Split’s water polo team Jadran played the first two rounds of the EuroCup Group B qualifying tournament in Novi Sad, securing one win and one defeat. In their second match, they defeated hosts Vojvodina 10-6, after losing to French side Marseille 5-19 in the tournament opener.
The victory over Vojvodina is significant as the opponents are the current Serbian champions and direct rivals for second place in the group. It is also the second win for Vinko Rossi’s team against the same opponents in two weeks. In mid-October, they also triumphed at the Regional League tournament in Zagreb with a score of 12-11. Finishing second in the group should give the Split players a more favourable position ahead of the Challenger Cup draw.
In the match against Vojvodina, Jadran took a 2-0 lead, but the home team briefly levelled the score at 2-2. The Split side finished the first quarter ahead 4-2, and the lead grew to three goals during the match. In the final period, they pulled away to a final score of 10-6. The most effective player for the Split team was Neli Janković with six goals.
In the tournament opener, Jadran faced Marseille, a squad composed of numerous international and French national team players, who confirmed their status as the main favourites in the group. The French side built a significant lead in the first quarter, and the gap grew to 14 goals by the end of the match.
After two matches played, the Split players have successfully passed the important test against Vojvodina.
