Hungary men know how to win medal finals and while it might not have been for gold, the 9-5 bronze-medal victory over Spain at the Tatsumi Water Polo Centre was just as good. To leave Tokyo 2020 with a medal justified their progress through the event. It was a fourth Olympic bronze medal to go with nine golds and three silvers.
Never back against Hungary in an Olympic-medal final. That message was firmly stamped in people’s minds as Hungary added to the medal cabinet by defeating Spain emphatically 9-5 for the bronze medal of the men’s water polo competition.
Hungary achieved the feat with a shut-out second half, turning at 5-5, progressing to 6-5 by the final break and netting three in the last for a terrific victory.
Hungary’s tradition at the Olympics is immense with nine golds, three silvers and now four bronzes. Hungary was fifth in Rio and sixth in London following those sparkling gold medals of 2000, 2004 and 2008. Hungary was back on the dais after a 13-year hiatus.
The opening quarter started in Spain’s favour, switched to Hungary, back to Spain and then finished even with six different scorers.
Hungary twice went ahead in the second quarter only for Spain to retaliate. When Miguel de Toro scored at 4-4, Hungarian assistant coach Zsolt Nemeth — who played the Atlanta 1996 Olympics where Hungary finished fourth — was red-carded from the bench, obviously gaining the ire of the referee. Norbert Hosnyanszky — one of two survivors from the gold-medal team of Beijing 2008 (the other is captain Denes Varga) — sliced a shot in from the top on extra-man attack for 5-4. Spain shot back through Alberto Munarriz for his second, also on the extra play about a minute from halftime.
Marton Vamos scored from his beloved left-hand-catch position for his 12th goal at Tokyo 2020. Hungarian goalkeeper Viktor Nagy made two sensational saves in a row by using his head to deny Spanish goals. VAR was used to snuff a hopeful Hungarian goal that would have taken the team two up. Five Hungarians were on two major fouls and two Spaniards by the end of the quarter.
Gergo Zalanki, a first-quarter scorer, was the first to be rolled on three majors a minute into the final quarter. Spain went to the timeout with no reward and Hungary tried the same and came up with the goods, Vamos repeating his third-quarter effort for 7-5. By now, the Spanish had gone without a goal for 10 minutes, such was the antics of Nagy. His seventh save was a huge stretch to his left as Hungarian supporters sensed the medal was theirs. And so they should as Daniel Angyal crossed the ball from deep left for 8-5. Spain sent up goalkeeper Daniel Lopez but the ball was lost, it was sent up to Varga — who was just over the halfway line —and he skipped the ball into the empty goal for 9-5. Spain tried several attacks to no avail with Nagy (pictured) making an eighth brilliant save. It may have been only eight saves, but every one was a gem.
He has been such a magnificent stalwart of the Hungarian team and, sadly, it was his last water polo match as he retired from all levels immediately after the match, ending a 237-match career and three Olympic Games. The main pictures shows how much he was appreciated in winning the medal and for his fine career.
A look at the extra-man statistics say it all with Hungary perfect on attack and fantastically defensive when needed most.
Eight Hungarians scored with Vamos the only double scorer. For Spain, only Munarriz scored a double. The loss for Spain was its second after losing to Serbia in the semifinals. For such a great team, playing flawlessly, it seems incorrect not to be closer.
Spain finished seventh at Rio 2016, so fourth is an advance. Its glory years were the silver medal at Barcelona 1992 and gold at Atlanta 1996.
Match 41, 12:40, HUNGARY 9 SPAIN 5
Classification 3-4
Quarters: 3-3, 2-2, 1-0, 3-0.
Referees: Arkadiy Voevodin (RUS), Georgios Stavridis (GRE).
Shots: HUN: 9/29. ESP: 5/29.
Extra Man: HUN: 6/6. ESP: 5/15.
Pens: Nil.
