Ljubljana Edge Out Kranj After Penalty Shootout
On the opening day of the third Alpe Waterpolo League tournament, the most excitement came from the clash between Ljubljana Slovan and Triglav Kranj, which the Ljubljančani won 17:15 after a 15:15 draw and a better performance in the penalty shootout. After the fifth round, Maribor’s Branik now sit at the top of the standings thanks to a convincing 17:6 win over Vienna’s Ströck.
Kamnik’s Calcit Waterpolo fell 8:27 to Opatija, Mladost Zagreb beat Delfin 13:8, while Kostrena defeated the home team Torpedo 26:12.
Calcit Water Polo – Opatija 8:27 (0:6, 4:6, 3:7, 1:8)
Referees: Suhadolnik, Stariha.
Calcit Water Polo: T. Kapić, Škrlj; V. Brišnik 1, G. Brišnik 1, Cerar 2, Gledec, Lukić, Kordež, Blažević 1, Zdravković Gligorovski 2, Erce, Osolnik, Bergant 1, M. Kapić.
Opatija: Dipić, Kolanović; B. Smokvina 4, Tomić 2, Turk, Peroš 2, Sklepić, Kaluđerović 2, Šurbek 4, Dujmić 5, Petrić, Vlah 2, Margitić 2, T. Smokvina 4.
Calcit entered the match still searching for their first points after four rounds, while Opatija had lost only once—against Maribor in the opening round. The game was more or less decided after the first quarter, which Opatija won 6:0. The second quarter was the most balanced, but Kamnik still trailed by eight goals at halftime. Opatija continued to pull away for the rest of the match, led by a five-goal performance from Lucijan Dujmić, while Ivan Šurbek and Bruno and Toni Smokvina each scored four. For Calcit, the top scorers were Maksim Zdravković Gligorovski and Ažbe Cerar.
Delfin – Mladost Zagreb 8:13 (2:1, 1:4, 3:4, 2:4)
Referees: Tahmiščija, Suhadolnik.
Delfin: Košara, Ljubenko; Baričević, Radetić, Krevatin, Kusanović 2, Mamontov 2, Gržinić 1, Grilec, Supić 3, Gavrilović, Radić, Bonassin, Peruško.
Mladost Zagreb: Batoš, Radman; Bedeković, Petrović Malešević, Kokanović 1, Erenda 2, Rogić, Bolanca 1, Šorić 6, Nenadovski 1, Maglica 2, Brčić, Antunović, Sindler.
Before facing Delfin, Zagreb’s Mladost had suffered only one defeat, while Delfin had recorded just one win. The home side led narrowly after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 3:1 in the second with a penalty converted by Patrick Supić. But that was their only goal of the period, which Mladost won 4:1. In the third quarter, another Delfin penalty—this time by Petar Mamontov—cut the deficit to just one goal (6:7), but they were unable to get any closer. Mladost confidently controlled the final stages, with Matej Šorić leading all scorers with six goals, while Supić netted three for Delfin.
ASV Ströck Wien – Branik Maribor 6:17 (0:3, 0:3, 1:7, 5:5)
Referees: Bjelopera, Stariha.
ASV Ströck Wien: Hoferica, Abui Guriev; Bekesi 1, Ribić, Stefanović 1, Mitruk 2, Sarandi, Milošević, Sretenović, Ibrišimović 1, Dukić, Šečerović 1, Jovandić, Čurčić.
Branik Maribor: Zaninović, Anufriev; A. Šantak, M. Šantak 4, Seljak, Miletić 2, Kačić, Pevec 2, Hadžić 2, Pajnik, Kazagić 5, Brčić 2, Bucalo.
Undefeated after the first four rounds, Maribor once again lived up to their role as favourites against a Vienna side that had won twice so far. Maribor excelled defensively through the opening three quarters, with goalkeeper Toma Zaninović nearly unbeatable—he conceded for the first time only in the final minute of the third quarter, by which point his teammates had already scored eleven goals. Branik eased off slightly in the final quarter, allowing Vienna to soften the blow of an otherwise heavy defeat. Harun Kazagić led all scorers with five goals, while Miha Šantak added four. Adam Mitruk scored twice for ASV Wien.
Torpedo – Kostrena 12:26 (3:6, 3:7, 5:4, 1:9)
Referees: Marković, Bjelopera.
Torpedo: Habibović, Beglerović, Danis Bašić, Parača, Redžepagić, Pašić 2, Ajanović 2, Danin Bašić 1, Hrković 2, Komarica 1, Rozajac, Hurko 1, Kahrić 3, Čarković.
Kostrena: N. Milošević; Radić, Galić 3, Sotošek 2, Tiškivski 1, Galić 1, Abramović 2, Jurić 3, Maršanić 4, Babić, Vuković 4, Šunjić 3, Dragičević 3.
Kostrena arrived in Sarajevo with two wins already collected, while the home team Torpedo were still searching for their first points—and remained without them after today’s match. The hosts were still in front midway through the opening quarter (3:2), but went into the break three goals down. Kostrena dominated the second quarter as well and, despite dropping the third, completely overwhelmed Torpedo in the final period, filling the net of the helpless Kenan Habibović. Lorenzo Maršanić and Roko Vuković each scored four goals, while Danin Kahrić led Torpedo with three.
Ljubljana Slovan – Triglav Kranj 17:15 (2:5, 5:1, 3:2, 3:5; 4:2)
Referees: Marković, Stariha.
Ljubljana Slovan: Beton, P. Kirasič, Petrović, Čanč 2, Potočnik 3, Klobučar, Lipnik 5, Povhe 4, R. Kirasič, Čarni 1, Četković 2, Petković, Zohil, Rašljić.
Triglav Kranj: Smolič, Udovč, Berič 1, Vujanović 1, Cvijanović Tepina, Lah 2, Gostić, Justin 4, Paunović 1, Vončina, Cerar 1, Troppan 5, Lukić, Velikanje.
The Slovenian derby ended with Ljubljana celebrating, keeping them—along with Maribor—the only undefeated team in the league. Triglav, meanwhile, suffered back-to-back defeats after losing to Branik in the previous round, despite controlling the first quarter. Ljubljana mounted their comeback in the second period: Jošt Čarni equalised at 5:5, and Anže Povhe put them ahead for the first time (7:6). In the third quarter, Ljubljana extended the lead to 10:7 through Marcel Lipnik and were still three goals ahead with just over three minutes remaining in regulation after a goal by Matija Bernard Čanč. But as so often in their head-to-head battles, Triglav refused to give in, and Aljaž Troppan equalised just 14 seconds from time. In the penalty shootout, Ljubljana remained composed—only young Četković missed, while Povhe, Potočnik, Čanč and Lipnik all scored. For Triglav, Aleksander Paunović and Aleksander Cerar missed, while Troppan and Luka Vujanović converted.
Standings: 1. Branik Maribor 15, 2. Ljubljana Slovan 14, 3. Opatija 12, 4. Mladost 12, 5. Triglav Kranj 10, 6. Kostrena 9, 7. Ströck Wien 6, 8. Koper-Hanna 6 – one game fewer, 9. Delfin 3, 10. Medveščak 0 – one game fewer, 11. Calcit Water Polo 9, 12. Torpedo 0.
Author: Miha Štamcar
Photo: Aleksander Sokler
