{"id":576170,"date":"2024-01-17T21:06:50","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T04:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=576170"},"modified":"2024-01-17T21:06:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T04:06:50","slug":"spain-stuns-host-croatia-for-first-european-mens-water-polo-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/spain-stuns-host-croatia-for-first-european-mens-water-polo-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain Stuns Host Croatia for First European Men\u2019s Water Polo Title"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spain Stuns Host Croatia for First European Men\u2019s Water Polo Title<\/strong><\/p>\n

Croatia\u2019s storybook European men\u2019s water polo championship was eight minutes away from a happy ending. Then Spain stepped in to crash the party.<\/p>\n

Alvaro Granados<\/strong> scored twice in the fourth quarter as Spain rattled off the last three goals to stun Croatia, 11-10, in the European Men\u2019s Water Polo Championship final on Tuesday in Zagreb<\/a> for its first European championship.<\/p>\n

Croatia, the reigning champion, led by as many as three goals and held a 10-8 lead after three quarters. But Bernat Sanahuja<\/strong> got Spain within 10-9 at the midway point of the quarter. Granados tied the game with 1:38 left, then put home the winner 50 seconds later. Eduardo Lorrio,<\/strong> subbed into the game for the fourth, stopped all three shots to come his way to give Spain the cushion to pull away.<\/p>\n