# 2014 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup

The 15th edition of the Men's FINA Water Polo World Cup was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from August 19 to August 24, 2014.

## Format

8 teams qualified for the 2014 FINA World Cup. They were split into two groups of 4 teams. After playing a Round-robin every team advanced to the quarterfinals. The best ranked team of Group A played against the fourth ranked team of Group B, the second ranked team of Group A against the third ranked team of Group B the third ranked team of Group A against the second ranked team of Group B and the fourth ranked team of Group A against the best ranked team of Group B. The winners of those quarterfinals advanced to the Semis and played out the champion while the losers of the quarterfinals competed in placement matches.

## Teams

The top three teams from the previous world championship qualify, with one guest per continent (the highest-ranked team from the previous world championship). Despite finishing 7th at 2013 World Championship, Serbia received an invitation from FINA as defending European champion instead of Italia ranked 4th at 2013 World Championship
| Teams | Qualified as |
| Kazakhstan Hungary Montenegro Croatia ( Italy) United States Australia (Asian Host) South Africa Serbia | Host (12th 2013 World Championship) 1st 2013 World Championship 2nd 2013 World Championship 3rd 2013 World Championship 1st European team at 2013 World Championship 1st American team at 2013 World Championship 1st Oceanian team at 2013 World Championship 1st Asian team at 2013 World Championship 1st African team at 2013 World Championship replace Italy FINA decision |

## Groups

| Group A | Group B |
| Montenegro Serbia United States South Africa | Hungary Croatia Australia Kazakhstan (H) |

## Preliminary round

All times are EEST (UTC+3)

### Group A

| | Team | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Diff | Points | Qualification |
| 1. | Serbia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 13 | +24 | 6 | Quarter-finals |
| 2. | United States | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 19 | +20 | 4 | Quarter-finals |
| 3. | Montenegro | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 2 | Quarter-finals |
| 4. | South Africa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 48 | -42 | 0 | Quarter-finals |
| 19 August 2014 13:00 | Montenegro | 3–9 | Serbia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Mark Maretzki (USA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Mark Maretzki (USA) |||
| 19 August 2014 13:00 | three players 1 | Goals | Nikola Eškert 3 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Mark Maretzki (USA) |
| 19 August 2014 15:40 | South Africa | 1–19 | United States | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Liang Zhang (CHN), Masoud Rezvani (IRI) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Liang Zhang (CHN), Masoud Rezvani (IRI) |||
| 19 August 2014 15:40 | | Goals | Bret Bonnani 4 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Liang Zhang (CHN), Masoud Rezvani (IRI) |
| 20 August 2014 15:00 | Montenegro | 7–11 | United States | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Nenad Periš (CRO) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Nenad Periš (CRO) |||
| 20 August 2014 15:00 | three players 2 | Goals | three players 2 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Nenad Periš (CRO) |
| 20 August 2014 16:20 | South Africa | 1–17 | Serbia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ), Liang Zhang (CHN) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ), Liang Zhang (CHN) |||
| 20 August 2014 16:20 | Devon Card 1 | Goals | Gavril Subotić 4 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ), Liang Zhang (CHN) |
| 21 August 2014 13:40 | Montenegro | 12–4 | South Africa | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Masoud Rezvani (IRI), Nenad Periš (CRO) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Masoud Rezvani (IRI), Nenad Periš (CRO) |||
| 21 August 2014 13:40 | two players 4 | Goals | Etienne Le Roux 2 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Masoud Rezvani (IRI), Nenad Periš (CRO) |
| 21 August 2014 16:20 | Serbia | 11–9 | United States | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Daniel Flahive (AUS) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Daniel Flahive (AUS) |||
| 21 August 2014 16:20 | two players 3 | Goals | Bret Bonanni 5 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Daniel Flahive (AUS) |

### Group B

| | Team | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Diff | Points | Qualification |
| 1. | Hungary | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 5 | Quarter-finals |
| 2. | Croatia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 19 | +6 | 4 | Quarter-finals |
| 3. | Australia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 3 | Quarter-finals |
| 4. | Kazakhstan (H) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 40 | -16 | 0 | Quarter-finals |
| 19 August 2014 14:20 | Croatia | 5–9 | Hungary | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |||
| 19 August 2014 14:20 | Anđelo Šetka 2 | Goals | Balázs Hárai 2 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |
| 19 August 2014 17:40 | Kazakhstan | 8–11 | Australia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |||
| 19 August 2014 17:40 | Vladimir Ushakov 3 | Goals | Aaron Younger 4 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |
| 20 August 2014 13:40 | Croatia | 6–3 | Australia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Ian Melliar (RSA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Ian Melliar (RSA) |||
| 20 August 2014 13:40 | Anđelo Šetka 2 | Goals | Aidan Roach 2 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Ian Melliar (RSA) |
| 20 August 2014 17:40 | Kazakhstan | 9–15 | Hungary | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Mark Maretzki (USA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Mark Maretzki (USA) |||
| 20 August 2014 17:40 | Rustam Ukumanov 3 | Goals | Dénes Varga 4 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Mark Maretzki (USA) |
| 21 August 2014 15:00 | Australia | 8–8 | Hungary | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |||
| 21 August 2014 15:00 | Aaron Younger 3 | Goals | Norbert Madaras 3 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Dejan Adžić (MNE), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |
| 21 August 2014 17:40 | Kazakhstan | 7–14 | Croatia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Mihailo Ćirić (SRB) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Mihailo Ćirić (SRB) |||
| 21 August 2014 17:40 | Vladimir Ushakov 3 | Goals | two players 3 | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Mihailo Ćirić (SRB) |

