China’s women’s water polo team wrapped up the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in ninth place after a decisive 10-6 win over New Zealand in Monday’s classification match. The victory marked a turnaround from last year’s showdown in Doha, where China fell 16-15 in the same play-off.
The match got off to a blistering start for China. Yan Siya struck first, and Zhou Shang followed with two quick goals, putting China ahead 3-0 in the first five minutes. New Zealand’s Morgan McDowall pulled back two goals, but Zhang Yumian added one more just before the buzzer to make it 4-2 at the end of the opening period.
Early in the second quarter, Zhang Yumian found the net again. Though Morgan McDowall answered with an extra-player goal, Yan rebounded from a missed penalty to score, and China headed into halftime leading 6-3.
In the second half, China’s defense locked down New Zealand’s attack. With strong contributions from Zhang, Zhou, Yan, and Wang Huan—each scoring twice—China built an unassailable advantage. Goalkeeper Shen Yineng was a wall between the posts, logging eight saves in the final match and an impressive total of 50 throughout the tournament.
Team MVP Wang Huan highlighted the squad’s youth and potential: “We are a new team and we have many young players. This is their first time playing in the world championships. Our coach is very good and he has been with us only for seven weeks. With more time together, we can continue to grow and be better.”
Reference(s):
China secure 9th place in women's water polo at World Championships
cgtn.com
