WINNERS "DELFINI": Serbia through Hungary for EP semi-finals! | Other sports

SPECIAL REPORT "NEWS" : BARSELONA

"DELFINI" came just a step away from the fourth consecutive title of the champions of the Old Continent. Magic water polo players heard the neighbors of the North – 8: 5 (4: 0, 1: 1, 2: 2, 1: 2) in the quarterfinals of the 33rd European Championship in Barcelona. The leaders of Europe Thursday (20.30) will fight for the final with Croatia .

– There is no perfect game, but our defense was on the verge of perfection in the first two quarters. Players can no longer be asked. Later, there was a little relaxation which was partly the consequence and the best game of the Hungarians who started to do all or nothing. They played louder, pressing the entire pool, which cost them a lot of exclusion, but we did not know how to better use the player, and that's one of the objections that I have – said coach Dejan Savic.

The start was like a dream, like four years ago when the "dolphins" of the 2014 EP finals in Budapest torpedoed Hungary (12: 7). The Olympic champion led by goalkeeper Branislav Mitrovic brilliantly defended, has been defended with one less player, but he was unassailable in the attack, especially with the player over. Rival was in the night, trying to keep getting up, but he had no idea either in defense or in attack.

JUBILEJ ANDRIJE PRLAINOVIC ANDRIJA Prlainovic, in the most beautiful way, celebrated the 300th match in the hat of Serbia: "Everything happened as we did. Planned and planned, we controlled the game from start to finish.The key was a good opening of the match, after such a convincing advance that there was no chance for us to d & # 39;

– My son Vuk was born 5 years ago that day as we were playing here on Mundial against the same rivals … Congratulations to the teammates, we played a great game, Bane Mitrovic defended incredible. .. We wanted more victory, now our goal is to keep up the pace and to pick it up if we can and I think we can because the semifinals will need an even better match. still achieved another goal, but we still have two more steps – said course filip Filipovic

The Hurricane Champion, provided by Unika OS, determined the game in the first quarter. Andrija Prlainovic shot 1-0, but two minutes later Filip Filipovic doubled the stakes. Every attempt by the Hungarians to quickly seize the connection was extinguished by the Serbian granitic defense, whose goal was brilliant Branislav Mitrovic. At the end of the quarterback, one of the heroes of the match was Nikola Jakšić who played the player twice for an unassailable and peaceful 4-0.

– We wanted to go to the maximum seriously and it was so. We had 5: 0, we kept the score at the end. We will have the strength for the semi-finals, but let us know the recipe by step – stressed Nikola Jaksic.

When at the beginning of the second quarter Vico not Prlainović turned 5: 0, it turned out that the Hungarians would experience a debacle. However, a remarkable defense game seemed to have trampled our attackers, so they missed a few sons to beat their northern neighbors, who, just 16 minutes away, found Bedooth the first time the way to the net – 5: 1.

To find out more: Filipovic: We will not have the right to qualify for the semi-finals

In the third quarter, when Bedo was effective, the Hungarians surprised goalkeeper Mitrović by 2: 5. Fortunately, Jaksic immediately answered 6: 2, and from that moment, our team maintained their advantage. It was visible that they got tired because of fatigue, so coach Dejan Savic told the players on a timer:

– We are tired and we play … Stand on the ball!

Although they had a great advantage, they did not have to relax for a moment. Because, the opponent was ready to punish every mistake. Fortunately, the Hungarians wanted that as soon as they were downgraded, they were often rushed. After all, they were forced to try to distance themselves from the distance, because they were defensively defended.

– I am not a hero, we are all credited with winning. The guys in front of me played a big defense that helped me. We raised the level of the game as we had announced, but we tried to improve the semifinals. Goalkeeper Branislav Mitrovic is irresistible, he refuted the epithet of the match's hero.

The last quarter was similar to the fourth. The Serbs were pleasantly guilty and lacked the players. Fortunately, Viktor Rasovic at the time, naked for 8: 4, threw a thin hope for the Hungarians that a big bend could be possible.

– We did what we wanted, now we are facing the most difficult thing. Victory with this game gives us self-confidence – stressed Viktor Rasovic.

Read more: VELIKAN VELIKAN: "Delfini" in quarterfinals against Hungary

The Serbs won the fourth semifinal in a row. Now it's easier to breathe, and in the game for the finals, another big opponent is waiting for them. That's why they started tactical how to get the gold medal.

– This was not as easy as one might think from the stands. They form a strong team, we spent a lot of energy to get that high leadership that opened the door to victory. There are two more steps to go through, certainly the hardest, but we can do better.

SERBIA – HUNGARY 8: 5

SWIMMING POOL: "Picnic". Spectators: 1,000. Referees: Poleti (Italy) and Naumov (Russia). Player more: Serbia 15 (7), Hungary 9 (2).

SERBIA: Gojko Pijetlovic, Mandic, Rasovic 1, Ranđelovic, Cuk, Dusko Pijetlovic, Vico 1, Aleksic, Jaksic 3, Filipovic 2, Prlainovic 1, Stefan Mitrovic, Branislav Mitrovic (Defense 11).

HUNGARY: Find (7 defenses), Anjal, Manherc 1, Zalanaki 1, Vamos, Mezei, Janšik, Kovac, Erdelji, Batori 1, Bedo 2, Pol, Vogel.

By quarters: 4: 0, 1: 1, 2: 2, 1: 2