Spain wins the derby, Italy and Russia show no mercy...

The European water polo championship for women in Barcelona has started with a couple of big bangs. National teams of Russia, the Netherlands and Italy have all recorded victories with big margins and demonstrated power right from the very first minute of this prestigious competition.

The Netherlands opened the first day of the competition and won easily against Croatia 21:1. Oranje didn’t give their rivals even the slightest of the chances to do something serious in the swimming pool.

In the first half, the Netherlands scored 11 goals and didn’t concede a single one. The one and only goal for Croatia in this game were scored by Ivana Butic in the third quarter.

Catharina van der Sloot was the best scorer of the game with five goals, while Vivian Sevenich found the net four times.

And then next came Italian national water polo team. The Italian girls were also very, very dominant against Israel as they have won the game – 21:2.

Just like in the first game of the day, the clear favorite didn’t let the opponent score a goal in the first half, while Italian players found the net nine times.

It was more or less the same in the second half and Ariana Garibotti was the player of the match with six goals, while Valeria Palmieri scored four times.

The biggest winner of the first day of the European championship was national team of Russia. Zbornaya was brutal against Turkey – 35:4. It was like a cat and mouse game.

At no moment was there a doubt about the winner, but only uncertainty what is the goal difference going to be. Ekaterina Prokofyeva scored seven times and also had a perfect shot percentage. Alena Serzhantova, Elvina Karimova and Daria Ryzhkova all scored five goals each.

German national water polo team had much tougher task against Serbia but eventually won a dramatic game – 9:8.

rbian team was a better rival in the first half and had a three-goal advantage. But in the finishing minutes of the third quarter Germans managed to equalize (7:7).

And in the last period of the game, thanks to Aylin Fry, the got the advantage and stick to it until the end of the game.

The national team of Greece started the competition with a victory against France – 12:5 and three players, Eleni Xenaki, Ioanna Chydirioti and captain Alexandra Asimaki all scored two goals each.

In the last game of the day the host nation, Spain beat the defending European champion Hungary – 13:9. Beatriz Ortiz was brilliant with six goals for Spain, while Maica Garcia found the net four times. In Hungarian national team Dorottya Szilagyi was the best with four goals.

DAY 1

NETHERLANDS 21:1 CROATIA
(6:0, 5:0, 3:1, 7:0)

Netherlands: Van der Sloot 5, Sevenich 4, Megens 3, Rogge 2, Wolves 2, Sleeking 2, Koolhaas 2, Joustra
Croatia: Butic

ISRAEL 2:21 ITALY
(0:3, 0:6, 1:5, 1:7)

Israel: Strugo, Noy
Italy: Garibotti 6, Palmieri 4, Bianconi 3, Aiello 3, Picozzi 2, Emmolo 2, Avegno

RUSSIA 35:4 TURKEY
(9:1, 10:2, 10:0, 6:1)

Russia: Prokofyeva 7, Karimova 5, Ryzhkova 5, Serzhantova 5, Gorbunova 3, Simanovich 3, Ivanova 3, Churzina, Timofeeva, Borisova, Vakhitova,
Turkey: Kus 3, Burali

SERBIA 8:9 GERMANY
(3:1, 2:2, 2:4, 1:2)

Serbia: Jakovljevic 2, Luka 2, Josifovic 2, Vukovic, Pantovic
Germany: Fry 3, Vosseberg 2, G. Deike 2, Gelse, I. Deike

FRANCE 5:12 GREECE
(1:2, 2:4, 1:3, 1:3)

France: Daule 2, Paillat, Millot, Valverde
Greece: Asimaki 2, Chydirioti 2, Xenaki 2, Tsoukala, Diamantopoulou, Eleftheriadou, Avramidou, Patra, Protopapas

HUNGARY 9:13 SPAIN
(2:3, 2:2, 1:3, 4:5)

Hungary: Szilagyi 4, Leimeter 2, Gurisatti, Csabai
Spain: Ortiz 6, Garcia 4, A. Espar, C. Espar, Leiton

STANDINGS

GROUP A

1. Netherlands 3pts
2. Italy 3
3. Greece 3
4. France 0
5. Israel 0
6. Croatia 0

GROUP B

1. Russia 3pts
2. Germany 3
3. Spain 3
4. Hungary 0
5. Serbia 0
6. Turkey 0