There are so many matches played at the top level. In fact, there were exactly 100 matches on the World Aquatics calendar for women in 2023 and here we check out what could be regarded as 10 of the best.
1. April 11, World Aquatics World Cup Qualification Series, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Spain 17 United States of America 15 in penalty shootout (FT: 12-12. Pens: 5-3).
It was the first match of the year internationally for these teams and the top two teams in global women’s water polo did not disappoint with a superb encounter that had Olympic and World Cup champion USA in the box seat in the middle quarters, coming from 2-2 at the first break to 6-5 at halftime and 11-9 at the final break. Spain controlled the final period and USA levelled with less than 16 seconds remaining. It came down to the shootout where Maddie Musselman hit the right upright on the third USA shot while Spain, who shot first, sent in all five attempts.
2. April 19, World Aquatics World Cup Qualification Series, Athens, Greece
Spain 9 Australia 8
Such is the cut-throat nature of this tournament, two teams needed to qualify and it came down to the opening day of the second round when Australia and China had to win decisively to make the finals. By losing, the Aussie Stingers need to beat both Greece and China to hope to make the final and head off Greece. The Stingers made a point that they could win the match and were worthy of the finals. However, the 4-3 advantage in the second spell could not be sustained and Spain slipped home to qualify instead.
Spain ripped through the first seven minutes at 3-0, giving up a goal in the last three seconds. The Stingers built on that and converted three extra-man situations for the 4-3 margin by 5:25 in the second quarter. Spain had the match back in its favour and it was left to Aussie skipper Zoe Arancini to level at five on extra, 17 seconds from halftime.
A second three-goal surge by Spain ensured an 8-5 lead in the first four minutes of the third quarter, Australia responding with a pair to close the period at 8-7 in Spain’s advantage. Goals were swapped in the middle of the fourth and Australia’s only opportunity was Bronte Halligan’s penalty attempt that was swatted away by goalkeeper Martina Terre, who was named player of the match.
3. April 20, World Aquatics World Cup Qualification Series, Athens, Greece
Netherlands 11 Hungary 12
Netherlands came to Athens unbeaten — the only team — and began the campaign well with a 16-10 margin over Italy. Hungary started 2-0 and had the 5-4 lead at quarter time. It was still one at halftime — 8-7 — and 10-9 at the final break. By now, the match was tied at three, five, six, eight and nine.
Netherlands’ Lieke Rogge made it 10-10 halfway through the final period and with just a little more than two minutes remaining, Dora Leimeter squeezed one in for Hungary from deep right. On the next attack, Brigitte Sleeking converted a penalty for 11-11. At the other end, speedster Vanya Valyi sat up to score from the left-hand-catch position for what proved to be the winner.
4. April 20, World Aquatics World Cup Qualification Series, Athens, Greece
United States of America 8 Netherlands 9
Netherlands and USA won their respective groups in Rotterdam the week before. However, Netherlands arrived with a clean sheet and USA with a loss to Spain.
USA eased to 2-1 after nearly five minutes before the Dutch converted three straight extra-man goals with two from Bente Rogge. Julia Bonaguidi scored both USA goals in the second quarter and after Netherlands went on a second three-goal heist. This gave Netherlands a 7-4 advantage at the turn.
Bente Rogge and younger sister Lieke Rogge maintained the rage with 8-4 and 9-6 scores. Maddie Musselman scored her second of the quarter to close the margin to two at the final break. The final period was all defence as Emily Ausmus to finish the scoring at 9-8.
5. April 20, World Aquatics World Cup Qualification Series, Athens, Greece
Spain 18 Greece 17 in sudden-death penalty shootout (FT: 13-13. Pens: 5-4)
The match was tied an incredible 12 times with Greece starting with two goals and Spain scoring the next three. Greece missed a penalty attempt and scored twice more to close the period 4-3 ahead. Spain won the second quarter 6-5 where all the numbers were tied. The match slowed in the third as each scored a single goal.
In the fourth, Spain took the lead twice, only for Greece to respond with the 11th Greek goal coming from Eleni Xenaki. Eirini Ninou scored her fourth to send Greece 12-11 up. Xenaki sent in another near-post score on extra at 0:33 for the possible winner. However, Spain brought the match to 13-13, four seconds from time, forcing the shootout.
It went to sudden death penalty shootout with two goals apiece in the rotation. Spain succeeded with all three and Greece with the first two. Sadly, Vasiliki Plevritou’s final shot was saved, and Spain won.
6. July 16, World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan
Netherlands 7 Spain 6
The Dutch came from two down in the third period to fire in four unanswered goals for 7-5 and then gifting a penalty goal for the final 7-6 margin. Netherlands went four straight and took the match away from Spain.
