Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Water Polo World Championship match.
China take on the Netherlands in a decisive fixture that will determine a place in the quarter-finals of the World Aquatics Championships. Both teams come into the match level on three points, having each recorded a dominant victory over Argentina, while both suffered defeat against the United States.
China (women)
Currently ranked ninth in the world, China continue to struggle at the elite level. Since 2017, they have not placed higher than 10th at any World Championships. Moreover, they have failed to register a single win over a top-five ranked opponent since August 2021. Their recent record against the Netherlands is particularly poor, with 11 consecutive defeats.
Netherlands (women)
The Netherlands are ranked second in the world and are among the leading contenders for the title. They followed a bronze-medal finish at the 2022 World Championships with gold in 2023. At the latest Olympic Games, they were beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual champions, Spain, but responded strongly to claim bronze by defeating the United States. Since November 2021, the Netherlands have amassed a record of 37 wins and 11 losses—10 of which came against top-five teams—underlining their consistency and strength against lower-ranked opposition.
China (women) vs Netherlands (women) Prediction
The Netherlands have consistently dispatched teams outside the top five, a category that includes China. While the Chinese team showed glimpses of quality in their win over Argentina, they were comprehensively outplayed by the United States. A similar scenario is expected here, with the Netherlands likely to secure a comfortable win by a margin of at least seven goals.
