The medal quarterfinalists have been found with Netherlands against Croatia, Greece versus Hungary, United States of America to play Spain and Australia to face Italy on Tuesday. All teams easily beat their crossover opponents.
Day 4 Matches
Division 1 & 2 Crossovers
Match 25, NETHERLANDS 13 SOUTH AFRICA 3 (3-1, 3-1, 5-0, 2-0)
Netherlands closed up shop at halftime and scooted to a 10-goal margin to head into the medal quarterfinals. Kara Batting opened the scoring with a lob for South Africa, but Netherlands would hold sway by the quarter-time break, 3-1. Replies came from Myrthe Broekmate from the right near post; Marjolein de Gier with a blast from six metres and Vera van As with a similar shot from the left. In between, Netherlands had a penalty attempt swatted aside. De Gier and van As both scored on counter to go 5-1 up midway through the second quarter. Jenna Blaauw converted extra from deep left for 5-2. Leyla Hiati scored from deep right on a drive for 6-2 and Inez Letschert made the most of extra to give South Africa its third goal, three seconds from halftime.
Jette Botermans fired from the right-hand-catch position to open the third period with Hiati scoring from centre forward and Loeki Ouwerkerk making it 9-3 off counter. Broekmate and van As both scored from outside for 11-3 in the last minute. Van As and de Gier were lone scorers in the final quarter.
Match Heroes
Van As took out the top award for her four goals to give her six for the week. De Gier scored three (also six) with Hiati and Broekmate on two.
Turning Point
After a close first half, keeping South Africa scoreless in the second half made for a comfortable victory. The Dutch were made to shrug off South Africa who put in plenty of effort.
Stats Don’t Lie
Netherlands converted five from seven on extra-man attack and defended four from six. It had no joy with penalties, missing twice while South Africa missed one. Netherlands shot 23 to 19, so South Africa would have been disappointed as it had the chances.
Bottom Line
Netherlands was eighth last time out and South Africa 12th, so it was inevitable that Netherlands would progress to the quarterfinals.
Match 26, CANADA 7 CROATIA 11 (1-2, 2-5, 1-2, 3-2)
Croatia notched an important victory and swam into the top eight, its main aim in Manisa. Now it’s onwards to a possible semifinal berth. Neli Jankovic drove deep left toward goal and tapped in an angled cross pass for the opening goal. Adelaide Bilodeau accepted a cross pass along the goal-line to deep left, tapping in for 1-1 at 2:10. Lara Srhoj put away a sliding penalty goal to take Croatia 2-1 up. She missed a long shot in the dying seconds before quarter time. Jankovic scored twice in the second — on counter and on extra when Canadian goalkeeper Alexandra Stoddard was ejected and three defenders filled the goalmouth — and Srhoj netted her 10th of the week on counter for 5-1. There was plenty of action in the final 1:16 with Clara Shyiak scoring on counter for Canada; Nina Jazvin scoring from centre forward for Croatia; McKenna Pineda-McLean on extra for Canada and Jankovic lifting Croatia to 7-3, three seconds from time from the top.
Jazvin opened the third period on counter for her ninth goal of the tournament and Jankovic made her fifth of the match from wide left. Canada called a timeout at 0:53 and on the fourth pass it reached Zoe Romanov who sat up and scored from seven metres and 9-4 in arrears. In the fourth period, Srhoj converted extra-man attack; Airi Cowie sent one in from the top for Canada; Jankovic scored from the penalty line for No. 6 and Adelyn Kyfiuk converted extra with a lob from deep right for 11-6. She repeated the dose from the other side of the pool for 11-7 by 2:52 — in with a sniff. However, the seconds ticked by and neither side could adjust the score.
Match Heroes
Jankovic, with her six goals, takes her to 11 for the tournament and she rightfully was named best in water. Lara Srhoj scored three — also 11 — and Jazvin two (nine).
Turning Point
For a team to win every quarter, it makes it hard to select a point at which it roared away. From 9-3 it became 11-7, so there was always the possibility that Canada could get close. I suppose 5-1 and then 7-3 said it all.
