Perfect start for Germany’s water polo players at the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup in Berlin: In the first group game against Malta, the team of national coach Milos Sekulic won 15:5 (5:2, 3:2, 2:1, 5: 0) against Malta. “At the beginning of the game we made a few small mistakes that threw us out of rhythm, but things got better and better after that. In the end we won because we implemented what we had discussed before,” Sekulic said. On Friday evening (8:30 p.m.) the DSV team meets South Africa, on Saturday (7:15 p.m.) the last group opponent is China.
The first two attacks were successful for the Germans. Fynn Schütze slammed the ball under the bar to make it 1-0, and then Zoran Bozic scored the first of his four goals, for which he was ultimately voted player of the match. “We played aggressively here from the first second,” said Spandau. Malta reduced the penalty with a penalty, but Germany captain Mateo Cuk restored the old distance. Soon after, the selection of the German Swimming Association e.V. (DSV) even led by three goals for the first time after Schütze sank the ball again without a start.
Zoran Bozic with his second and third goal and Denis Strelezkij with a penalty further extended the lead in the second quarter. At the break, the DSV team led 8:4 and particularly impressed with a high level of effectiveness in attack. More than 60 percent of the throws found their way into the goal in the first half.
The second half was exactly the same. Germany defended offensively and skillfully kept the Maltese away from their own box. The lead after the third quarter was 10:5, and after further goals from Schütze, Bozic, Ferdinand Korbel, Mark Dyck and Niclas Schipper, the victory was even double-digit at the end. “It was a successful start, even if we struggled a bit at the beginning,” said Korbel. “We’re a young team that has gained a lot of self-confidence from this first game. The next games won’t be any easier, but we want 100 percent to go to the Super Final in Los Angeles and we’ll give everything for it.
