Last year’s champions, Izmir Buyuksehir SK, will face their Turkish rivals Galatasaray Zena in the Challenger Cup Women’s final. Both teams won their semi-finals in Istanbul on Saturday, making the final an all-Turkish match. The bronze medal game will see Croatia’s ZAVK Mladost play Serbia’s Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina.
2024/25 Challenger Cup Final Four Results/Fixtures
Saturday 22nd February 2025 (Semi-finals)
- Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina (SRB) 8-13 Galatasaray Zena (TUR)
- Izmir Buyuksehir SK (TUR) 14-8 ZAVK Mladost (CRO)
Sunday 23rd February 2025 (Finals, local times shown)
Bronze Medal Game
10:00: ZAVK Mladost (CRO) vs Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina (SRB)
Gold Medal Game
12:00: Izmir Buyuksehir SK (TUR) vs Galatasaray Zena (TUR)
Galatasaray Zena were the first team to secure their place in Sunday’s final after a strong second-half performance that saw them beat Serbia’s Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina, who had led four times early on.
“The first match is always a bit tricky, and it took us a while to find our rhythm,” said Galatasaray’s Australian Olympian Lena Milhailovic after the 8-13 win. “By half-time, we were focused and managed to pull ahead in the third quarter. The atmosphere was great, with some nerves, but we did our job and are now in the final. I hope we learn from our mistakes and build on the good moments to lift the cup tomorrow.”
Both teams struggled to find their footing in the first quarter. Vojvodina also struggled to find their composure in front of goal, making poor decisions at times. Despite this, they managed to stay level with Galatasaray, who responded well every time they fell behind.
In the second quarter, Vojvodina briefly took the lead twice, but Galatasaray quickly equalised. One standout moment came when Jovana Pantovic of Vojvodina scored an impressive lob shot from outside 5m, but Galatasaray captain Dilara Burali answered with a powerful strike to level the score.
Galatasaray then took a one-goal lead with a penalty from Burali just before half-time. In the third quarter, Elizaveta Ivanova scored twice, and Galatasaray stretched their lead to 5-9. They continued to dominate, with Ivanova scoring twice more, finishing with six goals as they cruised to victory.
In the second semi-final, Izmir Buyuksehir SK extended their unbeaten streak in the Challenger Cup to 13 games, defeating ZAVK Mladost 14-8 in a dominant performance.
“We started well, but I still think we made a few mistakes, especially in defence,” said Izmir captain Kuebra Kus after the win. “It was our first game, so I believe we’ll play better in tomorrow’s final. Both teams will fight for the title, and we’re excited for the opportunity. We beat Galatasaray in the previous round, but both teams have different players now.”
Izmir showed little nervousness in the opening moments, with two early goals from Kus giving them a 2-0 lead. Mladost captain Iva Rozic managed to score for Mladost, but Izmir responded with a run of three goals to open up a 5-1 advantage.
Mladost managed to reduce the gap a little, but Izmir kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to 7-2 in the second quarter. Izmir were in complete control by the third quarter, with a penalty save from goalkeeper Mary Askew and more goals from their attacking players, putting them 11-5 ahead. They finished strong, securing a place in the final, while Mladost will now play Vojvodina for a chance at a podium finish.
