2009 FINA Men's Water Polo World League
# 2009 FINA Men's Water Polo World League

The 2009 FINA Men's Water Polo World League was the eighth edition of the annual event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA. After a preliminary round organized by continent, the Super Final was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, from 16 June to 21 June 2009.

The field included 19 teams, following the withdrawal of two teams. Two nations, South Africa and Libya, had their World League debut, with Libya competing in its first major international tournament.

## Preliminary round

* Team qualifies for Super Final
* Team eliminated from qualification

### Africa

The African tournament will be held in Casablanca, Morocco, from 22 May to 24 May. One team from the group of four will advance. South Africa and Libya will make their World League debuts.

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Africa | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 17 | +199 | 18 |
| Algeria | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 62 | 72 | −10 | 12 |
| Morocco | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 68 | 71 | −3 | 6 |
| Libya | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 190 | −186 | 0 |

22 May

| South Africa | 23 – 3 | Morocco |
| - | - | - |
| Algeria | 26 – 1 | Libya |

23 May

| Morocco | 27 – 1 | Libya |
| - | - | - |
| Algeria | 6 – 25 | South Africa |
| South Africa | 42 – 0 | Libya |
| Morocco | 6 – 8 | Algeria |

24 May

| South Africa | 60 – 0 | Libya |
| - | - | - |
| Morocco | 5 – 6 | Algeria |
| South Africa | 34 – 2 | Algeria |
| Morocco | 21 – 1 | Libya |

25 May

| South Africa | 32 – 6 | Morocco |
| - | - | - |
| Algeria | 14 – 1 | Libya |

### Americas

United States qualified without a qualification tournament.

### Asia/Oceania

The Asia and Oceania region will feature a two-legged tournament, in Adelaide, Australia (22–24 May), and Auckland, New Zealand (29–31 May). The four teams will play a round robin in each location, with the results from both legs combined. The top two teams from the group of four will advance.

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Australia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 94 | 27 | +67 | 18 |
| Japan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 73 | 58 | +15 | 12 |
| Iran | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 86 | −37 | 5 |
| New Zealand | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 45 | 90 | −45 | 1 |

22 May

| Japan | 15 – 7 | New Zealand |
| - | - | - |
| Australia | 13 – 1 | Iran |

23 May

| Australia | 12 – 3 | New Zealand |
| - | - | - |
| Japan | 18 – 9 | Iran |

24 May

| Iran | 12 – 8 | New Zealand |
| - | - | - |
| Australia | 15 – 8 | Japan |

29 May

| Iran | 6 – 14 | Japan |
| - | - | - |
| New Zealand | 5 – 22 | Australia |

30 May

| Australia | 20 – 7 | Iran |
| - | - | - |
| New Zealand | 9 – 15 | Japan |

31 May

| New Zealand | 13 – 14 (pen.) | Iran |
| - | - | - |
| Japan | 3 – 12 | Australia |

### Europe

Europe is divided into three groups, with qualifying spots for the winner of each group as well as Super Final host Montenegro. The initial plan was for each group to have four teams. However, Great Britain and Hungary have dropped out.

Rather than the condensed tournament style competition of the other continents, the European matches will be played in a home-and-away format over five months. The pool-based nature of the qualification process, however, continues to be used.

**Europe A**

Reference:

Hungary was to have played in this group.

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Serbia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 23 | +23 | 12 |
| Greece | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 6 |
| France | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 52 | −27 | 0 |

21 January

| Serbia | 12 – 6 | France |
| - | - | - |

17 February

| Greece | 16 – 6 | France |
| - | - | - |

10 March

| Greece | 6 – 11 | Serbia |
| - | - | - |

29 April

| France | 4 – 12 | Serbia |
| - | - | - |

5 May

| France | 9 – 12 | Greece |
| - | - | - |

12 May

| Serbia | 11 – 7 | Greece |
| - | - | - |

**Europe B**

Reference:

Great Britain was to have been the fourth member of this group, but withdrew.

