Israel's under-16 girls water polo team opened the World Aquatics Women's U16 Championship in Zagreb with a statement result, beating South Africa 12-7 to launch the tournament on a high.
It did not start smoothly. Israel conceded the first two goals of the match and looked rattled before settling, then reeling off five unanswered goals to seize control.
By the break Israel led 6-4, and the young team pulled away further in the third quarter, outscoring South Africa 4-1 to open up a 10-5 cushion it would not relinquish before the final whistle sealed the 12-7 win.
The scoring was spread across the squad. Yahali Rokach and Ori Grodman each found the net three times, Yara Huvino Garcia added two, and Tamara Salmon-Michaeli, Inbar Yanko, Alma Tauber and Tamar Orchan all scored once.
Rokach's performance earned her Player of the Match honours in Israel's opening outing of the championship.
"The excitement was evident at the start, and then once the girls composed themselves they showed they're the stronger side," head coach Idan Kaftori said afterwards. "Tomorrow we have a very tough match against Hungary, one of the gold medal contenders."
Israel's Water Polo Association chair, Rona Freund-Amitzur, called it "a wonderful victory that gives the players confidence right at the opening of the World Championship."
Association CEO Dana Tartzki-Gatoa said the result was "an excellent start to a significant summer for Israeli water polo," adding that the team "showed character and demonstrated real ability."
The championship, the first of two World Aquatics under-16 events being staged in the Croatian capital this summer, is being played at Zagreb's Mladost aquatics complex from July 25 to 31, with the boys' edition to follow in August at the same venue.
Israel returns to the pool on Sunday to face Hungary, a considerably sterner test as the young team looks to build on its opening statement.