Stats Don’t Lie
Canada had the better of the statistics surprisingly enough. It went four from six on extra and saved one from three. It missed a penalty attempt to Croatia’s two from three and the overall shooting favoured Canada 26-22. However, Croatia scored action goals and two more counter-attack goals.
Bottom Line
Croatia is making giant strides in women’s water polo. Today was another step — into the quarterfinals.
Match 27, GERMANY 3 GREECE 16 (1-3, 0-3, 0-7, 2-3)
Greece needed a 7-0 score to blow out the margin as Germany proved a handful at times. Germany’s Mara Dzaja was first to score, moving inside her defender at three metres, accepting the pass and scoring. Rafaela Saltamanika went on counter to level at 2:25 and Anastasia Bikou made it 2-1 through a lob from deep left at 1:18. Greece was in charge. It missed a golden chance approaching the last minute when a counter shot hit the bar and it bounced down to a team-mate who smacked it toward goal, hitting the right upright. Captain Nefeli Krassa sent one in off the right post from her left-post position for 3-1. In the second quarter, Greece showed its true colours from then on, taking the match to 6-1 halfway through the period and withstanding the German attack, while being denied itself from adding more goals.
This changed considerably in the third period, won 7-0, as a torrent of goals filled the German goal in just four minutes. Germany had four shots with two on extra failing to find their mark. Goals mounted in the final period, going to 16-1 before Maya Huesselmann let loose with a nine-metre shot from top left, looping into the far corner for 16-2. She did it again, this time on extra-man attack, from the top right for 16-3, two seconds from the final buzzer.
Match Heroes
Bikou finished with four and was named the best player and now has 10. Afroditi Bitsakou claimed another four to take her to 12 from three matches. Krassa scored three to bring up her 10th and Androniki Karagianni’s pair also gave her 10. Huesselmann, with her two, gave Germany some joy in the final quarter.
Turning Point
Shooting to 6-1 by halftime, set the scene for Greece.
Stats Don’t Lie
The best stat for Greece was the overall shooting — 32 to 19. Then, perhaps, the eight steals to one. It was not on extra-man attack as it converted only two from nine, but did defend six from seven. Greece missed the only penalty awarded.
Bottom Line
Greece still has work to do in places, but is a strong contender for the medal round. Germany still has time to grab a win or two.
Match 28, THAILAND 5 HUNGARY 16 (0-3, 2-5, 1-3, 2-5)
Hungary came through, as expected, ready to defend its crown with three victories in the bag. Thailand played Netherlands twice in its group, so the match against the reigning champion nation must have a been a breath of fresh air. The fact that the quarter-time score was only 3-0 in Hungary’s favour. Freia Toth opened the second quarter scoring with a slow lob from the left-hand-catch mark and Thailand gained an extra-man play, shot and the rebound dropped for a team-mate, who was fouled, giving Thanidakarn Kwantongtanaree a penalty conversion for 4-1. Sara Keszthelyi converted a penalty for Hungary and Thai Nattamon Khamma scored from centre forward with a snappy left-hand backhand— 5-2. Captain Kincso Kenez shot from top left; Kinga Alaksza made it 7-2 from a rebound off her penalty attempt and Adrienn Hetzl took the foul and scored from six metres to send Hungary into the second half 8-2 ahead.
Kwantongtanaree scored off the first attack, scoring from eight minutes after a six-metre foul. Three minutes later, Hetzl scored from centre forward, shooting off the turn for 9-3. Hanga Szalkai scored on counter, but it was regarded as an extra-man goal as a defender behind her was ejected in a separate incident. Two minutes later, and four seconds from the buzzer, Szalkai converted a penalty foul for 11-3. Moments earlier, Thailand’s penalty attempt soared high right. In the fourth period, Hetzl drove deep right to score while heavily guarded and Kenez shot from six metres with a lob for 13-3. Keszthelyi countered and received a cross pass to score from deep left. Kwantongtanaree skipped the ball into the bottom left from the top for her third goal. Nia Diimitrovics backhanded from two metres at 1:54 for 15-4. Thailand gained an extra play and after many passes, Khamma barred down, just enough to cross the line. Toth converted extra-man at 0:39 for a final score of 16-5.
