Young Crocodiles Reach European Championship Semifinals

Croatia's U-20 water polo team has secured a spot in the European Championship semifinals, achieving a hard-fought victory over Serbia with a final score of 14-13 in a thrilling quarterfinal match held in Varna.

Maro Šušić and Gabrijel Burburan were the standout performers for Croatia, each netting four goals. Serbia's Milijan Dokanović also scored four goals in the closely contested game. Croatia held a seemingly comfortable 13-10 lead with six minutes remaining, but Serbia mounted a strong comeback, narrowing the deficit to 14-13 with three and a half minutes left on the clock.

The final minutes were dominated by exceptional goalkeeping performances. Croatian goalie Batoš made 14 saves throughout the match, while Serbia's Savić also made crucial stops, preventing any further changes to the scoreline.

Croatia is now set to face Italy in the semifinals. Italy secured their place by defeating Germany 16-10. Croatian coach Zoran Bajić expressed confidence in his team's deserved victory, acknowledging Serbia as a strong opponent. He noted the dynamic and entertaining nature of the game for water polo fans and expressed hope for continued success. Bajić aims to learn from previous mistakes made against Italy during the group stage and is determined for the team to prove their worth in the upcoming matches.