Australia and Spain are dominating the group stages of the women’s competition as the two remaining unbeaten nations. Australia held off Canada 10-7 and Hungary had to come from 6-3 down to eliminate China from Paris with a 17-11 margin in Group A. Champion United States of America rumbled host team France 17-5 and Italy kept Greece winless 12-8 in Group B.
State Of The Play
The competition has reached an exciting stage as teams jostle for quarterfinal positions. As it stands in Group A, the top four are already decided as China bows out of the competition with four losses. Hungary will go toe to toe on Sunday for group supremacy with Hungary needing a full-time victory to overtake the all-conquering Aussie Stingers. Netherlands should beat Canada for 10 points, which could be good enough to fill top spot depending on the other match.
In Group B, Spain will play Italy and should cross the line ahead to ensure a perfect run in Paris and become the only team to gain maximum points as Australia had a shootout victory. France will clash with Greece in a most intriguing match as victory would cement France’s third ranking in the group while a win for Greece would lift it equal on points with France and take its place in the quarterfinals. Italy would then drop out if it loses to Spain.
DAY 7 MATCHES
Match 13, Group A, AUSTRALIA 10 CANADA 7 (1-1, 3-1, 5-2, 1-3)
Australia continued its winning run with a third against a team that wanted to prove it should be in Paris and that it can make trouble when required. However, Australia blew the Canadians out of the water in the third period and when Canada was making a comeback in the final period, the Aussie Stingers went into a cat-and-mouse game, not wanting to score, but to maintain the three-goal differential ahead of the final round of the group matches.
It was a quiet start with Sienna Green scoring first for Australian and Marilia Mimides replying more than four minutes later for 1-1 at the break. Three Aussie goals in five minutes had the score at 4-1 with Verica Bakoc scoring off a six-metre-foul shot for 4-1 at the long break.
Bronte Halligan converted two penalty fouls and Alice Williams another as she scored twice for 9-4 by the final break. Emma Wright converted a penalty and lobbed from deep right for Canada’s two goals. Wright collected another penalty goal to start the final quarter; Tilly Kearns fired in the Stingers fifth penalty goal and it was 10-5 by 5:22. Elyse Lemay-Lavoie and Serena Browne scored extra-man goals for 10-7 by 3:47.
Then followed an amazing water polo scene rarely seen before. Both teams took a timeout and Australia shot five times to three in this final stanza. With the final minute, Canada sent up goalkeeper Clara Vulpisi, who checked into the match at 1:31, to try and help with a goal. Australia denied Canada and could have scored into the open goal on several occasions, but decided to hold the ball and leave the beckoning goalmouth. At the end of possession, Abby Andrews shot and scored and was awarded her second goal, even though it looked and sounded like it was after the buzzer. However, the referees awarded the goal and Canada protested loudly. The goal stuck, Canada had a clast chance to score with no luck and the match was won 11-7. Or was it? The scoreboard flicked back to 10-7. Andrews’ goal was not recorded on the sheet and it was 10-7. Strange, indeed.
Match Heroes
Halligan and Williams with three apiece while goalkeeper Gabi Palm made nine saves. Captain Wright scored three times for Canada and goalie Jessica Gaudreault snared 10 saves.
Turning Point
The 5-1 stint in the third period that saw the Stingers blow out to a commanding 9-3 margin.
Stats Don’t Lie
Both teams struggled on extra-man attack with the Aussies converting a solitary goal from eight attempts and the Canadians two from nine. Australia had 33 shots to 25 and scored five from five on penalty and Canada two from two.
Bottom Line
Australia is the top team in the group momentarily and Canada will be happy to make the quarterfinals and chance its arm for greater glory.
What They Said
Alice WILLIAMS (AUS) — Three Goals
On the momentum Australia looks to be building:
"We're looking pretty good at the moment, but we're taking every day as it comes, trying not to get too ahead of ourselves. We want to finish top of this pool, but we have a lot of building blocks to go."
On the team’s impressive defence against Canada:
"We've been working very hard on our defence. That's been a huge focus for us, especially our extra-man defence, and I think it's showing in a lot of these games. It also comes down to our goalkeepers. They're having a phenomenal tournament and that's our last line of defence. As a team, we've really pulled it together to become a unit."
