half, they never seriously threatened to overturn the deficit.
Italy continued their perfect start with a commanding 15:8 win over the USA. After a closely contested opening quarter, the Italians took full control in the second period, shutting out the Americans while extending their lead to 7:3 at halftime.
A 6:0 run spanning the second and third quarters effectively ended the contest, with Italy’s disciplined defence and clinical attack proving too strong. Francesco Di Fulvio’s side now sit on six points and are in a strong position to qualify for the Final Eight.
Heading into the final round, Italy face Croatia in a key derby, while Spain take on the USA. Italy need only avoid a heavy defeat to progress, while Croatia must win by at least three goals to keep their hopes alive.
Standings in Group B see Italy leading with six points, followed by Spain and Croatia on three, while the USA remain without a point and are already eliminated from contention for the top two.
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