New Zealand dominated the second final game at the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup in Berlin from the start and ended up winning 16-3 (2-0, 4-1, 6-0, 4-2), earning the Oceania team their ticket to the World Cup Super Final from June 23rd to 25th in Long Beach (USA).
Both teams had achieved their best placings in World Cup history at last year’s World Championships in Budapest (HUN), but in a direct duel it was destined that only one of the two teams would be able to secure the coveted ticket for the final round. And it quickly became clear that this could only be New Zealand. The Kiwis took the lead midway through the first quarter and didn’t give it away after that. The New Zealanders were already leading 6-1 at half-time and continued to extend their lead in the second half. In the end there was an impressive 16:3 on the scoreboard.
The game’s top scorers were Emmerson Houghton with four goals and her teammate Bernadette Doyle (both NZL) with three. However, it was New Zealand goalkeeper Jessica Milicich, who plays for Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 in Berlin, who was named player of the match. “My teammates were watching, so this success is something very special for me. It felt like a home game away from home,” she said. Speaking of qualifying for the finals, she said: “We worked hard as a team for this special moment. It’s fantastic to be able to win here and have one of the tickets to the Super Final.”
Get your tickets for the men’s tournament of the Water Polo World Cup at https://waterpolo-worldcup.berlin/tickets/and follow the games live at https://www.youtube.com/@WorldAquatics.
