April 3, 2022 - Jadran Split beat Jug Dubrovnik 18:16 on Saturday night for their first Regional League Final on Sunday against Serbian club Novi Belgrade. 

For the first time in history, Jadran Split will play in the Regional League final. Jadran succeeded in an exciting and uncertain semifinal match, beating Dubrovnik's Jug AO 18:16. 

The match saw a total of 35 exclusions, with a lot of aggression and contact. Both coaches received yellow cards, so there was work for the referees and on the benches. Both teams also changed their goalkeepers. There were 34 goals, or a goal every 55 seconds in 32 minutes of play. It was the match of Jerko Marinić Kragić, who scored seven goals for Jadran. 

Unlike all previous matches between these two clubs, Jug started much better, leading the first two quarters by two goals. However, Jadran was always close. Jug was up 3:1, 5:3, 6:4, and 7:5; they had the opportunity to go to plus three in the second quarter. Jadran finally took the lead for the first time at 10:9 through captain Šetka 4 seconds before halftime.

Mile Smodlaka was the first to change the goalkeeper, sending in Mate Anić instead of Ivan Marcelić. After the second quarter, when Jadran led 10:9, Vjeko Kobešćak, dissatisfied with the performance of his first goalkeeper Toni Popadić, sent 18-year-old Ivan Jurišić to defend in the second half. The goalkeeper took the flattering title of the best at the Croatian Junior Championship the other day.

Popadić ultimately returned to goal a minute and a half before the end of the game, which proved much too late. Jadran coach Mile Smodlaka also brought back Marcelić in the third quarter.

"This was not a nice match. I am sorry that we did not use that good start," said Maro Joković, the most experienced Jug player. 

Jug awaits Radnički on Sunday, April 3, at 5 pm in the match for third place, while Jadran will start the battle for a new trophy this season after winning the Croatian Cup against Novi Belgrade at 8:30 pm. 

Before Jadran and Jug AO, the first semifinal included the two best Serbian teams, Novi Belgrade, and last season's winner, Radnički from Kragujevac. Novi Belgrade celebrated 12:8 (2:0, 2:3, 4:4, 4:1). 

"Novi Belgrade is a top team. The favorite. But we will fight," said Jug's hero Jerko Marinić Kragić. 

The Regional League will get a new winner, either Jadran or the host Novi Belgrade. 

Source: Sportske Novosit

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March 28, 2021 - Jug Dubrovnik and Radnički Kragujevac will fight for the regional water polo league championship title on Sunday in Zagreb. 

In the final tournament semifinals on Saturday, the Dubrovnik team defeated Jadran Split 12-10 (3-3, 5-2, 3-2, 1-3), and Kragujevac beat Mladost Zagreb 14-13 (0-2, 1-1, 5-2, 2-3, 6-5) in a shootout. Mladost was aiming for the third overall and third consecutive title.

Jug came to victory in the second semifinal thanks to a better game in the second and third quarters. When coach Vjekoslav Kobešćak's side took the lead with 11-6 in the 22nd minute, the winner was practically decided. By the end of the match, Split reduced the gap to two goals, but for the second time in a week, they did not manage to beat the favored Jug, as was the case on the recent visit to Gruž in the Croatian championship match.

The most deserving of the Jug victory was Loren Fatović who scored six of the 12 goals for the Dubrovnik side. Xavi Garcia and Hrvoje Benić nailed the net twice. Jerko Marinić Kragić was the best for Jadran with four goals and Marin Delić with three goals.

Jug thus advanced to its 12th Regional Water Polo League final, where it will hunt for its fifth title and the first after 2018. Radnički is the first Serbian club to fight for the title of champion in this competition. This will be the eleventh final for Jug. 2012 remains the only year when the Dubrovnik team did not play in the final.

The finalists were rivals in the qualifying group, and bac in mid-January, Jug convincingly won. 

Sunday's program at the Sava pool in Zagreb will begin at 5:15 pm with the match for third place between Mladost Zagreb and Jadran Split. The final between Jug and Radnički is scheduled for 7 pm.

Source: Glas Istre

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The Serbia Water Polo Federation (VSS) and the Serbian clubs sent a letter to the Regional League Management Board in which they stress that they do not want to play in Split and within 200 kilometers of Split until the end of the season due to safety reasons.