Match analysis in elite men's senior and youth water polo, classifying actions for margins of victory and advantage.

This study compares technical and tactical factors in elite men's senior and youth water polo matches from European Championships, analyzing these factors in relation to margin of victory (MoV) and margin of advantage (MoA). Results indicate that senior matches feature a higher frequency of goals scored during power-play actions, while youth matches show a greater occurrence of penalties and penalty goals. At the senior level, a larger MoV is associated with increased goal-scoring during counterattacks and power-play situations, whereas in youth matches, MoV relates more to goals scored during even play; MoA analyses reveal distinct game profiles primarily for senior teams. These findings offer practical insights for coaches to tailor training according to age category, emphasizing power-play effectiveness, penalty shot precision, and fast offensive transitions.