Funchal 2026: Sensational Aarts propels title-holders Netherlands to narrow victory over Hungary

Title-holders Netherlands edged a fierce, defensive, low-scoring battle against Hungary on Saturday as the 1st-8th Group Stage II games got under way in Funchal. Dutch keeper Laura Aarts was the hero, saving 15 of the 19 shots Hungary fired at her, while the Magyars’ stopper Boglarka Neszmely was unfortunate to end up on the losing side after saving 13 from 18 shots, including three penalties. Elsewhere, a strong start from Greece helped them sink Italy, Croatia downed France by six goals, and Spain totally outclassed Israel.

Women’s 2026 European Water Polo Championships – Funchal
Day 6, Saturday 31 January

Group E
(1st-8th classification)

Greece 15-10 Italy
France 9-15 Croatia

Group F
(1st-8th classification)

Netherlands 5-4 Hungary
Spain 23-7 Israel

Group E
(1st-8th classification)

Greece 15-10 Italy
(6-1, 1-2, 5-4, 3-3)

World champions Greece have enjoyed their recent encounters with Italy at European Championships.

The opening fixture on Day 6 in Funchal was a rematch of the 2024 bronze medal game, which Greece edged 7-6, and the 2022 semi-final, which the Greeks also won, 12-9.

Italy reversing that trend immediately looked like an uphill task, as some calm and composed shooting saw Greece open up a 6-1 lead inside the first eight minutes.

Their defence was equally on top, with the Italians unable to trouble Ioanna Stamatopoulou between the posts, although she was beaten by a Sofia Giustini penalty with 1:20 remaining in the first quarter.

By that time, it was 4-0, with Greece – the top scorers in the opening Group Stage with 73 – continuing their clinical form in front of goal.

After some wise words from Carlo Silipo, the Greeks weren’t allowed as much time on the ball in the second quarter, with Italy starting to hunt their rivals down on the perimeter.

At the other end, Italy hit two without reply – from a Chiara Ranalli penalty and a Chiara Tabani action shot – before Christina Siouti finally added to the Greek total after a frustrating period for them with 0:05 left in the half (7-3).

Siouti’s late goal needed a huge slice of luck, as her shot from distance took a big deflection and agonisingly looped over the sinking Helga Santapaola in the Italian net.

Italy kept fighting in the third, cutting the gap to two twice (7-5 and 9-7), and at 10-7 they had another opportunity, but Stamatopoulou’s right hand kept out Claudia Marletta’s penalty with 3:16 on the clock.

It was a pivotal save, as the Italians were building some real momentum, and when Vasiliki Plevritou fired in a penalty, and Eleni Xenaki slammed in a powerful shot from the centre, the Greeks were back in control (12-7) heading into the final quarter.

With a five-goal cushion, Greece were able to comfortably close the game out – drawing the last period 3-3 – to seal the victory and are now the firm favourites to top Group E.

Group E
(1st-8th classification)

France 9-15 Croatia
(2-4, 2-3, 3-3, 2-5)

Croatia had already beaten France twice in January before meeting again in Funchal, so they arrived at this encounter with great confidence.

Those two victories in Zagreb (17-9 and 18-9) were also achieved without the services of one of their star players, Jelena Butic, so with her return, the Croats started as clear favourites.

Two early goals from Ria Glas, plus strikes from Jelena Butic and Iva Rozic, set Croatia on their way as they established a 2-4 lead in the first quarter.

Early in the second period, the gap had widened to five (2-7), as France’s defence kept crumbling under some relentless Croatian pressure.

France’s Tiziana Raspo converted a six-on-five midway through the period, before Jade Boughrara’s powerful centre shot cut the deficit to three (4-7) shortly before half-time.

Lara Andres kicked off the third with a fine 6m shot to bring the French within two, but that was as close as they could get.

A penalty from Rozic halted France’s surging 3-0 run, and Neli Jankovic then finished off an easy six-on-five chance after finding herself clear on the left post.

When Jankovic struck again on extra for 5-10, the game was drifting away from the French, but two late Valentine Heurtaux goals – including a spectacular buzzer-beater from around 10m – gave them some hope ahead of the fourth.

However, those hopes quickly faded, as Dora Kangler scored from a counter, Jelena Butic buried a penalty and Jankovic converted another extra to put the Croats six clear (7-13) with 4:54 remaining.

