The Hungarian U18 men’s national water polo team successfully defended their world championship title by defeating Serbia 12–10 in the final of the Buenos Aires water polo tournament. The team, led by coach Balázs Korényi, started strong, and despite a 4–0 series by the Serbs, quickly regained their composure, turned the game around, and won confidently.
On the opening day of the tournament, the Hungarian U18 team suffered a narrow 13–12 defeat to Serbia, leading many to hope for a chance at redemption. That opportunity arose as the two teams met again in the final, which set the stage for a perfect moment of revenge. In the group stage, the first half was highly eventful, with the Serbs pulling ahead in the second half. Despite a spirited comeback from the Hungarians, a missed five-metre shot in the last seconds sealed their fate. Since then, both teams had only secured victories,
making their final clash inevitable.
According to the Hungarian Water Polo Federation, the final began with a strong Serbian push, but the Hungarians quickly equalized thanks to András Tóth’s utilization of a man-up situation. Shortly after, the Serbs responded in kind, but Tóth answered again with a field goal, and Botond Balogh’s shot put Hungary in the lead. Both teams’ defences then held firm, keeping the score at 3–3 for a while. Mór Benedek broke the deadlock with a well-placed shot, only for the Serbs to respond immediately. Benedek scored again, aiming for the far corner this time, and in the final seconds, Balogh joined the double scorers with a powerful five-metre shot, giving Hungary a two-goal lead after the first eight minutes. In the second quarter, both teams struggled to gain the upper hand, with more than four minutes passing before the deadlock was broken by Balázs Simon, who scored from a rebound. The Serbs kept pace with a powerful shot and reduced the deficit to one goal just twenty seconds before the halftime break.
After switching sides, the Hungarians could not regain their earlier momentum, and the Serbs equalized with their second attack, resetting the game. The situation worsened as the Serbs took the lead with a powerful goal midway through the quarter, extending their run to 4–0. It was crucial for Csongor Lugosi to break this streak from the centre, followed by Simon, putting Hungary back in the lead. A save by Sándor Borbély ensured Hungary entered the final quarter with a 9–8 advantage.
The final quarter began with the VAR checking but finding nothing significant at the swim-off. The Serbs equalized again shortly after, but Simon struck back from close range. As the last five minutes approached, Bence Haverkampf confidently converted a penalty, increasing the lead to two. The Serbs responded with a double man-up goal, cutting the deficit to one. Borbély’s impressive save maintained this lead, and Simon, once again left unmanned, scored with a direct shot.
With one minute remaining, Hungary led by two goals. After gaining possession from a counterattack, Balázs Korényi called a timeout to calm his team. They patiently held the ball, and the Serbs could not capitalize on their last opportunity. Benedek ran down the clock, and at the final buzzer, the team celebrated their victory in the pool. The Hungarian U18 team
not only defended their title but also avenged their opening match loss to Serbia.
Balázs Simon was named the MVP of the final, while Balázs Korényi was recognized as the tournament’s best coach.
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