The 2026 Champions League got underway in thrilling fashion on Tuesday night, with Olympiacos, Radnicki, Jadran Herceg Novi, and Marseille all starting their European campaigns with statement wins. From late comebacks to commanding performances, the opening day delivered the drama water polo fans have come to expect from Europe’s top competition.
Olympiacos vs Mladost (13–9) – Group A
Olympiacos claimed three points in the marquee matchup of the day, overcoming a shaky start to defeat Mladost 13–9 in Piraeus.
The Greek champions found themselves 0–3 down within the opening three minutes, as Mladost—making their first Champions League appearance since 2020—stunned the home crowd with a flawless start. Elvis Fatović quickly called a timeout, and his intervention worked wonders.
From there, Olympiacos flipped the game on its head. Krisztián Manhercz set the tone with a powerful drive, Marton Angyal converted a man-up, and Gergo Zalanki—who would finish with six goals—took over the scoring duties. Zalanki equalized midway through the second period before Konstantinos Genidounias fired the hosts ahead for the first time.
By halftime, Olympiacos led 6–4, and the third quarter saw them shift into another gear. Zalanki and Angyal extended the margin to four (8–4), while the defense, anchored by goalkeeper Emmanouil Zerdevas, kept Mladost’s attack at bay. The Croatians briefly narrowed the deficit to 8–10, but Zalanki’s long-range strike before the buzzer restored control. Despite missing three penalties, Olympiacos managed the closing stages with confidence to secure a well-earned victory.
Scorers:
Olympiacos: Zalanki 6, Angyal 2, Gkillas 2, Genidounias 2, Dimou 1.
Mladost: Nagaev 2, Basic 1, Buljubasic 1, Biljaka 1, Bukic 1, Lazic 1, Vukicevic 1, Kharkov 1.
Radnicki vs Vasas (17–16) – Group A
In one of the night’s most entertaining clashes, Radnicki edged Vasas 17–16 in a high-scoring thriller that could have swung either way.
Missing injured captain Nikola Jaksic, the Serbian champions endured a difficult opening, falling 5–2 behind midway through the first quarter. Vasas’s attacking duo, Gyarfas and Batori, were relentless early on, combining for eight goals and putting Radnicki on the back foot.
Strahinja Rasovic led the response, pulling the hosts level at 7–7, but Vasas regained their edge to lead 9–7 before halftime. The Serbs equalized again before the interval, and the match entered the third quarter finely poised at 9–9.
That’s when experience told. Andrija Prlainovic, the veteran of countless European nights, spearheaded a 5–0 Radnicki run, firing his side 13–11 ahead. Vasas fought back admirably, cutting the margin to one in the closing minute, but Lakatos’s final goal came too late to deny the Kragujevac side a thrilling home win.
Scorers:
Radnicki: Prlainovic 6, Rasovic 4, Vlachopoulos 3, Murisic 2, Vapenski 2.
Vasas: Gyarfas 5, Djurdjic 3, Batori 3, Szalai 3, Lakatos 2.
Jadran Herceg Novi vs Jadran Split (14–11) – Group B
The all-Jadran derby lived up to its billing, as Montenegrin champions Jadran Herceg Novi opened Group B play with a 14–11 win over regional rivals Jadran Split in Trebinje.
The Croatian side started the stronger, racing to a 3–1 lead after five minutes, but the hosts found their rhythm late in the first quarter, scoring three unanswered goals to lead 4–3. From that point, Herceg Novi controlled the tempo.
By halftime, the advantage had stretched to 7–5, and an early third-quarter goal from Andrija Kholod extended the margin further. Goalkeeper Dejan Andric impressed between the posts, anchoring a disciplined defense that frustrated Split’s man-up plays (just 7/20 conversions). A 6:1 scoring run across the middle quarters broke the game open, allowing the Montenegrins to cruise through the final minutes.
Scorers:
Jadran HN: Stupar 3, Janovic 3, Merkulov 2, Kholod 1, Vujovic 1, Valera 1, Gojkovic 1, Lazic 1, Vranes 1.
Jadran Split: Matkovic 3, Fatovic 3, Zovic 2, Butic 1, Berehulak 1, Nemet 1.
Marseille vs Waspo Hannover (20–9) – Group D
In Marseille, there was no suspense—just sheer dominance. The French powerhouse demolished Waspo Hannover 20–9, laying down an early marker in Group D.
After a 2–2 start, Marseille exploded with five unanswered goals in three minutes to take a 7–3 lead, and they never looked back. By halftime, the hosts were 11–5 up, displaying ruthless efficiency on both ends.
Thomas Vernoux, Ugo Crousillat, and Mehdi Bouet were unstoppable, combining for 13 goals, while Alexandros Kalogeropoulos added three more in a clinical display. The 2024 runners-up look every bit a contender again, their depth and balance too much for a struggling Hannover defense.
Scorers:
Marseille: Bouet 5, Vernoux 4, Crousillat 4, Kalogeropoulos 3, Larumbe 2, Bodegas 1, Nagy 1.
Waspo Hannover: Kueppers 2, Strelezkij 2, Lozina 2, Buha 1, Gansen 1, L. Vukicevic 1.
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