Zagreb, June 17 – After three thrilling days of competition at the 2025 World Aquatics Men’s U20 Water Polo Championships, Day 4 offered little in the way of drama as the crossover matches produced two expected results. Both Germany and Australia cruised past their Asian opponents, securing smoother paths into tomorrow’s eighth-finals.
Meanwhile, the first matches in the 13th–20th place classification round were also played, with standout performances from Brazil, Argentina, and Canada.
Crossover Round
Iran 6–22 Germany
(0:4, 2:6, 1:6, 3:6)
Germany wasted no time asserting their dominance over Iran, racing to an 8:0 lead before Iran managed their first goal in the 14th minute. A red card for violent play midway through the third period further hurt Iran’s already slim chances, and Germany extended their advantage to a final score of 22:6. Hofmann led the way for the Germans with four goals in a clinical team performance.
Australia 19–8 China
(5:3, 9:1, 4:1, 1:3)
Australia’s Magasanik struck five goals as the team powered past China. Despite a brief rally from China in the opening quarter, reducing the gap to 5:3, the Australians scored four quick goals at the start of the second period and never looked back. By the final break, they led 18:5. China salvaged some pride with three late goals, but Australia’s superiority had long since been established.
Eighth-Finals Line-up (June 18)
EF1: Iran vs USA (16:00 CET) EF2: China vs Greece (17:30 CET) EF3: Germany vs Montenegro (19:00 CET) EF4: Australia vs Italy (20:30 CET)
The standout tie of the round will likely be Australia vs Italy, with the winner earning a quarterfinal clash with titleholders Hungary. Germany, meanwhile, face a stern test against Montenegro. The other two matches are also set to challenge the lower-ranked sides from today’s crossover round.
Quarterfinal Pairings (June 19)
QF1: Hungary vs Winner EF4 QF2: Spain vs Winner EF2 QF3: Croatia vs Winner EF3 QF4: Serbia vs Winner EF1
13th–20th Place Classification Round
While attention focused on the top bracket, the race for lower positions got underway. The closest contest came between South Africa and Kazakhstan, a defensive stalemate decided by a single goal. Kazakhstan led 7:6 after three periods, and neither side managed to score in the final eight minutes — a rarity in this tournament.
In other action, all three American teams — Brazil, Argentina, and Canada — recorded wins to begin their classification campaigns strongly.
Group G, Round 1
Brazil 14–8 New Zealand Argentina 14–12 Singapore
Group H, Round 1
South Africa 6–7 Kazakhstan Colombia 11–17 Canada
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