On what impressed her most about the win:
"The way we grinded it out. We got a convincing lead at the start, but they came back a little bit in the second half. To keep a lead is quite difficult when someone's chasing you all the time like that. They changed their defence, and we had to keep adapting. We were able to stick to our systems and keep it going until the final whistle."
On scoring three goals against Canada:
"Nothing comes without the work of my team-mates. I just finished what they started. It's very exciting to be here, though, with this team and putting on this type of performance. It's a feeling that I'll never forget."
On Australia’s preparations for this tournament:
“We've been training together for eight months, and we've been here in Europe for six weeks. We've put in a lot of hard work over the last couple of years — we've had rebuilds, we've had players coming in and out — so for us to group together and put in all those hours of work behind the scenes, it's really starting to come to the surface."
Bronte HALLIGAN (AUS) — Three Goals
On winning the first three games:
“Potentially there is momentum growing, but we just want to stay present, we want to stay together and in the moment, and see where we can go with each attack, each defence, each game.”
On the team’s defence:
“Our defence is strong. We're really united and we're playing a really good team game. People are stepping up when they need to. You've got to defend well, then you've got to execute well, so I think we're doing all of that and we’ve just got to keep building and keep going forward from here.”
On scoring three goals against Canada:
“My team just put me where I needed to be. I'm so proud of the girls around me as they do the work. I've just been able to execute what I can, but everyone stepped up today. All the girls played big minutes and put balls away when they needed to. They got steals when they needed to, and I'm just so proud to be in the water with this group of girls.”
On playing 30 minutes and 28 seconds of the 32-minute game:
“I mean, I love my water polo. You can't get me out of the pool (laughs).”
Match 14, Group B, GREECE 8 ITALY 12 (3-4, 0-2, 2-2, 3-4)
Italy won its first match in Paris and is now on a knife’s edge as whether it will fill a quarterfinal berth on Tuesday. Captain Valeria Palmieri stepped up with her first goals of the tournament, grabbing three from centre forward and one on extra-man attack. The match was virtually sewn up by three-quarter time, although winless Greece was desperate to earn a quarterfinal berth before the final day of group play.
Italy started the way it meant to continue with the first two goals and the first goal of the tournament to captain Palmieri with a centre-forward backhand. Goals were traded with Palmieri scooping in her second shot. Vasiliki Plevritou converted a penalty and Nikoleta Eleftheriadou scored her second from deep left on extra for 3-3. Veteran Roberta Bianconi netted her second for Italy from a six-metre-foul shot. Giulia Viacava and Dafne Bettini both scored on extra in the second quarter to give Italy the 6-3 halftime advantage.
Goals were swapped at the top of the third period and Claudia Marletta took it to 8-4 on extra off a cross pass. Eleftheria Plevritou slotted one from the point position on extra to close the third period at 8-5. Goals were traded at the start of the fourth and Viacava and Palmieri, with another backhand, lifted the score further to 11-6. There was another trade with Palmieri netting her fourth on extra, dragging back an outside pass to the right-post position for 12-7. Vasiliki Plevritou scored a consolation goal at 0:04 on extra for 12-8.
Match Heroes
Palmieri with her four goals, probably when most needed. Caterina Banchelli made eight saves in the Italian goal. Greece’s Eleftheriadou and Vasiliki Plevritou with three each were to the fore.
Turning Point
Shifting from 3-3 to 6-3 and in the process denying Greece access to the goal for 11 minutes.
Stats Don’t Lie
Italy did the better on extra-man attack with five from nine while stopping nine from 14. Greece scored both penalty attempts and Italy one.
Bottom Line
It was a do-or-die match for both teams and Italy wanted it more and will gain the benefit of moving into the quarterfinals. While Greece
What They Said
Roberta BIANCONI (ITA) — Two Goals
On Italy’s first win at Paris 2024:
"We are very happy. Today we had to win to have another chance to go to the quarterfinals. Today, I saw really good team building and team work, so we deserve it. Nothing is done. We have to wait (for) the next game, but for now, we are a little bit more relaxed. We showed what we can do."
On beating Greece, who beat Italy in the quarterfinals of the 2024 world championships:
"Finally we won against Greece because we lost six or seven games against them. Today was really important for us, and we proved ourselves in the water. I am really proud of this team."