Spanish star Elena Ruiz book-ended a Sabrina van der Sloot goal in the first quarter and less came in the second as the teams scored one each. Anni Espar pushed Spain out to 4-2 to start the third period, Lola Moolhuijzen responded and Paul Leiton scored easily for 5-3.
Van der Sloot needed VAR to confirm her goal and Simone van de Kraats let loose from the top for 5-5 with two seconds left. Brigitte Sleeking scored identical goals four minutes apart by 3:26. Elena Ruiz sent in the final score — on penalty — at 2:11 and both teams had goals disallowed before the guillotine came down on Spain.
7. July 18, World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan
Japan 21 Hungary 26
It was packed for the men’s Japanese match on Monday night and the same crowd should have been here tonight as this was sublime play by the Japanese who showed no respect for Hungary’s awesome reputation. There were responses time and again as Hungary tried to shrug off the cloying, bouncing Japanese with a penchant for shooting goals. And then there was the case of the 47 goals with two teams beyond the 20 mark — probably never seen at this level before.
The first quarter yielded nine goals, Hungary leading 5-4. When Yumi Arima made it 5-5 in the first attack of the second quarter, Hungary switched out goalkeeper Alda Magyari for Boglarka Neszmely. Two Hungarian goals came quickly and Arima added another two for 8-7 behind. Hungary went 10-7 up and four goals later it was just 11-10 thanks to another Arima strike. Katja Hajdu netted a second and Vanda Valyi pumped in her third to give Hungary a 13-10 advantage at halftime.
Twelve goals came in the third period with Hungary stretching its lead to five at 20-15. The difference was seven at one stage as Hungary went on a five-goal romp to 19-12. Eruna Ura scored two of the next three goals for Japan to close the period.
The scoring onslaught did not abate, Hungary firing out to 23-15; Japan scoring the next four with Arima in the mix again. Hungary went to 24 and Arima reached Japan’s 20 goals on extra. Dora Leimeter netted twice for Hungary and on the final buzzer, captain Akari Inaba rifled in a long shot for Japan’s 21st goal.
8. July 24, World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan
Round 1-8 Quarterfinals
United States of America 7 Italy 8
The unthinkable happened, not in a gold-medal final, but way back in the quarterfinals. It will be a date and time and venue that will be remembered for some time as United States of America gave up the crown it had held since 2015. Italy became the latest in a short line of teams who have beaten USA dating back to 2019 when Australia broke a streak of more than 100 matches. Italy beat USA in a group match in Kazan 2015 at these championships and Hungary twice in recent years before Netherlands struck 9-8 in the World Cup qualifiers in Athens in April.
Italy had a 4-2 advantage at the first break with Maggie. Steffens and Jewel Roemer levelling by halftime.
Steffens drove in down the right post, received the ball and score for 5-4 at 5:31 in the third period. It was tight and Sofia Giustini came good with two goals for Italy. Italy led 6-5, but the lead was short-lived as Musselman converted a penalty at 3:09 for 6-6.
Domatilla Picozzi opened the fourth with a lob and later, Chiara Tabani lobbed to send Italy to the front by two goals. The Tabani goal came at 2:57. With the clock ticking down, USA became impatient and scored through Jordan Raney with 21 seconds remaining. Italy was wily and controlled the ball despite some heavy fouling by USA until the final buzzer.
9. July 26, World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan
Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Italy 8 Netherlands 9
Netherlands punched its ticket for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the first semifinal victory that assured both finalists will travel to France next July. It was a tense encounter with Netherlands holding its nerve as Italy kept coming back. Italy led for just 25 seconds and from there on it was all Netherlands, going into the second period with a 4-2 advantage that narrowed to 6-5 at halftime. That one-goal bonus was the same at the last break; it went to two goals in the final quarter and was trimmed to one. Netherlands had the airline tickets and Italy was left to wonder what went wrong.
10. July 28, World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan
Classification 1-2 (Gold Medal)
Netherlands 17 Spain 16
This was a fitting finale to a wonderful women’s water polo competition in which there were plenty of upsets and ended up delivering a champion from the distant past.
There was no telling who would win the match, but it looked like Netherlands in the first quarter and then a quantum shift went to Spain; the Dutch wrestled it back in the third and was swimming away with the match until Spain called on every reserve to clinch a stunning equaliser and force a shootout.
That shootout was not unlike the previous two, being won in the rotation and not needing sudden death. It was only the reliable Bea Ortiz who brought up the 10-10 goal who had her shot stopped in the fifth shot. Everyone else scored, meaning Spain won the match 17-16.