Serbia Beat Netherlands 22-7 and Finish Second at OTP Cup

Serbia's men's water polo team beat the Netherlands 22-7 in the final round of the OTP Cup in Budapest. The team finished second in the tournament as part of preparations for the Mediterranean Games.

Serbia ended the tournament with a strong response

A 22-7 win over the Netherlands gave Serbia the kind of closing match a preparation tournament needs. The result was clear, but the more important part was how quickly Serbia took control.

The opening period created the tone, and the middle of the match removed any real doubt.

For a team preparing for the Mediterranean Games, that kind of response helps the staff judge which habits are becoming reliable.

The scoring spread helped the reading

Nikola Kojic led Serbia with six goals, while several teammates also added multiple scores. That spread matters because preparation tournaments are not only about the leading scorer.

Coaches need to know whether the attack can keep producing when rotations change. Serbia's scoring list gave a positive answer.

When many players finish chances, the team becomes harder to scout and less dependent on one hot hand.

Also read: Jokic Triple-Double Leads Serbia Past Bosnia in World Cup Qualifying. More news: Djokovic Returns to the Wimbledon Quarterfinals After Safiullin Win.

The third quarter showed defensive control

The 6-0 third period was the clearest sign of control. A big lead can sometimes make teams loose, but Serbia used that stretch to widen the gap and remove the Netherlands' comeback hope.

That is the kind of quarter a staff will like in review. It combines scoring with defensive concentration.

Preparation results matter most when they reveal habits, and a shutout quarter is a useful habit to carry forward.

Second place still leaves useful work

Serbia finished second at the OTP Cup behind Hungary. That makes the tournament neither a perfect success nor a concern.

The value is in the information. Serbia saw what worked in the win over the Netherlands and what still needs attention from the tougher matches.

That is exactly what a preparation event should provide before the Mediterranean Games in Taranto.

Water polo gives the Serbian slate needed variety

The water polo result also matters because Serbian sport on July 6 was not only about basketball and tennis. The match gave the slate a concrete national-team score with a clear preparation context.

Including it makes the release broader and more faithful to the SerbianSport range.

The headline is simple: Serbia ended the OTP Cup with authority and left with second place plus useful material for the next camp.

Serbia finished the cup with authority

The Netherlands match gave Serbia a clear final note at the OTP Cup. A 22-7 score shows that the attack kept working to the end.

The third quarter was especially strong because Serbia did not allow a goal. That kind of focus matters in preparation matches.

Kojic's scoring gave the team a main finisher, but the larger value was the number of players involved.

Second place still gives enough material

Serbia did not win the whole tournament, so the staff still have work. That is normal before a bigger summer event.

The win over the Netherlands gives them good clips for the next meeting. The harder matches give them the problems to fix.

That is why the cup was useful. Serbia left with a strong result and a clear list for training.

The defence gave the attack freedom

Serbia scored often, but the defence made the score grow. Stops gave the team more chances to swim forward before the Netherlands were set.

That is why the shutout third quarter matters. It shows discipline even with a large lead.

Preparation matches can become loose at that point. Serbia kept enough focus to make the score useful for review.

The next camp has clear material

The staff now have strong clips and warning clips from the OTP Cup. Both are needed before the Mediterranean Games.

The Netherlands win shows what Serbia can do when the attack moves quickly. The harder games show where the defence still needs work.

That balance is good for a preparation tournament. Serbia leave with confidence, but not with the feeling that everything is finished.