2017 FINA World Water Polo Development Trophy
# 2017 FINA World Water Polo Development Trophy

The 2017 FINA World Water Polo Development Trophy was the 6th edition of the tournament organized by FINA and reserved for national teams from emerging countries in the world of water polo. It ran from 17 to 22 October 2017 at the Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex in Gżira, Malta; eight teams from four continental confederations participated at the competition.

Uruguay won the 3rd place match, but was later awarded the Trophy due to the disqualification of both Malta and Iran during the gold-medal final.

## Teams

| CANA Africa | UANA Americas | AASF Asia | LEN Europe |
| - | - | - | - |
| Tunisia | Peru Uruguay | Iran Saudi Arabia Singapore | Austria Malta |

### Groups

| Group A | Group B |
| - | - |
| Iran Malta Tunisia Uruguay | Austria Peru Singapore Saudi Arabia |

## Preliminary round

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Iran | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 6 | Quarterfinals | — | | | 10–8 |
| 2 | Malta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 30 | +11 | 4 | Quarterfinals | 8–12 | — | | 19–9 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 2 | Quarterfinals | 8–15 | 9–14 | — | |
| 4 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 36 | −10 | 0 | Quarterfinals | | | 7–9 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 17 | +14 | 6 | Quarterfinals | — | 12–4 | | |
| 2 | Austria | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 26 | −7 | 2 | Quarterfinals | | — | 7–5 | |
| 3 | Peru | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 2 | Quarterfinals | 8–9 | | — | 15–12 |
| 4 | Singapore | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 30 | −1 | 2 | Quarterfinals | 5–10 | 9–8 | | — |

## Knockout stage

All times are local (UTC+2; CEST)

### Bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Iran | 10 | | |
| Singapore | 4 | | |
| Singapore | 4 | Iran | 15 |
| | | Uruguay | 7 |
| Austria | 3 | Uruguay | 7 |
| Uruguay | 9 | | | | |
| Uruguay | 9 | | | Iran | DQ |
| | | | | Malta | DQ |
| Saudi Arabia | 10 | | | Malta | DQ |
| Tunisia | 9 | | | | |
| Tunisia | 9 | Saudi Arabia | 7 | | |
| | | Malta | 18 | 3rd place match | 3rd place match |
| Malta | 21 | Malta | 18 | 3rd place match | 3rd place match |
| Peru | 6 | | | | |
| Peru | 6 | | | Uruguay | 11 |
| | | | | Saudi Arabia | 5 |

**5th place bracket**

| 5–8th place classification | 5–8th place classification | 5th place match | 5th place match |
| - | - | - | - |
| Singapore | 8 |
| Austria | 9 | | |
| Austria | 9 | Austria (pso) | 13 (10) |
| | | Tunisia | 12 (10) |
| Tunisia | 8 | Tunisia | 12 (10) |
| Peru | 6 | | |
| Peru | 6 | 7th place match | 7th place match |
| | | Singapore | 11 (8) |
| | | Peru (pso) | 13 (8) |

### Quarterfinals

| 20 October 2017 15:30 | Report | Austria | 3–9 | Uruguay | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Balzan (MLT) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Balzan (MLT) |||
| 20 October 2017 15:30 | Report | 1: Celebic, Lang, Gratzl | Goals | 3: García, Brugnini 2: San Martín | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Balzan (MLT) |
| 20 October 2017 16:50 | Report | Iran | 10–4 | Singapore | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Montagne (URU), Al-Jabri (KSA) |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Montagne (URU), Al-Jabri (KSA) |||
| 20 October 2017 16:50 | Report | 4: Almasi 2: Yazdankhah | Goals | 2: Chiam, Zhen Wei | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Montagne (URU), Al-Jabri (KSA) |
| 20 October 2017 18:10 | Report | Saudi Arabia | 10–9 | Tunisia | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Korolev (AUT), Guerra (PER) |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Korolev (AUT), Guerra (PER) |||
| 20 October 2017 18:10 | Report | 2: Al-Aryani, Al-Daughter | Goals | 4: Chouikha 2: Ghomrasni, Ben Hajkhlifa | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Korolev (AUT), Guerra (PER) |
| 20 October 2017 19:30 | Report | Malta | 21–6 | Peru | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Cheng (SGP) |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Cheng (SGP) |||
| 20 October 2017 19:30 | Report | 10: S. Camilleri 3: D. Zammit | Goals | 2: Pastor, N. Villar, D. Villar | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Cheng (SGP) |