Match Heroes
Kenez was named player of the match for her four goals, taking her to 14 in Manisa. Hetzl grabbed three. Kwantongtanaree finished with three for Thailand and Khamma two.
Turning Point
The opening six minutes said it all.
Stats Don’t Lie
The best stats were the 30-21 on shooting and converting two from four on extra to Thailand’s one from one. On extra, Hungary went two from three and defended four from five.
Bottom Line
Hungary now is prepared for the second half of the tournament — where titles are earned. Thailand will be looking for the highest finish possible after what can be considered an excellent showing.
Match 29, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 14 CHINA 3 (4-2, 4-0, 3-1, 3-0)
USA made sure of a quarterfinal spot, going 3-0 up. Although China scored a couple of action goals, USA had the 4-2 quarter-time advantage and produced a shut-out second quarter to lead 8-2 at the long break. Jinwen Zhang scored China’s third — and first for nearly 10 minutes — two minutes into the third quarter. It was her sixth of the tournament and she found herself free on the far post. China had a penalty goal disallowed, probably for surging over the line. Chrissy Flynn — accepting a high pass on the left post for her third — and Paige Segesman with a backhand into the top left both scored from close in and Emerson Mulvey converted extra-man attack from the top left for 11-3 close to the buzzer. It was another zip quarter for China in the fourth as USA sent in another three action goals to give it a winning run to the quarters.
Match Heroes
Flynn with three, assisted by Gabriella Alexson, Kirra Pantaleon and Natalie Whitfield with two apiece. Xiwen Zhang made eight saves in the Chinese goal.
Turning Point
The opening quarter decided that.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA went five from eight on extra while not giving up an ejection foul. It made one from two on penalty and stopped both Chinese attempts. On shots, USA was the better at 25 to 15.
Bottom Line
USA is a class team and China has proved promise in Manisa with a 10-goal win and a one-goal loss in the group stage.
Match 30, TURKIYE 3 SPAIN 14 (1-3, 2-3, 0-4, 0-6)
Spain is one of the classiest teams here, but sadly for the competition, it will face USA in the quarterfinals. These could be the top two teams in Manisa, thus the upcoming encounter will be a real highlight. Spain honed its skills against Turkiye, although needed to shrug off what was a determined Turkiye in the first half and then cruise to a huge margin. Spain had total control of the first period until Eda Moroglu slipped in a penalty shot in the last four seconds. Spain gained another three for 6-1 before Naz Ozdemir scored a second penalty goal for Turkiye. Moroglu saw the clock was ticking down and accepted a cross pass to the top left and cross-caged the shot for 6-3, once again, four seconds from time.
Martina Fernandez scored from penalty and Martina Munoz from a short drive down deep left for 8-3 midway through the third period. Munoz fired in an identical shot for 9-3 and Marina Pineda converted extra with an arrow from the top into the bottom left for 10-3. Fernandez, Pineda twice and Munoz on counter in the last three seconds, wrapped up the scoring and the victory.
Match Heroes
Pineda with her four goals, was named best; captain Queralt Anton and Munoz netted three each. For Pineda and Anton, it was their 10th goals in Manisa. Moroglu scored twice for Turkiye.
Turning Point
The 6-1 start was where it all happened.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain buried six from seven on extra and denied Turkiye’s only chance. Turkiye scored both penalty chances while Spain missed one of two. Surprisingly, the shooting was low on both sides, Spain coming out on top 19 to 16.
Bottom Line
Spain was too good all around the pool and will need all those skills against the bigger and stronger North Americans on Tuesday.
Match 31, AUSTRALIA 16 UKRAINE 0 (2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 7-0)
Australia was flawless in all spheres of this match with the statistics proving this case. To keep a clean sheet is not easy but Canada showed on day one against Zimbabwe it is possible. Aussie captain Emmersen McEwan converted extra from the bottom left and Georgia Joosep drove in to score for 2-0 — the only goals of the period. Sara Connors went on counter for 3-0 early in the second quarter and Ellie Sefton claimed a pair of action goals in the last minute before halftime. Ukraine had five shots in the first quarter and three in the second.
