Branik Maribor and Mladost Zagreb to meet in the AWL Final
At the Final Tournament of the Alpe Waterpolo League taking place at the Pristan pool in Maribor, the hosts Branik Maribor and defending champions Mladost Zagreb will face each other in Sunday’s final at 12:00.
In the first semifinal, Mladost Zagreb defeated Ljubljana Slovan 18:13 (5:1, 1:5, 7:6, 5:1), while in the second semifinal Branik Maribor beat Opatija 17:15 (4:2, 4:4, 6:4, 3:5).
The match for third place between Ljubljana Slovan and Opatija will also be played on Sunday at 10:00.
Ljubljana Slovan – Mladost Zagreb 13:18 (1:5, 5:1, 6:7, 1:5)
Referees: Kavčič, Homovec.
Ljubljana Slovan: Karničar Gal, Petrović Vuk, Čanč Matija Bernard 1, Potočnik Enej 3, Klobučar Jaka, Lipnik Marcel 4, Povhe Anže, Kirasič Branko, Čarni Jošt, Ćetković Luka 4, Petković Martin, Rašljić Marko, Kirasič Peter, Kašćelan Danilo 1.
Coach: Jure Škof. Assistant: Nikola Hajdin.
Mladost Zagreb: Batoš Nikola, Nedanovski Luka, Kumrić Antonio 1, Čolović Andrija, Erenda Petar, Rogić Filip 2, Bolanča Roko, Šorić Matej 5, Dobrić Fran 5, Maglica Ivan, Brčić Vito, Modrić Mark, Radman Petar, Šindler Karlo 5.
Coach: Damir Vincek.
The Zagreb side reached the semifinal after a narrow quarterfinal victory over Ströck Vienna, while Ljubljana Slovan advanced directly to the semifinals after finishing second in the regular season. Nine days earlier, in a postponed regular-season match at the Ilirija pool in Ljubljana, Mladost also won after a penalty shootout. This time penalties were not needed, as the Zagreb side secured the decisive advantage in the final quarter, although they had already led by four goals after the first period.
Ljubljana scored first in their opening attack through Matija Bernard Čanč, but that turned out to be their only goal of the first quarter, while Mladost found the net five times against goalkeeper Gal Karničar.
In the second quarter Karničar conceded only once, while Marcel Lipnik scored three goals for Ljubljana and equalized at 6:6 with 36 seconds left before halftime.
When Enej Potočnik scored early in the third quarter to give Ljubljana a 7:6 lead, it seemed the match might turn around. However, Mladost responded with three consecutive goals. Luka Četković equalized at 11:11 with 67 seconds remaining in the third quarter, but within just twenty seconds Mladost restored their two-goal lead (13:11). In the final second of the third period Danilo Kašćelan kept Ljubljana within reach.
That was largely the end of Ljubljana’s resistance, as Mladost opened the final quarter with a 4:0 run to secure an unassailable lead and a deserved place in the final. Matej Šorić, Fran Dobrić and Karlo Šindler each scored five goals for the Zagreb side, while Marcel Lipnik and Luka Četković led Ljubljana with four goals each.
Branik Maribor – Opatija 17:15 (4:2, 4:4, 6:4, 3:5)
Referees: Vehovec, Terzić.
Branik Maribor: Zaninović Toma, Šantak Aljaž, Šantak Miha 1, Seljak Jurij, Miletić Nikola 4, Kačič Tim 2, Pevec Aljaž 3, Hadžić Anes 3, Bašić Roko, Kazagić Harun 1, Rajšp Matej, Brčić Vid 3, Kulenović Mateo, Bucalo Veljko.
Coach: Milan Mitrović. Assistant: Tin Kulenovič.
Opatija: Dipić Mauro, Smokvina Bruno 1, Kolak Dominik, Turk Patrik 2, Peroš Duje 3, Blažić Marko, Kaluđerović Marko, Vlah Frane 2, Dujmić Lucijan 2, Petrić Ian 2, Sklepić Filip, Margitić Borna 3, Smokvina Toni.
Coach: Marcel Latin.
Branik Maribor, who finished the regular season in first place with only one defeat (against Mladost in Rijeka in the final round), justified their role as favourites against Opatija. The visitors led only once, after the opening goal by Lucijan Dujmić. From the moment Tim Kačič scored for 2:1 midway through the first quarter, the Slovenian champions kept the lead, although Opatija managed to equalize three times – the last time at 8:8 early in the third quarter.
Branik led by two goals at the first break. Opatija equalized twice again – through Dujmić (4:4) and Borna Margitić (5:5) – but the hosts quickly restored a two-goal advantage with goals from Nikola Miletić and Aljaž Pevec. The visitors caught up once more in the third quarter, yet Maribor secured the decisive advantage in the final minute when Anes Hadžić and Miletić made it 14:10.
In the last quarter Luka Brčić extended Maribor’s lead to their biggest margin (16:11), which allowed the hosts to comfortably control the rest of the match and secure the victory, although Opatija reduced the deficit to two goals towards the end.
Author Miha Štamcar
Photo Aleksander Sokler
