Israeli Under-16 Water Polo Team Finishes 27th at World Championship with Strong Final Win

The Israeli under-16 water polo team concluded their participation in the World Championship in Croatia by securing 27th place overall. They ended the tournament on a high note with a decisive 17-6 victory over Slovenia. After a relatively close first half, with Israel leading 6-3, the team dominated the second half, winning the third quarter 5-1 and the fourth 6-2.

Coach Rotem Zuckerman reflected on the team's performance, acknowledging their desire to finish higher but emphasizing the valuable experience gained in their first tournament. He praised the players for their steady improvement throughout the competition and expressed hope that the positive aspects would be integrated into Israeli water polo moving forward. The coach also highlighted the importance of ending the tournament with a strong win.

Key contributors in the final match included Yehali Weinberg with five goals, while Michael Ben Eliyahu, Kfir Shusterman, and Yoav Berger each scored twice. Additional goals came from Aviv Gedron, Yonatan Paz, Daniel Cohen, Inbar Sarusi, Omri Danal, and Tomi Yahalom.

Looking ahead, Israel's under-20 team is set to begin their European Championship campaign in Portugal the following day. They will face Russia in their opening match and compete in a group that includes Belgium, Britain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.