Windhoek: China faced a significant setback in their men's water polo campaign at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, suffering a 26-5 defeat against Greece in their second Group D match. This result marks China's second consecutive loss in the tournament's preliminary stage.
According to Namibia Press Agency, China, ranked 19th in the world and silver medalists at the recent Asian Water Polo Championships, faced a formidable opponent in world No. 4 Greece. The Greek team, known for their experience and technical prowess, had previously secured second place at the 2023 Fukuoka World Championships and achieved a fifth-place finish at both the 2024 Doha Worlds and the Paris Olympic Games. Both China and Greece entered this match in Singapore in search of their first victory following opening-round losses.
The match began with Chinese goalkeeper Wu Honghui making an impressive penalty save. However, Greece soon established their dominance, exploiting gaps in China's defense. China's offensive efforts were thwarted, with many attempts hitting the crossbar, leading to a 12-0 halftime deficit.
In the third quarter, China saw goals from Wang Beiyi, Peng Jiahao, and Chen Rui, but Greece's superior skills maintained their control over the match, culminating in a final score of 26-5. Chen Zhongxian, another scorer for China, emphasized the learning opportunity from facing top European teams and expressed the team's intention to work towards bridging the gap in skill levels.
China's head coach Ivan Asic acknowledged the challenges posed by competing in a tough group, highlighting the limited preparation time of just a month and a half. Despite recognizing some potential in the team, Asic noted the extensive work required to reach competitive parity.
China is scheduled to compete against Montenegro in their final group-stage match on Wednesday. The 2025 World Aquatics Championships, taking place from July 11 to August 3 in Singapore, feature six disciplines: diving, artistic swimming, water polo, high diving, swimming, and open water swimming.