For the record, Russia bettered Japan 21-13 to finish third in Group A, but the final result does not tell the story.

This was a match that could have gone either way, even in the early moments of the final period. It was a story of two players — Japan’s Yumi Arima and Russia’s Nadezhda Glyzina. Arima was sublime and the undoubted star, although Glyzina gained the poolside accolades. Arima slotted an incredible eight goals from all parts of the pool, including two penalty strikes. Her effort and ability to be in the right place, unguarded, at the right time and then to take those opportunities was incredible to watch. With the Olympics so close, she will be the toast of Japan as the host nation. Glyzina netted five, also from many positions, including a backhanded goal from two metres. To be fair, she was slotting in as a team member and made the most of her chances. Still, it’s all about getting the ball to the right person.

Japan started with two goals, but Russia applied the pressure and had the match out to 6-2, two minutes into the second period. An Arima hat-trick and Kako Kawaguchi from the deep right brought Japan back into the match at 6-6. The Russian malaise was broken by Anna Timofeeva’s sweeping centre-forward shot at 1:40 — the last goal of the half.

There were six different scorers in the third period as Russia slipped out to 11-8, Timofeeva again striking from the two-metre position.

Then came what was the crucial quarter of the match. Normally the third period is the turning point when the big movement happens. However, despite Japan finishing the match with 40 attempts at goal, it was in this period that things started not working. Russia pounced on every opportunity and blazed in a spectacular 10 goals to Japan’s five. Scoring five in a quarter may not be a “not-working” scenario, but that’s what happened. Arima scored three, including the last-second penalty goal and Glyzina converted two-extra-man opportunities.

We were left speechless and out of breath by that final period and I can’t think when I last watched a 15-goal period — perhaps never. The statistics speak for themselves. Japan scored five from 14 and Russia seven from 10 on extra, in what was a technically challenging match. The fact that there were 76 shots at goal was also amazing. Russia’s goalkeeper Evgenia Golovina should be proud of her 12-save effort.

This was a wonderful match and sets both teams up for the quarterfinals — Russia took second place in the group, so will play Greece and Japan has the daunting task of taking on perennial champion United States of America.

Full match statistics — http://results.microplustiming.com/athens2021

Greece picked up its first victory and third place in Group B by downing Kazakhstan 25-11 in a foul-ridden match. The victory meant a quarterfinal clash with Russia on Thursday.

A look at the statistics shows Kazakhstan netting nine of its 11 goals on extra compared to Greece’s seven from 25.

The match was tied briefly at 1-1 inside the first minute before Greece surged to 8-1 and Anna Turova grabbing a Kazakhstan goal on the buzzer.

The second quarter was tighter with Nikoleta Eleftheriadou gaining her third with a stunning drive on counter containing a final flourish to baffle the goalkeeper. It was also the emergence on the international stage of a terrific centre-forward find in Maria Myriokefalitaki, who snapped in three goals inside a minute to close the half at 13-3. Her first two were from two metres, firing in a backhand, a scoop and then showing her swimming prowess with an excellent counter-attack goal.

Ten goals peppered the third quarter with the three Plevritou sisters netting in a row — Vasiliki on extra, Eleftheria on counter and Margarita close in on extra-man attack. For Kazakhstan, Darya Pochinok netted twice and Anna Novikova made it three as Greece raced to 20-6 at the final break.

A spirited 5-5 final period showed that there was plenty of fight in the Kazakhstan team, in particular. Turova and Pochinok both scored their third goals and Darya Muravyeva scored a pair. Eleftheriadou scored her sixth goal from six shots and Erini Ninou chimed in with a pair. Eleftheria Plevritou opened the period with her fourth goal.

For Kazakhstan, it was a tough encounter the day before a quarterfinal face-off with Group A winner Canada and Greece needed to work all players, smoothing the wrinkles ahead of winnable clash with Russia.

Full match statistics — http://results.microplustiming.com/athens2021