The gap may have remained at six (9-15) by the end, but the Croats knew they had been in a fight and were made to work hard for the three points.

This victory was also Croatia’s first against France at a European Championships after losses in 2016 (14-3), 2018 (17-6), 2022 (13-4) and 2024 (12-10).

Group F
(1st-8th classification)

Netherlands 5-4 Hungary
(2-0, 2-2, 0-0, 1-2)

Two more medal favourites clashed in Day 6’s second game in Funchal, as the title-holders Netherlands faced Hungary – the runners-up at the World Championships and World Cup in 2025.

After these two teams conceded the fewest goals in the opening phase – the Netherlands 12 and Hungary 14 – it was no surprise the game turned into a real defensive battle, with each side having to fight for every one of their goals.

In the opening quarter, chances were coming at both ends, but it was the Netherlands who were having the most joy, finding small cracks in the Hungarian defensive wall, which they were able to exploit.

Bente Rogge – restored to the Dutch line-up after being rested against Israel – opened the scoring after four minutes with a powerful six-on-five finish from the left wing.

Bente’s sister, Leike, then doubled their advantage with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and it could have been worse for the Magyars had it not been for the five saves from their keeper, Boglarka Neszmely.

Hungary eventually found a breakthrough three minutes into the second period, as Dorottya Szilagyi arrived at the far post unmarked for an easy put-away.

Simone Van De Kraats’s penalty reset the Netherlands’ two-goal advantage before Dalma Domsodi overpowered her marker in the centre with a stunning backhand strike for 3-2.

After Leike Rogge struck again, the Dutch had the chance to move three clear shortly before half-time, but Pien Gorter’s penalty was brilliantly beaten away by Neszmely.

In the third, Neszmely was at it again, this time denying Leike Rogge from the 5m line with 5:25 left in the quarter.

Both defences were giving absolutely everything, as neither side could add to their total due to a mix of outstanding goalkeeping, decisive blocks and the posts coming to the rescue.

Next, it was Laura Aarts’ turn to get in on the penalty-saving act, after getting her shoulder in the way of Kamilla Farago’s fierce shot to keep the score at 4-2 heading into the final period.

Vanda Valyi cut the gap to one at the start of the fourth, then midway through the period, Rita Keszthelyi stole the ball from Leike Rogge on the halfway line and swam through to set up Eszter Varro for an easy chance, but she still needed two attempts to beat Aarts.

With 1:36 on the clock, Lola Moolhuijzen edged the Netherlands back in front with a precision six-on-five shot from the perimeter, which ultimately proved to be the winner.

The Dutch did have another penalty, but Neszmely saved this one as well to deny Christina Hicks with 30 seconds remaining.

It may have been her third 5m stop of the match, but it still wasn’t enough to earn her team any points, as the Dutch held on to seal a narrow victory.

Both goalkeepers excelled, with Aarts recording incredible figures of 15/19 for 78.9% and Neszmely 13/18 for 72.2%.

Sandor Cseh also has some work to with his team’s six-on-five shooting, as they finished 1/10 in that department.

Despite the defeat, Hungary, with a game against Israel to come, remain on course for the semi-finals, while the Netherlands need another big result on Sunday – against Olympic champions Spain – to guarantee their spot in the last four.

Group F
(1st-8th classification)

Spain 23-7 Israel
(6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 5-1)

Spain took a step closer to the semi-finals with a dominant display against Israel in Saturday’s final game in Funchal.

The Spanish may have won all four quarters, but it was Israel who opened the scoring, with Maria Bogachenko firing a penalty past Martina Terre for 0-1 in the third minute.

This sparked Spain into life, though, and 12 seconds later the scores were level, after Ariadna Ruiz buried a penalty for her side.

Four more Spanish goals followed without reply, as the Olympic champions moved 5-1 up, before Alma Yaacobi pulled one back for Israel from a six-on-five.

Bea Ortiz then hammered in on extra to give Spain a 6-2 advantage at the first break.

The second period followed a similar pattern, with the Israelis battling hard in defence, but unable to stop the clinical Spanish from adding six more.

The Israel fans inside the Olympic Pools Complex did have something to cheer, though, as Tahel Levi and Yaacobi added two more to their total to make it 12-4 at half-time.

Spain kept their intensity levels high in the third, which again ended 6-2, while they won the fourth 5-1 to cap off an emphatic victory ahead of their crunch clash with the Dutch on Sunday.

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Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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