The top two groups had a day off as the bottom four groups sorted out their positions in the crossovers in preparation for their tilts at the leading nations to see if they can make the medal rounds. The biggest margin of the day was Canada’s 23-13 score over Uruguay in the all-American clash.
DAY 4 MATCHES
Groups C, D, E, F Crossovers
Match 25, CANADA 23 URUGUAY 13 (6-4, 7-5, 3-1, 7-3)
Canada clinched the biggest-margin win of the day, starting first and levelling at one and two with the quarter-time margin 6-4 when Ivan Khramtsov scored from centre on the last second. Lyle Weitz scored twice from outside for Canada. Weitz took it out to 7-4 and midway through the period it was a still a tight match at 9-7. Khramtsov gained a three-goal margin at 10-7 and a four-goal break at 13-9, 21 seconds from halftime. It was a low-scoring third period with Khramtsov scoring on penalty. Uruguayan captain Juan Salom began the final quarter for his third and within two minutes the score had ballooned from 16-11 to 20-12 with Khramtsov in the mix twice. Salom scored his fourth at 21-13 as the match neared its end, Canada earning an encouraging 23-23 victory.
Match Heroes
Canada’s Khramtsov smashed in seven goals and Weitz four and Ilya Belyaev three. Salom and Lucas Piretti scored four apiece.
Turning Point
Canada going six ahead midway through the third period. It established who was boss.
Stats Don’t Lie
Canada made only one from four on extra and defended five from seven. Uruguay converted three from four on penalty and Canada gained its sole chance. Canada made 11 steals to seven.
Bottom Line
Canada deserved its second victory following a penalty shootout victory over China on day two.
Match 26, JAPAN 23 SOUTH AFRICA 19 (8-3, 3-4, 5-8, 7-4)
This match was like watching a pack of thieves in action, they had so many steals. It finished close, however, the first quarter belonged to Japan with that five-goal margin. From 2-0 it became 5-3 and 8-3 with Japan’s usual shooting suspects to the fore. It was 10-4 in the second before Rheese Hall scored for South Africa, with a shot from centre forward. This stirred his team to three more goals in succession making it 10-7. Sho Morikawa countered for the 11-7 halftime score with eight seconds remaining. Atsuya Maeda began the third-period scoring and South Africa fought back to 12-10 when Hall scored from centre again. Thomas Truter closed the score to one at 14-13 on counter to keep South African hopes alive. Morikawa pushed the margin to two and then Hall scored twice for 15-15 with 18 seconds left. Keito Matsuda spoiled the party with a score on extra in the last second. Matsuda made it 17-15, Maeda 18-16 and 19-16. It slipped out to 21-16. Truter and Nicholas Fall took it to 22-18 and Morikawa to 23-18 before Karabo Mamaregane converted a penalty for 23-19, 12 seconds from the final buzzer.
Match Heroes
Morikawa closed at eight goals with Matsuda on six (15 in total) and Maeda on five for Japan. Hall and Truter scored five each for South Africa.
Turning Point
Probably way back in the opening period when Japan went to 2-0 and stayed in front throughout.
Stats Don’t Lie
Japan converted six from 11 and South Africa three from four. Japan out away its five penalty attempts and South Africa all three. Where the damage was done was on steals where Japan plucked a fantastic 22 and South Africa an amazing 11.
Bottom Line
Japan is an exciting teams and will take a lot from this match into the all-import surge to the medal rounds.
Match 27, CHINA 13 ARGENTINA 14 (4-2, 2-5, 5-5, 2-2)
China lost a penalty shootout and now has a one-goal loss following Argentina’s victory that was staged from the second quarter. There was nothing in the two teams even though China had a stranglehold on the match with 4-0 in the first six minutes. Argentina dragged two back before the first break. The lead was squashed as Argentina made it 4-4 through Ignacio Eberleini from wide right. Bautista Calcagno accepted a pass from the top left at his left-post position to give Argentina the lead. He scored the go-ahead goal from the right post on extra at 6-5 after Haiyuan Ooyang shot from the top right to equalise. Juan Rio made it two goals on extra and Ooyang converted extra on the buzzer for 7-6 in Argentina’s possession. Argentina went 8-6, 9-7 before China levelled at nine. It was back to 11-9 and 12-10 with Zhou Qin firing in an extra-man goal a second from the buzzer. Goals were traded early in the fourth period and nearly five minutes later, Erik Shone converted extra for 14-12. Jialong Tang narrowed it to one just inside the final minute and China was denied a last-second goal on extra as goalkeeper Santino Caropreso smacked the shot down with two hand to give Argentina victory.
Match Heroes
Give it to Caropreso! Adriano Mazzoni scored three with two penalty goals in the second quarter and Calcagno also scored three. China’s Qin had a triple.
Turning Point
The first quarter to come back from four down and that second quarter when Argentina started to get the edge.
Stats Don’t Lie
China scored seven from 11 on extra and defended five from 10 on extra. However, Argentina made two penalty goals to nil.
Bottom Line
Tough luck for China, but Argentina was the aggressor more often than not.
