Young Barracudas Rout Malta for Third Win at World Championship
Croatia U16 team cruises to a 16-5 victory, with Ante Domazet shining with five goals. A clash with the Netherlands follows on Thursday.
Croatia U16 team cruises to a 16-5 victory, with Ante Domazet shining with five goals. A clash with the Netherlands follows on Thursday.
Croatia's under-16 water polo team continued its impressive run at the World Championship in Zagreb. In their third appearance at the tournament, the side led by head coach Bruno Sabioni easily defeated Malta 16-5.
With this victory, secured on August 6, 2026, the young 'Barracudas' recorded their third consecutive win at the competition, confirming their status as one of the tournament's favorites. After already beating Georgia and Australia in previous matches, Croatia once again demonstrated its strength.
The hero of the match was Ante Domazet, who found the back of Malta's net five times. His performance was key to such a high-scoring win and a testament to his excellent form as the tournament progresses.
The next challenge for Sabioni's squad comes on Thursday, when they will face the Netherlands in the pool at the Zagreb World Championship.
On the same day, August 6, 2026, the Croatian women's water polo team had no reason to celebrate. In the quarterfinals of the European Under-20 Championship in Oeiras, Portugal, they were defeated by their Italian counterparts 12-17. Despite a fighting performance, the young Croatian women failed to upset the favored Italians and were stopped in their bid for a semifinal spot.