BENU Cup: brave victory against the Olympic champion
For various reasons, our team became even younger for the final day of the BENU Cup: only four players from last year's Paris team were present – while eight Olympic champions lined up for Serbia. However, five young players who won the U20 World Championships two years ago also found a place in the team. The 6-0 series in the middle of the match eventually led to victory. Although Dusan Mandic brought them back to a draw at the end, our left-hander, Gergő Burián, scored the winning goal after 12-12.
It was already decided before the match against Serbia that we cannot win the BENU Cup – for us, the second place was at stake. The main challenge was to see how we would fare against the Olympic champions who showed solid performance on the first two days. Despite starting with a 0-4 deficit, we could have potentially defeated Montenegro and eventually dominated the Spanish team.
In the first extra player opportunity, two shots were not enough, mainly because they were different kinds of shots. When Vendel Vigvári was able to properly set up in the second round, the lead was immediately achieved. However, our advantage was short-lived as Lukic quickly responded to a counterattack after a saved attempt, allowing them to equalize from a clear-cut chance. This was followed by another extra player opportunity, but the opponent blocked the shot towards the goal, while they converted their first opportunity from an advantage, taking the lead at 2-3.
Then they decided to leave Varga Vince alone in front of the goal, hoping the youngest player wouldn't score – they were wrong. Mandic, on the other hand, was lucky; his usual powerful shot hit the crossbar, but the ball bounced off Mizsei's head... Either way, they still considered Vince as “the trickster” who could surprise them at any moment. After missing a penalty and facing another disadvantage, Mandic's shot hit the crossbar in a way that the ball stopped on the water's surface. In the subsequent opportunity, we managed to prevent them from even attempting a shot until the whistle was blown.
Four minutes into the second quarter without scoring a goal, we urgently needed Fekete's block in the next disadvantage. This allowed us to equalize, as Márton Vámos did not complicate things with the ensuing advantage – he saw the opening, took the shot, and scored. They extended their lead, which Ákos Nagy managed to cut down to one. Then Varga Vince was sent forward and he scored. At the age of twenty, he already had three goals in the first half.
After another stunning defensive play, two players turned down the opportunity to sprint forward. This was necessary because Filipovic had stolen the ball from Benedek Batizi, but Gergő Burián was left open to receive the pass and score a goal – suddenly, we achieved a 3-0 run after a long period of silence. With blocks and solid goalkeeping from Mizsei, we were three goals up with 12 seconds left, which was cemented by another save just before halftime (8-5).
The trend continued: the Serbians missed a double extra player opportunity – we managed the situation quite well. Although their first goal attempt went in (if VAR was available, it might have been disallowed due to a controversial touch by the goalkeeper), Fekete's shot was questioned whether it tore the net. After another save by Mizsei, an excellent attack turned into an extra player opportunity. Vismeg successfully scored, and we were on a 6-0 run. The Serbians called a timeout at the halfway point of the quarter, and managed to score after more than 10 minutes. They still couldn't get past Mizsei, and unfortunately, Angyal missed his chance, so they couldn't convert from an advantageous position; on the other end, Cuk executed a beautiful shot on his second attempt from an action play, cutting our lead to three with two minutes left in the period.
Then, after a counterattack foul, we successfully defended another disadvantage. However, despite the belief that we would secure possession, the ball was ultimately scooped up by the opponents, and Lukic hit the upper corner, scoring three consecutive goals. A second counterattack was whistled, but after Mizsei's save, we finally regained possession. Exploiting the disorganized defense, Vendel Vigvári successfully blocked three attempts, halting their momentum. Unfortunately, the remaining 26 seconds were enough for them to score from an extra player opportunity. Despite being neck-deep in the water, Cuk managed to find the net just four seconds before the buzzer, reducing the gap to two goals before the final eight minutes (11-9).
The fourth quarter started well: we managed to steal the ball while defending and Vigvári scored after a run, bringing the gap down to three instead of one. After a couple of blocked shots, Mandic scored a goal reminiscent of his Fradi seasons. The left-hander then took charge of the Serbian attacks, and after missing another extra player chance, he fired two quick goals, tying the game at 12-12. Unfortunately, we couldn't capitalize on another extra player opportunity.
However, Mizsei managed to reach Mandic's shot, and our counterattack led to Gergő Burián regaining the lead, with 2:44 left before the final whistle. The opponents then had another chance, but they hit the post, while a miscommunication on our end cost us another two chances at extending the lead. After a timeout at 1:55, they played for an equalizer once again. Mandic hit the post for the fifth time, and after a turnover, Mizsei saved Randelovic's shot, marking his 12th save of the game. With no need for further goals, although they had a chance with 20 seconds left, Cuk was too preoccupied with Fekete to sprint up the pool as usual, and the Spanish referee blew the counterattack instead. The remaining seconds were easily managed, securing another victory and the silver medal.
The tournament's balance was particularly interesting due to unique team compositions resulting from various injuries and illnesses (which necessitated rest for Krisztián Manhercz by this point). It was revealed that any member of the expanded roster is capable of performing at this level. This is a significant long-term support for Zsolt Varga. However, in the context of the 15 selections for the Singapore events, the head coach will need to quickly resolve a complex puzzle within the given parameters, awaiting medical reports.
BENU Cup, Day 3
Hungary–Serbia 13-12 (4-4, 4-1, 3-4, 2-3)
Our Goals: Varga V. 3, Vendel Vigvári 3, Fekete 2, Burián 2, Vámos, Ákos Nagy, Vismeg
In the other match: Spain–Montenegro 18-10
Final Standings: 1. Spain 6, 2. Hungary 6, 3. Montenegro 3, 4. Serbia 3
(In case of equal points, the head-to-head results decided the rankings.)