FLASH QUOTES
Tamas Marcz (HUN) — Head Coach
“After our loss in the semifinal, we needed a lot of effort to lift our spirits to the level where you have a chance to win the bronze-medal match. The coaching staff did its utmost, but the players themselves also worked hard on this. When I got to the bus this morning, I recognised that the players were ready, their eyes told it all. We prepared them for a couple of scenarios, one was the one which happened in this match, to face loads of man-downs and to do their best in the back. I think that helped as they reacted well, every killed Spanish 6 on 5 gave them an extra portion of energy load, fuelled their mental strength and that led to that second half. I would say, you barely see Spain held on zero goals in the entire second half of any game. The key was Viktor Nagy, of course, who really raised himself to this occasion after having some ups and downs in the club season, he was instrumental in winning this medal, but all the players took their part in this defensive masterpiece. I know many players from 1996 who finished fourth and today still haunted by the memories of that lost bronze-medal match. I’m really glad that this team grabbed this occasion and make the country proud as we bring home a bronze, together with the women’s team.”
Denes Varga, captain, Hungary
“A bronze medal match may be special, both sides have imaginations what may happen, how the game will unfold and while our vision was right, I think the Spaniards thought it was going to be something absolutely different – and that already brought us in a more convenient position, despite it stood only 5-5. Today we were playing to Viktor Nagy in first place, but everyone knew what was at stake as it’s heaven and earth if you get a bronze or finish fourth. As the game went by and we were more and more superior in defence, the Spanish started losing their confidence, their shooing precision dropped significantly while we were in full control, despite all circumstances not really favouring us. I came here to win the gold, after the great win over Croatia in the quarters I thought we were on the right track and I would go now easily till 2024. After the semis, I didn’t really see myself going all the way to Paris – now, with this bronze in hand, I can think of it again, though let me say, first I have to let water polo go for a while, then start some rebuilding process, taste the game again in my club and see if some important factors are there, which are important for me before I make my decision. Ah, regarding this ball, they gave it to me as a memory. It’s great, now I don’t have to steal one.”
Viktor Nagy HUN) — Goalkeeper Playing His Last Match
“This was my last game in this sport and it’s fantastic to say goodbye to water polo with an Olympic medal. Honestly, my plans were different. In the last four-five years I always thought of Tokyo as the site of the final match of my career, but I wanted this happen in the next game. Two days ago, we missed that chance so I had to go for this bronze. All in all, it’s a kind of brilliant ending, not conceding a goal in the last two periods, for sure… Of course, it’s not just me, but the entire team which should be credited for this shutout. I always tell you that I can do big saves if I have my comfort in the goal thanks to the players’ positioning; their blocking hands are in the right place so I could foresee or sense where the ball will come. Today we managed to lift those efforts almost to perfection, holding this Spanish team on five goals is a fantastic feat.”
Krisztian Manhercz (HUN) — Goal Scorer
“We are happy with this outcome, we won a great match. The key was the defence of course, but first of all, our ability to withstand the pressure we faced in and out of the pool. Have a look at the number of exclusions – I think nothing may justify such a difference and I think responsible persons must act to bring back this game to a much fairer environment. Still, we sent a very strong message that we could do it despite all efforts from others and this was also the key that in the second half we did some fantastic defending. There Viktor (Nagy) came up with saves from another world, we had the blocks, the steals, we were really strong in mind and I’m really happy to leave Tokyo with a medal in our hands.”
Felipe Perrone (ESP) — Captain
“I think we really lost the medal against Serbia (in the semifinal). Today they (Hungary) were better than us. It's difficult having a lot of games, eight games in a row, so it's not easy, but we tried our best to find a resolution. I think our way of play. We spend a lot of energy in eight games in a row. It was not easy. Of course, we tried. I think everybody saw that we were doing our best, but it’s difficult for us after eight games in a row.” On how difficult it was to pick themselves up after the semifinal loss to Serbia: "We were fighting against our mental issues because we are always thinking on that game (the semifinal), that we had the game in our hands. But today, Hungary was better, they lost the game against Greece and they were able to come back and play better than us. But we lost the medal in the semifinal, that's it.”