Mladost have added another trophy to their collection after beating Jadran Split 18–10 to win the Croatian Super Cup in Bjelovar.
The Zagreb side produced an emphatic performance against the defending champions to secure the Super Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Friday’s match was played at the newly opened Wellovar complex in Bjelovar and represented the fifth edition of the Croatian Super Cup.
Mladost qualified for the contest after completing a domestic double last season, winning both the Croatian Championship and Croatian Cup. Jadran, runners-up in both competitions, took their place as Mladost’s opponents.
It was Mladost’s first appearance in the national Super Cup, which had been the only Croatian trophy missing from the cabinet of one of European water polo’s most decorated clubs.
Jadran, meanwhile, arrived in Bjelovar as defending champions and with an opportunity to become the first club to win the competition three times.
Instead, Mladost made sure their first appearance ended with silverware.
The victory continues an impressive period for the Zagreb club following last season’s league and cup double and gives them the first Croatian trophy of the new campaign.
The Super Cup also provided the first meeting of what will quickly become a familiar fixture this season.
Mladost and Jadran will meet again on October 7 in the Champions League before facing each other once more in the Croatian Championship later in the month.
The two clubs dominated the Croatian domestic scene last season, with Mladost eventually overcoming Jadran in both major competitions.
This year’s Super Cup also marked a change from the competition’s previous four editions. Every previous match had been contested by Jadran and Jug, with the two clubs sharing the first four titles equally.
Mladost have now become the third Croatian club to lift the trophy.
Croatian Super Cup
Mladost 18–10 Jadran Split
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