Spain’s men’s water polo team earned a spot in the World Cup semifinals in Doha, continuing a recent run of strong performances that began in 2018. Their latest victory came in a hard fought game against Montenegro, finishing with a 15-12 edge that reflected a decisive third quarter surge. A 5-0 burst in that period gave Spain control and momentum that Montenegro could not overcome.
From the opening whistle, Spain showed sharpness and cohesion. A fluid attack paired with tight pressing defense kept Montenegro unsettled, even as the Balkan side answered with periods of resilience in the first half. The score remained close through the opening two quarters with Spain clinging to an 8-7 lead as the third period approached. The turning point arrived in mid third when captain Felipe Perrone and Álvaro Granados combined for five goals, widening the margin. Perrone finished with five goals overall, while Granados added four, underscoring Spain’s capacity to strike at crucial moments.
Early on, Spain’s captain delivered three goals in the first quarter, and Granados added two, including a successful penalty conversion, setting the tone for what would become a decisive stretch. Montenegro answered with moments of quality from Bayanic, Spaic, and Brguljan, yet Spain’s speed and precision proved too much, and the first period ended 5-2 in favor of the hosts.
The first intermission did little to slow the Spaniards as Sanahuja extended the lead to 6-2 and the pressing game continued. Montenegro found their rhythm after the early exchanges, producing a 0-3 run that briefly closed the gap and signaled a tense game ahead. Brguljan, Averka, and others contributed to a late second quarter surge, trimming the deficit to 7-5 before Perrone added another for a 7-5 halftime score. The momentum shifted after the break as Spain reasserted control and pushed forward with purpose.
After halftime, Spain’s depth and energy once again became evident. Munárriz and Granados increased the lead, and a crucial 5-0 burst by Roger Tahull helped seal the result in the third period. David Martín’s team finished the period ahead 13-7, maintaining a relentless tempo that Montenegro could not sustain. The final quarter saw Montenegro applying more pressure and corresponding to a 2-5 run, but the damage had already been done by the late third and early fourth. The clock dwindled with Spain ahead at 15-12, leaving them to await the winner of the Greece-Italy matchup in the semifinals. Teledeporte provided the key game details for the recap.
Data sheet
15 – Spain: Lorrio; Munárriz (1), Granados (4, 1p), Sanahuja (2, 1p), De Toro (-), Larumbe (-), Famera (-), Cabanas (-), Tahull (3), Perrone (5), Bustos (-) and Biel (-).
12 – Montenegro: Tesanovic; Brguljan (1), Perkovic (-), Averka (2), Macic (-), Popadic (2p), Duro Radovic (-), Ukropina (1), Spaic (1), Matkovic (-), Vasilije Radovic (1), Mrsic (4).
Referees: Zwart (NETHERLANDS) and Franulovic (CRO). Eliminated: Famera and Cabas.
Partial parts: 5-2, 3-5, 5-0 and 2-5.
Events: The Doha World Cup semifinal match was played in Aspire Dome, the capital of Qatar.
Teledeporte covered the match overview and statistics for those seeking a concise recap.