The quarterfinals of the 2025 Elite Men’s European U16 Championships in Istanbul revealed the unpredictable nature of the two-division system. Only one of the four group winners—Italy—remains in the hunt for medals. Joining them in the semifinals are Hungary, Croatia, and Montenegro, all of whom came through the crossover round.
Italy the Last Group Winner Standing
Italy, the only direct qualifier to reach the semifinals, eased past host nation Türkiye with a commanding 22–9 victory. The Italians remain unbeaten in the competition, having previously defeated Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia in the group stage.
Hungary Upset Greece
Hungary, third in Group B after defeats to Spain and Serbia, stunned Greece with a 13–9 win. The Hungarians broke open a close contest in the third quarter, extending a narrow 4–2 halftime lead to 8–3 by the 21st minute. Greece failed to mount a comeback as Hungary confidently closed out the game.
Croatia Knock Out Perfect Serbia
The most dramatic result came as Croatia eliminated previously unbeaten Serbia in a thrilling 15–13 clash. Despite only collecting one point in the group stage, Croatia led early and recovered from a second-period deficit. Star performer Nardo Skejic scored seven goals, including a decisive late run of four unanswered goals that sealed the upset.
Montenegro Outguns Spain
In the final quarterfinal of the day, Montenegro took down Spain 18–14. After an even first quarter (4–4), Montenegro pulled away in the second to lead 9–6 at halftime. Spain fought back but couldn’t level the game. Danilo Roganovic scored seven goals for Montenegro, while Spain’s captain Tiago Carrio hit eight in a losing effort.
Quarterfinal Results – Istanbul
- Italy 22–9 Türkiye (5:2, 6:3, 5:1, 6:3)
- Hungary 13–9 Greece (2:2, 0:2, 3:6, 4:3)
- Croatia 15–13 Serbia (4:4, 4:3, 2:4, 3:4)
- Montenegro 18–14 Spain (4:4, 2:5, 5:3, 3:6)
Semifinal Matchups (Saturday)
1st–4th place:
- Italy vs Montenegro
- Hungary vs Croatia
5th–8th place:
- Greece vs Serbia
- Türkiye vs Spain
Classification Matches – Istanbul
9th–12th Place Semifinals
- Netherlands 15–8 Romania
- Germany 17–6 Georgia
9th-place match: Netherlands vs Germany
11th-place match: Romania vs Georgia
13th–15th Classification
- Malta 14–18 Poland
- Moldova: Bye
Division 2: Ljubljana Results – Day 5
Group A
- Bulgaria 16–9 Cyprus
- France 23–13 Slovakia
- Portugal 14–21 Slovenia
Final Standings – Group A
- Bulgaria – 15 pts
- France – 12 pts
- Slovenia – 9 pts
- Cyprus – 6 pts
- Slovakia – 3 pts
- Portugal – 0 pts
Group B
- Czechia 8–9 Lithuania
- Ukraine 17–8 Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Latvia 4–29 Switzerland
Final Standings – Group B
- Ukraine – 14 pts
- Bosnia & Herzegovina – 12 pts
- Switzerland – 10 pts
- Lithuania – 6 pts
- Czechia – 3 pts
- Latvia – 0 pts
Division 2 Semifinals (Saturday)
1st–4th place:
- Bulgaria vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Ukraine vs France
5th–8th place:
- Slovenia vs Lithuania
- Cyprus vs Switzerland
9th–12th place:
- Slovakia vs Latvia
- Portugal vs Czechia
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