Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Water Polo World Championship match.
After suffering two heavy defeats, China are set to face the formidable Montenegro, who have reached the top eight at the World Aquatics Championships for three consecutive years.
China
China have endured a disappointing tournament so far, suffering heavy defeats to Greece and Croatia with a combined score of 11:51. This comes as little surprise, given their current 19th position in the world rankings. While the Chinese have lost both of their previous encounters with Montenegro, the margin of defeat never exceeded 10 goals. Additionally, prior to this World Aquatics Championships, the team had never lost a game by more than 18 goals.
Montenegro
Montenegro headlines in the opening round by edging out Greece (10:9). However, they narrowly lost their second match against Croatia, falling just short at 11:13. The Montenegrins have not been known for delivering dominant victories. Since the start of 2020, they have won by more than 18.5 goals only once — a 35:10 win over South Africa at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
China vs Montenegro Prediction
Montenegro are expected to defeat China, but a victory by a wide margin seems unlikely. They rarely post lopsided scorelines, and the Chinese will be motivated to restore some pride and avoid another heavy loss in their final group match.