### Semifinals

| 21 October 2017 18:10 | Report | Iran | 15–7 | Uruguay | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Korolev (AUT) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Korolev (AUT) |||
| 21 October 2017 18:10 | Report | 3: Keyhani, Almasi 2:Khanbanan, Yazdankhah | Goals | 4: San Martín 2: García | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Spiegel (GER), Korolev (AUT) |
| 21 October 2017 19:30 | Report | Saudi Arabia | 7–18 | Malta | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Cheng (SGP) |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Cheng (SGP) |||
| 21 October 2017 19:30 | Report | 3: Gamal 2: Al-Aryani | Goals | 4: J.Camilleri, D. Zammit 3: Cousin | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Zwart (NED), Cheng (SGP) |

**5th to 8th place**

| 21 October 2017 15:30 | Report | Tunisia | 8–6 | Peru | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Montagne (URU) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Montagne (URU) |||
| 21 October 2017 15:30 | Report | 3: Ghomrasni, Ben Hajkhlifa | Goals | 2: Grandez, Morales | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Montagne (URU) |
| 21 October 2017 16:50 | Report | Singapore | 8–9 | Austria | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Al-Jabry (KSA), Jenhani (TUN) |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Al-Jabry (KSA), Jenhani (TUN) |||
| 21 October 2017 16:50 | Report | 3:Wei Loong 2: Chiam | Goals | Vidović, Ribić, Gratzl | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Al-Jabry (KSA), Jenhani (TUN) |

### Finals

**7th place**

| 22 October 2017 09:30 | Report | Singapore | 11–13 (PSO) | Peru | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Jenhani (TUN), Al-Jabry (KSA) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Jenhani (TUN), Al-Jabry (KSA) |||
| 22 October 2017 09:30 | Report | 2: Chow, Wei Loong, Zhen Wei | Goals | 3: D. Villar | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Jenhani (TUN), Al-Jabry (KSA) |

**5th place**

| 22 October 2017 10:50 | Report | Austria | 13–12 (PSO) | Tunisia | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Cheng (SGP), Guerra (PER) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Cheng (SGP), Guerra (PER) |||
| 22 October 2017 10:50 | Report | 3: Gratzl 2: Celebic, Todorović | Goals | 4: Ghomrasni, Chouikha | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Cheng (SGP), Guerra (PER) |

**3rd place**

| 22 October 2017 12:10 | Report | Uruguay | 11–5 | Saudi Arabia | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Korolev (AUT) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Korolev (AUT) |||
| 22 October 2017 12:10 | Report | 4: Brugnini 2: García, San Martín | Goals | 2: Olayan | Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex (Gżira) Referees: Balzan (MLT), Korolev (AUT) |

**Gold-medal match**

The final match of the competition between Malta and Iran was abandoned with 33 seconds in the match, with the host team leading 8–6.

The referees had excluded two Maltese and five Iranian players because of a series of altercations erupted after Malta scored the last goal, but the verbal fights increased between the players who were already outside the pool. Although there was no physical violence involved, all of the remaining players in the game rushed out of the water to support their teammates.

The referees decided to cancel the game and refer the incidents to the FINA technical committee under the relevant disciplinary rules. Both finalists were disqualified, thus awarding the Trophy to Uruguay, winner of the 3rd place final.

## Awards

* 2017 FINA World Water Polo Development Trophy
* Uruguay 1st title
* Top Scorer: Diego Villar (19 goals)
* Most Valuable Player: Santiago San Martín
* Best Goalkeeper: Alfonso Rodríguez

## Final standings

| Rank | Team |
| - | - |
| | Uruguay |
| | Saudi Arabia |
| | Austria |
| 4 | Tunisia |
| 5 | Peru |
| 6 | Singapore |
| DQ | Iran |
| DQ | Malta |
