Marseille will take a three-goal advantage to Croatia after defeating Jadran Split 19-16 in a high-scoring first leg of the 2026 Euro Cup final.
Backed by a packed home crowd, the French champions produced a powerful attacking display and, at one stage, looked on course for a far more commanding lead. But Jadran’s late fightback ensured the tie remains very much alive ahead of the second leg in Split on June 6.
Marseille led from the early stages, defending strongly and creating the clearer scoring opportunities. They opened up a 2-0 advantage midway through the first quarter, and although Jadran repeatedly cut the gap to one, the hosts restored their two-goal lead in the final second of the period through a man-up goal from Nemanja Drasovic.
The second quarter saw Marseille begin to take control. Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos converted a penalty to make it 6-3, before both teams exchanged goals. When Marino Cagalj Zovic reduced the deficit to 7-5, Marseille responded immediately through Bernat Sanahuja Larumbe, followed by goals from Michael Bodegas and Thomas Vernoux, whose lob shot gave the home side a 10-5 lead.
Ugo Crousillat extended Marseille’s advantage to six early in the second half, but Jadran adjusted defensively and began to work their way back into the match. The visitors reduced the gap to 13-10 through Andrii Berehulak, only for their momentum to be halted by a major turning point late in the third quarter.
Loren Fatovic was shown a red card for a violent foul on Vernoux, leaving Jadran a player down for four minutes. Marseille took full advantage, with Quentin Bouet converting the resulting penalty before the hosts went on a decisive run to lead 17-11 at the end of the third quarter.
When Bouet made it 18-11 early in the fourth, Marseille appeared to be heading towards a huge first-leg win. But Jadran refused to collapse. Once the four-minute exclusion expired, the Croatian side scored four unanswered goals, with Zvonimir Butic cutting the deficit to 18-15 from the penalty line with just over a minute remaining.
Crousillat finally ended Marseille’s goalless spell, but Butic scored again with ten seconds left to set the final score at 19-16.
It means Marseille hold the advantage, but Jadran’s late recovery may yet prove important when the final resumes in Split.
Result
Marseille 19-16 Jadran Split
Quarters: 5-3, 6-3, 6-5, 2-5
Scorers
Marseille: Crousillat 4, Vernoux 4, Larumbe 2, Nagy 2, Drasovic 2, Bouet 2, Spaic 1, Bodegas 1, Kalogeropoulos 1.
Jadran Split: Butic 4, Zovic 3, Pejkovic 2, Curkovic 2, Matkovic 1, Berehulak 1, Nemet 1, Fatovic 1, Duzevic 1.
Visit the WP360 Shop!
Follow Waterpolo 360 on Facebook, Instagram and X