Sienna Walker and Connors quickly lifted it to 7-0 and Zara Cooke from outside and Amelie Hoefel from penalty took the score to 9-0 at the final break. Ukraine missed one on extra and another from outside. It was no better in the final period as Ukraine managed two shots — one from centre and the other on extra. Australia rattled in seven goals and missed two, hitting the post each time.
Match Heroes
Six Aussies scored twice — Connors, Joosep, Cooke, Sefton, Hoefel and Walker, so choosing a best player was not easy. Sefton was the official winner.
Turning Point
It had to be the opening whistle and the first goal that Ukraine never recovered from.
Stats Don’t Lie
These were best part of the match for the Aussies — four extra-man goals and stopping two; converting the only penalty foul and shooting 27 times to 12, such was the defence. Australia stole the ball 11 times to four.
Bottom Line
Australia has a third win and will now face a very tough opponent in Italy, who could easily go to the final.
Match 32, SERBIA 7 ITALY 18 (1-2, 1-7, 3-2, 2-7)
Italy made further claim to the crown with another strong effort that had Serbia on the ropes in the second quarter. From a sedate first period, Italy pulled away in the second and, despite losing the third quarter, retaliated in the fourth. Margharita Minuto, Italy’s super shooter, opened the scoring on extra from deep left and Giulia Bozzo gained the second from centre with a backhand. Jana Jankovic converted extra-man attack from the top, fumbling through the goalkeeper’s hands, for 2-1, which held until the quarter buzzer. Nika Ratkovic equalised with a long shot that dribbled across the line on the first attack of the second quarter. However, Carlotta Breda replied from centre with a tip-in off a cross pass and this started an avalanche of goals that included two penalty goals by 9-2. That was seven Italian goals in five minutes.
Ratkovic opened the third period from nine metres and Laura Ruani and Minuto combined to lift the score to 11-3. Masa Cuk and Ratkovic scored consecutive goals to close the period at 11-5. Minuto and Bovo eased the score out to 13-5 at the top of the fourth quarter with Mina Brankovic scoring from the right-hand-catch position. It quickly became 16-6 before Masa Cuk scored Serbia’s seventh a minute from the end from deep right, just squeezing it into the bottom right. Italy made the most of it with a pair of goals, the last through Ruani a second from the buzzer with a lob on counter.
Match Heroes
Minuto with her five goals, lifting her to 19 for the three matches. Ruani chimed in with four and Malika Bovo with three goals. Goalkeeper Emma Serafini was exceptional with nine saves. Serbia’s Ratkovic scored three and Masa Cuk two for seven at the tournament.
Turning Point
Shooting out from 2-2 to 9-2 in the second period.
Stats Don’t Lie
Italy was perfect on extra-man attack, scoring all five and defending three from four. It put away two from three at the penalty line and made four steals to one. It only had two more shots than Serbia.
Bottom Line
Italy now plays Australia for a semifinal berth and has all the credentials to win a good medal.
Division 3 Crossovers
Match 58, ZIMBABWE 4 FRANCE 11 (0-1, 0-2, 2-3, 2-5)
Zimbabwe had amassed 13 fouls before halftime with France only managing two extra-man goals. Three Zimbabweans were out on three major fouls. All this in a tight match where France was three ahead. The opening goal came from Sherihene Benmouna at 2:39 in the first quarter and the second at 3:03 in the second through Leopoldine Burle from the top. The third came from Sohane Bentaleb on extra at 2:38. It was not until 3:32 in the third that the fourth goal came for France, Burle swimming the length of the pool to score. Justine Moizant converted a penalty foul and on the next attack, Zimbabwe made the sheet through Natasha Chaniwa on extra from deep left, wasting no time on shooting. Bentaleb lobbed from right-hand catch for 6-1 and Zimbabwe’s Mazvitaishe Zuze turned at the right-post position to score for 6-2.