On her two goals in the match:
"Happy (with my performance), but I prefer to see the team working. I am really happy today because we played like a team. We didn't show this to everybody in the previous games."
Giulia VIACAVA (ITA) — Two Goals
On scoring her first goals at Paris 2024:
"I am very happy, not because of how I played but I am very happy (with) and loved how my team played today. It's an important win because now we start our Olympics."
On playing under captain (Valeria) PALMIERI:
"Captain PALMIERI, today, she is the best. Before the game, she helped us. Today, we are a team, but when we played against France and United States of America we were not a team. Now we are a team."
On using her nursing degree during Covid-19 to help people in Italy:
"During Covid-19, we didn't play water polo. I decided to go to work because I am a nurse. For three months, I went to the hospital to help old people. My mom is a nurse, my father is a doctor. I love my job."
Valeria PALMIERI (ITA)
On the win:
“It was a very, very important win for us today, as it was maybe our last chance. Without this we probably couldn't go any further in this tournament. Our defence was very good and we were very aggressive from the start. We took a lot of exclusions, but we were very good as a team. We played as a group, and we defended their extra-player chances well. That was the key to this victory.”
Alexia KAMMENOU (GRE) — Head Coach
On where her team went wrong against Italy:
“Everywhere, everywhere. We were not concentrating with our defence at the beginning of the game. And in the offence, sometimes we had to shoot as we were very close (to the goal), but we didn't have the heart to shoot and our choices were very bad afterwards. Of course, I'm responsible, but if you are inside four metres, and you are looking for another player… you have to shoot and score important goals, especially in these kind of games.
On the importance of the team's final preliminary game against France on Sunday:
“Maybe what we saw today was because of pressure. We need to relax, we need to see our faults and then try our best against France. We need one more good game to go on (if results go their way). We have to win against France. There's no other chances for us. We have one more chance. We'll try our best.”
Match 15, Group B, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 17 FRANCE 5 (3-1, 4-2, 6-2, 4-0)
USA produced the biggest winning margin of the tournament as it sets itself for the action end of Paris 2024. From a slow start, USA took an almost-unassailable 7-3 lead into the second half and had the match wrapped up by the final break.
When Maddie Musselman, twice an Olympic champion, countered down the left and spun her opponent to score the opening goal, we knew we were in for a treat. It took more than three minutes coming, but it was worth it. Jenna Flynn converted a penalty for 2-0 and goals were traded for 3-1 at the first break. Jewel Roemer increased the margin to three to start the second period and Orsolya Hertzka fired in from the carpark for 4-2. Three unanswered goals had USA at 7-2 before Juliette Dhalluin pulled one back on extra a minute from halftime.
Hertzka rattled one in from nine metres to start the third-period scoring only for USA to make five in a row for 12-4. Tiziano Raspo scored from eight metres after a four-minute French hiatus while Ryann Neushul, aiming to be the third sister in her family to win a water polo medal, scored from two metres soon after netting a penalty goal. Rachel Fattal had a penalty shot saved and old-stagers Maggie Steffens, Musselman and Kaleigh Gilchrist boosted the score to 16-5. Flynn hammered the last nail in the coffin form the top on extra for 17-9.
Match Heroes
Musselman with four goals and Flynn with three while Ashleigh Johnson dragged down nine saves in goal before being substituted late in the match. Hertzka had two goals for France and goalie Mia Rycraw took in eight balls.
Turning Point
The slow roller-coaster from 4-2 to 7-2 in the second quarter and then the five-goal run in the third quarter.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA was at near perfection with nine from 10 on extra while stopping three from four. USA shot 31 times to 26 and went two from three on penalty.
Bottom Line
USA is the champion for a reason, and it is showing better cohesion as the sharper end of the tournament appears. It finished with three wins from four matches and will have a day off on Sunday before tackling the quarterfinals. France now has a must-win clash with Greece for a good quarterfinal crossover.
What They Said
Adam KRIKORIAN (USA) — Head Coach
On the win:
“Playing France, they've improved so much. So big congratulations to them. Honestly, I've said this to many, many people. I remember playing them in 2016 to qualify for the Olympics in the quarterfinals. We beat them 19 to zero and they're just such a better team now. They've improved so much. So, a big shout out to them.”
