The 2026 World Men’s Cup Division 1 tournament in Alexandroupolis began with a bang, as two fierce derbies were decided in the dying seconds, setting the tone for a high-quality opening day.
In Group A, Hungary edged hosts Greece 13:12 in a dramatic encounter, while Serbia eventually pulled away from the Netherlands for a 15:11 win that was far tighter than the final score suggests.
Group B delivered its own fireworks, with Italy overcoming Spain 12:10 in a tense Mediterranean clash, before Croatia produced the most convincing performance of the day, dismantling the USA 16:7.
Hungary’s narrow victory over Greece came in front of a packed and passionate home crowd, with the hosts pushing the reigning European champions all the way. Greece held a slim 7:6 lead at halftime and matched Hungary throughout a gripping third quarter, where neither side could establish control.
The decisive moment came in the final minute. With the score locked at 12:12, Hungary earned a man-up opportunity following a well-timed timeout from Zsolt Varga. Burian converted from close range with just six seconds remaining, sealing a dramatic 13:12 win. Vince Vigvari led Hungary with four goals, while Greece saw strong contributions from Papanastasiou and Gkillas, who both scored three.
Earlier in the group, Serbia had to work hard to overcome a resilient Dutch side. Despite building an early 5:1 lead, the Netherlands fought back impressively and even took an 8:7 advantage midway through the third quarter. The teams remained separated by a single goal entering the final period.
Vasilije Martinovic proved decisive down the stretch, scoring four of his five goals in the closing stages to guide Serbia clear. The European champions finished strongly with a 3:0 run in the final minutes, eventually securing a 15:11 victory that reflected their quality but not the competitiveness of the contest.
In Group B, Italy and Spain delivered one of the matches of the day in a high-intensity, back-and-forth battle. Italy started strongly, racing to a 2:0 lead, but Spain responded with three quick goals to close the opening quarter ahead.
The game remained finely balanced throughout, with neither side able to create separation. Spain twice edged in front in the second half, including through two penalties from Sanahuja, but Italy continually found answers. With the score tied at 10:10 inside the final minute, Carnesecchi struck on the powerplay to restore Italy’s lead. Moments later, Ferrero sealed the result into an empty net, confirming a 12:10 win for the Settebello. Di Somma and Carnesecchi each scored three, while Sanahuja led Spain with four.
The final match of the day saw Croatia underline their credentials with a dominant 16:7 victory over a young USA side. The Olympic silver medallists took control immediately, racing to a 4:0 lead and never looking back.
Croatia’s efficiency on the powerplay proved decisive, converting six of eight opportunities in the first half alone. By halftime, they had built a commanding 9:2 advantage. Although the USA showed brief resistance in the third quarter, Croatia responded emphatically with a five-goal run to put the result beyond doubt. Fatovic and Brubnjak both scored three goals, while a disciplined defensive display anchored the performance.
Day 2 promises another round of high-stakes clashes, with Netherlands facing Hungary and Greece taking on Serbia in Group A, while Spain meets Croatia and the USA looks to respond against Italy in Group B.
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