## Knockout round
### Championship

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | | | |
| Serbia | 16 | | | |
| Serbia | 16 | August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | | |
| Kazakhstan | 10 | August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | |
| Kazakhstan | 10 | Serbia | 7 | |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | | Serbia | 7 | |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | Croatia | 4 | |
| Montenegro | 5 | Croatia | 4 | |
| Montenegro | 5 | | | | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| Croatia | 6 | | | | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| Croatia | 6 | | | | Serbia | 11 (4) |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | | | | | Serbia | 11 (4) |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | | | | Hungary | 9 (2) |
| South Africa | 1 | | | | Hungary | 9 (2) |
| South Africa | 1 | August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | | | |
| Hungary | 15 | August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | | | |
| Hungary | 15 | Hungary | 7 | | | |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | | Hungary | 7 | | | |
| August 22 – Almaty | August 22 – Almaty | United States | 5 | | Third place | Third place |
| United States | 11 (4) | United States | 5 | | Third place | Third place |
| United States | 11 (4) | | | | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| Australia | 9 (2) | | | | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| Australia | 9 (2) | | | | Croatia | 8 |
| | | | | | United States | 6 |

#### Quarterfinals

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 22 August 2014 14:30 | United States | 11–9 (pen.) | Australia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Nenad Periš (CRO), Gábor Vogel (HUN) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Nenad Periš (CRO), Gábor Vogel (HUN) |||
| 22 August 2014 15:50 | Montenegro | 5–6 | Croatia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ) |||
| 22 August 2014 18:30 | Serbia | 16–10 | Kazakhstan | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Liang Zhang (CN), Ian Melliar (RSA). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Liang Zhang (CN), Ian Melliar (RSA). |||
| 22 August 2014 17:10 | South Africa | 1–15 | Hungary | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Masoud Rezvani (IRI), Mark Maretzki (USA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Masoud Rezvani (IRI), Mark Maretzki (USA) |||

#### Semifinals

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 23 August 2014 16:20 | Hungary | 7–5 | United States | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Liang Zhang (CHN). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Liang Zhang (CHN). |||
| 23 August 2014 17:40 | Serbia | 7–4 | Croatia | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Doriel Terpenka (CAN), Fabio Toffoli (BRA) |||

### Bronze medal game

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 24 August 2014 13:50 | Croatia | 8–6 | United States | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Dejan Adžić (MNE). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Gábor Vogel (HUN), Dejan Adžić (MNE). |||

### Gold medal game

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 24 August 2014 15:10 | Serbia | 11–9 (pen.) | Hungary | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Daniel Flahive (AUS). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Daniel Flahive (AUS). |||

### 5th–8th playoffs

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Fifth place | Fifth place |
| August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty |
| Australia | 13 |
| Australia | 13 | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| South Africa | 2 | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| South Africa | 2 | Australia | 12 |
| August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | | Australia | 12 |
| August 23 – Almaty | August 23 – Almaty | Kazakhstan | 6 |
| Montenegro | 8 | Kazakhstan | 6 |
| Kazakhstan | 9 | | |
| Kazakhstan | 9 | Seventh place | Seventh place |
| | | August 24 – Almaty | August 24 – Almaty |
| | | South Africa | 10 |
| | | Montenegro | 13 |

#### 5th–8th semifinals

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 23 August 2014 14:30 | Australia | 13–2 | South Africa | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB), Masoud Rezvani (IRI). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB), Masoud Rezvani (IRI). |||
| 23 August 2014 15:50 | Montenegro | 8–9 | Kazakhstan | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Gábor Vogel (HUN). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Gábor Vogel (HUN). |||

#### 7th place playoff

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 24 August 2014 14:30 | South Africa | 10–13 | Montenegro | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Mark Maretzki (USA), Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ) |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Mark Maretzki (USA), Viktor Salnichenko (KAZ) |||

#### 5th place playoff

All times are EEST (UTC+3)
| 24 August 2014 12:30 | Australia | 12–6 | Kazakhstan | Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Nenad Periš (CRO), Ian Melliar (RSA). |
| Almaty, Kazakhstan Referees: Nenad Periš (CRO), Ian Melliar (RSA). |||

## Final standings

| RANK | TEAM |
| | Serbia |
| | Hungary |
| | Croatia |
| 4. | United States |
| 5. | Australia |
| 6. | Kazakhstan |
| 7. | Montenegro |
| 8. | South Africa |
* 2014 Men's FINA Water Polo World Cup
* Serbia Fifth title
* Team roster
* Stefan Živojinović (GK), Nemanja Ubović, Nikola Eškert, Dušan Mandić, Dušan Vasić, Gavril Subotić, Sava Ranđelović, Dimitrije Obradović, Dušan Marković, Strahinja Rašović, Viktor Rašović, Srđan Vuksanović, and Dimitrije Rističević (GK). Head coach: Dejan Savić.
* Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, United States and Australia qualified for the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.

## Individual awards

* Best Player
** Dénes Varga (HUN)
* Best Goalkeeper
** Stefan Živojinović (SRB)
* Defender
** Jesse Smith (USA)
* Best Scorer
** Bret Bonanni (USA)