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Montenegro | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 26 | +15 | 12 |
| Italy | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 31 | – 1 | 3 |
| Romania | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 44 | −14 | 3 |

21 January

| Italy | 10 – 2 | Romania |
| - | - | - |

17 February

| Montenegro | 13 – 7 | Romania |
| - | - | - |

3 March

| Italy | 6 – 8 | Montenegro |
| - | - | - |

15 April

| Romania | 12 – 10 | Italy |
| - | - | - |

5 May

| Romania | 9 – 11 | Montenegro |
| - | - | - |

12 May

| Montenegro | 9 – 4 | Italy |
| - | - | - |

**Europe C**

Reference:

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Croatia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 69 | 48 | +21 | 15 |
| Spain | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 11 |
| Germany | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 57 | −11 | 6 |
| Russia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 54 | 66 | −12 | 4 |

21 January

| Croatia | 12 – 7 | Russia |
| - | - | - |
| Spain | 8 – 7 | Germany |

17 February

| Croatia | 13 – 7 | Germany |
| - | - | - |
| Spain | 14 – 13 (pen.) | Russia |

10 March

| Croatia | 11 – 8 | Spain |
| - | - | - |
| Russia | 7 – 10 | Germany |

31 March

| Germany | 6 – 8 | Spain |
| - | - | - |

14 April

| Russia | 12 – 15 | Croatia |
| - | - | - |

5 May

| Germany | 5 – 11 | Croatia |
| - | - | - |

8 May

| Russia | 5 – 4 | Spain |
| - | - | - |

12 May

| Germany | 11 – 10 | Russia |
| - | - | - |
| Spain | 9 – 7 | Croatia |

## Super Final

The Super Final will be held in Podgorica, Montenegro, from 16 June to 21 June.

### Group 1

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Serbia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 17 | +11 | 9 |
| United States | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 6 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 22 | +2 | 3 |
| Japan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 40 | −25 | 0 |

16 June

| United States | 10 – 6 | Italy |
| - | - | - |
| Serbia | 12 – 6 | Japan |

17 June

| Italy | 4 – 6 | Serbia |
| - | - | - |
| United States | 14 – 3 | Japan |

18 June

| Japan | 6 – 14 | Italy |
| - | - | - |
| Serbia | 10 – 7 | United States |

### Group 2

| Team | G | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Diff | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Montenegro | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 16 | +20 | 9 |
| Croatia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 6 |
| Australia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 3 |
| South Africa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 43 | −31 | 0 |

16 June

| Australia | 6 – 9 | Croatia |
| - | - | - |
| Montenegro | 18 – 5 | South Africa |

17 June

| South Africa | 4 – 13 | Australia |
| - | - | - |
| Montenegro | 12 – 7 | Croatia |

18 June

| South Africa | 3 – 12 | Croatia |
| - | - | - |
| Montenegro | 6 – 4 | Australia |

### Quarterfinals

19 June

| United States | 10 – 6 | Australia |
| - | - | - |
| Italy | 6 – 8 | Croatia |
| Serbia | 16 – 2 | South Africa |
| Montenegro | 18 – 2 | Japan |

### 5th-8th places

| Semifinals | Semifinals | 5th place match | 5th place match |
| - | - | - | - |
| 20 June | 20 June |
| Australia | 12 |
| Australia | 12 | 21 June | 21 June |
| Japan | 6 | 21 June | 21 June |
| Japan | 6 | Australia | 10 |
| 20 June | 20 June | | Australia | 10 |
| 20 June | 20 June | Italy | 11 |
| Italy | 14 | Italy | 11 |
| South Africa | 3 | | |
| South Africa | 3 | 7th place match | 7th place match |
| | | 21 June | 21 June |
| | | Japan | 11 |
| | | South Africa | 9 |

### Medal round

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 20 June | 20 June |
| United States | 6 |
| United States | 6 | 21 June | 21 June |
| Montenegro | 10 | 21 June | 21 June |
| Montenegro | 10 | Montenegro | 8 |
| 20 June | 20 June | | Montenegro | 8 |
| 20 June | 20 June | Croatia | 7 |
| Croatia | 7 | Croatia | 7 |
| Serbia | 5 | | |
| Serbia | 5 | Bronze game | Bronze game |
| | | 21 June | 21 June |
| | | United States | 7 |
| | | Serbia | 9 |

## Final ranking

| RANK | TEAM |
| - | - |
| | Montenegro |
| | Croatia |
| | Serbia |
| 4. | United States |
| 5. | Italy |
| 6. | Australia |
| 7. | Japan |
| 8. | South Africa |

* 2009 FINA Men's World League
* Montenegro First title

### Awards

* Top Scorer
* Nikola Janović