In the fourth period, Alexis Johnsen drove upfield from the swim-up and scored on counter for 6-3. Burle accepted a rebound and lobbed the goalie from deep right to keep Zimbabwe at bay. Burle made it 8-3 and Chaniwa found a gap on the left for her second and 8-4. Bentaleb had her penalty attempt smashed down by Storm Henderson and then she fouled Bentaleb, who shot again and was denied a second time by Henderson who tipped the shot into the crossbar and Zimbabwe regained. An incensed Bentaleb scored on counter and from centre forward for an unassailable 10-4. Lilou Stauder scored at two metres and France had won the final quarter 5-2 and the match 11-4. Full credit to both teams.
Match Heroes
Burle was the best in water for France with four goals while Bentaleb also scored four. Both have seven goals in total. Chaniwa scored two from five attempts. Henderson made six saves — two penalty saves and mentally forced one to hit a post.
Turning Point
France did well to keep the persistent Zimbabweans from scoring in the first quarter and gained many exclusions.
Stats Don’t Lie
France converted three from nine on extra to Zimbabwe’s one from two. Those penalty attempts were not good, missing three from four while Zimbabwe took its one chance. France shot 24 times to 19.
Bottom Line
France was expected to win and it did, but after a lot of resistance from the African team.
Match 59, NEW ZEALAND 6 CZECHIA 7 (3-0, 1-2, 0-3, 2-2)
Czechia came from 3-0 down to beat New Zealand in a closely fought encounter. New Zealand controlled the first half with consecutive penalty goals and then a Gemma O’Brien score at 0:55 from centre forward had the team comfortably in front. Nikola Sintakova scored her fifth goal of the week from centre forward with a nice sit up and turn to get Czechia on the board early in the second quarter. Jolana Chodlova fired off a six-metre-foul shot into the top left at 3:10 and Czechia was back in the match. However, Zoe Knight converted extra from the top for 4-2.
It was not until 5:13 in the third quarter that Czechia narrowed the scoring to 4-3 on penalty and then bring the match on even terms at 3:27 through Viola Svitakova off the left-hand-catch position on extra. She signalled a love heart to the crowd. Chodlova scored the go-ahead goal from two metres at 1:14, setting it up for the final period. Bella Needham equalised with a penalty strike at 4:25 and Chodlova struck again from the top left for 6-5. Needham turned over the ball, Chodlova countered and scored to take Czechia to 7-5 ahead at 2:51. New Zealand went to a timeout only to have the ball stolen on the attack. It defended stoically and was rewarded with an extra-man goal through Knight at 0:31 from deep left for 7-6 behind and a chance for a shootout. Czechia controlled the ball and then called a timeout at 0:11. The Kiwis stole the ball on the second pass and a long shot hit the crossbar, giving Czechia possession for the last three seconds and the victory.
Match Heroes
Chodlova took out the award for best in water with her four goals. Needham and Knight scored twice for New Zealand.
Turning Point
Czechia coming back from 3-0 down to level at three, equalising twice more and shifting from 5-5 to 7-5 up midway through the fourth.
Stats Don’t Lie
The statistics slightly favoured Czechia, possibly with the six steals to three and 21 shots to 19. New Zealand went two from six on extra and Czechia one from five. The Kiwis slotted three penalty goals to one.
Bottom Line
Two equal teams and both deserved victory.
Day 5 Schedule
Division 2 Quarterfinals (9-16)
Match 33. 09:00, L25 RSA v L26 CAN
Match 34. 10:15, L27 GER v L28 THA
Match 35. 11:30, L29 CHN v L30 TUR
Match 36. 12:45, L31 UKR v L32 SRB
Division 1 Quarterfinals (1-8)
Match 37. 16:30, W25 NED v W26 CRO
Match 38. 17:45, W27 GRE v W28 HUN
Match 39. 19:00, W29 USA v W30 ESP
Match 40. 20:15, W31 AUS v W32 ITA
Division 3 Quarterfinals (17-22)
Match 63. 14:00, W57 KAZ v W58 FRA
Match 64. 15:15, W59 CZE v W60 MLT