Match 28, COLOMBIA 6 KAZAKHSTAN 14 (1-4, 1-2, 2-3, 2-5)
Kazakhstan suffered a one-goal loss to Australia on day one and edged South Africa on day two. A second victory here, with a larger margin, sets the team up for the latter stages. It started well at 4-0 and 4-1 by the first break. Yegor Beloussov scored off counter to start the second quarter with Miguel Fandino responding from outside. Kirill Pantaleyev climbed high to score at centre after a near pass and it was 6-2 to close the half’s scoring. Beloussov opened the fourth quarter on penalty and Nurassyi Satbergen did his thing at centre for 8-2. It moved to 9-4 inside the last minute with Marcus Gomez rising high at four metres to score. Beloussov started the fourth period on action and he scored on counter at 3:50 for 13-5. Pantaleyev scored from seven metres for 14-6, which finished the scoring at 1:33. A penalty attempt was flipped over the backline by Colombian goalkeeper Alessandro Perez.
Match Heroes
Beloussov finished with five to give him 12 at the halfway mark for Kazakhstan and Miguel Fandino scored a pair for Colombia.
Turning Point
The 4-0 start.
Stats Don’t Lie
Kazakhstan had the better of extra-man attack with five from seven and shutting out all Colombia’s three chances. Kazakhstan converted one of two penalty attempts and shot 34 to 25 times.
Bottom Line
Kazakhstan was a worthy winner and the extra-man plays worked out nicely.
Match 29, BRAZIL 15 TURKIYE 13 in penalty shootout FT: 11-11. Pens 4-2 (2-1, 2-3, 5-5, 4-2)
Brazil emerged the winner in a penalty shootout and took back to the hotel its third win. It promises well for the team, especially with star shoot Lucas Wulfhorst finishing with four goals to lift his Buenos Aires tally to 18. He scored the first goal as Brazil won the period 2-1. Orhan Alpman scored from right-hand catch for 2-2 then on extra from the top with a low, sliding rocket for the 3-2 go-ahead goal. Brazil scored the next two with Wulfhorst retaking the lead on penalty. Efe Naipoglu made it 4-4, also on penalty, at 0:20. Goals were traded in the middle of the third quarter and there was another trade in the last 81 seconds with Alpman making it 6-6 after the player-exclusion period and from wide left. There was nothing to separate the teams as they went level on every number to 10. Wulfhorst made it 11-10 for Brazil with a six-metre-foul shot that looped over the goalkeeper. There were three timeouts with Turkiye taking two, the second at less than four seconds left after Brazil wasted time and threw the ball away. Alpman took the free throw, surged forward several metres and fired a missile into goal on the buzzer for the shootout. Turkiye’s third and fifth shots were saved and Brazil had the win.
Match Heroes
Rafael Dantas with those two saves in the shootout. Wulfhorst with four goals for Brazil. Orhan Alpman squared away four to lift his tally to 11 and Efe Naipoglu three (17) for Turkiye.
Turning Point
The biggest was Alpman’s shot at the end. The referees did not notice he did not play the ball before moving forward.
Stats Don’t Lie
Brazil scored three from eight on extra and denied Turkiye four from seven. Each team scored a penalty goal and Turkiye shot 38 times to 26.
Bottom Line
Full credit to Brazil. Either team could have taken the victory.
Match 30 NEW ZEALAND 5 AUSTRALIA 11 (1-3, 1-2, 3-1, 0-6)
There was plenty of passion out there between these two teams as they are with any sport between these trans-Tasman neighbours. At school and junior level, these teams are close. This was shown in the first three quarter, but in the fourth, Australia found extra legs and produced a masterclass of water polo that New Zealand did not need to see. The main observation is that the best Kiwi shooters were denied access to goal for most of the match. New Zealand started the scoring, but Australia returned the favour with three straight. The fourth Aussie goal took nearly three minutes to come through Jake Martin and Rowan Ellyett scored from centre for 4-2. Zachary Izzard converted extra at 1:35 and Australia went to the turn 5-2 up. Goals were traded early in the third period and more than four minutes later Ellyett had another from the top. Alistar Rogers did the same in the last second from eight metres for 6-5 favouring Australia. This is where the Aussies responded to their coach’s urgings and produced some sublime water polo. Sean Bright scored on extra; Ashton Brown struck from centre; Cory Webber shot from the top; Jake Martin did the same a minute later for 10-5; Lewis Saupin converted extra and with 14 seconds remaining, Izzard converted another perfect extra-man play. The Kiwis were not slack, taking six shots with three smashing into the post.
Match Heroes
Australian goalkeeper Tian Markart was named best in pool with 12 saves. Jake Martin scored three for Australia and Rowan Ellyett two for New Zealand.
Turning Point
The final quarter for the Aussies.
Stats Don’t Lie
It was all about extra-man attack and Australia excelled with seven from seven with three in the stunning 6-0 final quarter. New Zealand missed both chances. Both teams nailed a penalty shot. On total shots, Australia shot 32 to 28.
Bottom Line
Both teams have hot shooters. Both teams guarded out the star shooters. Australia’s Daniel Magasanik, with 13 goals in the first two matches, failed to score. The Kiwis’ top four shooters gained only one shot between them today.
Group Standings
Group G: Canada 3, Japan 3, South Africa 0, Uruguay 0.
Group H: Argentina 3, Kazakhstan 3, Colombia 0, China 0.
Day 5 Schedule
Match 31. 09:00. 2E JPN v 2C CAN
Match 32. 10:30. 3F RSA v 3D URU
Match 33. 12:00. 3E COL v 3C CHN
Match 34. 13:30. 2F KAZ v 2D ARG
Match 35. 16:00. L29 TUR v3A MNE
Match 36. 17:30. L30 NZL v 3B GRE
Match 37. 19:00. W29 BRA v 4A USA
Match 38. 20:30. W30 AUS v 4B ESP