On the knockout stages:
“It's intense. It's high level water polo and tensions are high. There's going to be some anxiety that comes with it. But that's the case for every single person. In some ways, it's going to be the team that's able to handle those nerves and that anxiety and make the fewest number of mistakes that's going to go out and have success.”
Maggie STEFFENS (USA) — Captain
On the key to the victory:
“Our teamwork was much better today, and we need to keep working on that and just keep getting better."
On the quarterfinals:
“It's a whole new tournament. It's kind of crazy. If you think about the Olympics, you start in one tournament with bracket play, and then it's do or die, no matter what. The women's competition is just so, so competitive — everyone is good. It doesn't matter how many Olympics you've been to.
“Everyone is a top competitor and everybody is somebody that you respect and need to bring your best game. We definitely still have room for improvement. That's something we've always talked about as Team USA. You’ve got to keep growing, you're not done yet. We're not the finished product. Now we've got some time to reflect and make sure that come the next game, we're the best we can be.”
On following in the footsteps of pop star Taylor SWIFT (USA) and playing at La Defense Arena (in the quarterfinals):
“I hope we can exude her energy and her ability to portray her passion and purpose in front of that many fans and under that pressure and just enjoy the moment. That's what we want to do. We want to go out there and show our passion, show our purpose, show who we are as a team, and try to enjoy the moment as much as we can.”
Ema VERNOUX (FRA) — Captain
On representing France in France at the Olympic Games:
“Firstly, it is a big deal for an athlete to play at the Olympic Games at our level. It is something extraordinary, and also to experience them in your country is something very exciting and motivating. I am very proud to play at the Olympics here in Paris, and the very fact that I am playing at the Olympic Games with my cousins — Thomas Vernoux and Romain Marion Vernoux in the men’s team — makes me very proud and happy.
To represent France with my family here at the stadium is something incredible."
On water polo in France:
"Water polo in France is not covered much by the media, and even more so women's water polo. That is why these Olympic Games are an opportunity to showcase water polo and to show our performance and what we can do. I believe that the Olympic Games can help women's water polo, and water polo in general, to have more visibility."
On the loss against the USA:
"It was an extremely complicated match. We knew that they are a really good team, and we gave our best. For the next match, we’ll make sure to show ourselves in the best possible light and to present France as well as possible."
On the importance of their last preliminary match against Greece:
"Yes, the match against Greece is one of the most important matches of our lives because it gives us the card to go towards the finals. The next match won’t be easy, but we’re going to prepare well mentally and physically, especially mentally, and we’ll show that we are on the top of our game. We have to win, there is no question at all. We’ll win."
Match 16, Group A, CHINA 11 HUNGARY 17 (4-3, 3-5, 2-4, 2-5)
Hungary collected its second win and gives it momentum heading into the all-important last-round clash with Australia on Sunday. It was not as easy as it looks, Hungary needing to come from 6-3 down early in the second quarter, firstly taking the lead just before halftime.
China knew it had to win to have any chance of making the quarters instead of flying home. Wang Huan set the tone with the first two action goals and before long China was 4-2 ahead with Kamilla Farago spoiling the party for Hungary with an extra-man goal for 4-2 by the first-quarter buzzer. Lu Yiwen from the deep left and Zhang Jing from even deeper shot China to 6-3 by 6:12 in the second period. Farago led a Hungarian charge of three goals to nullify China’s lead. Deng Zewen blasted from the top for her second to take China up again. However, Hungarian captain Rita Keszthelyi converted a penalty for her second goal and Rebecca Parkes accepted a cross pass to the left post on extra for the 8-7 lead at 1:28.
Vanda Valyi and Keszthelyi pushed it out to 10-7 at the top of the fourth with Deng and Chen Xiao converting extra for 10-9. Dorottya Szilagyi with her third and Keszthelyi with her fourth, on penalty, closed the quarter at 12-9. Another Keszthelyi penalty gave Hungary a four-goal margin early in the fourth. Goals were traded with Keszthelyi gaining her sixth and then Krisztina Garda launched an attack from the change rooms for 15-10. Keszthelyi went on counter; Lu responded to the coach’s urging at a timeout to convert extra and Garda was again in the wilderness when she fired another salvo for 17-11 a minute from the final buzzer. Hungary had a second victory in Paris.
Match Heroes
Keszthelyi with seven goals — three from penalties and four from the field — showed her magical form that has earned more than 800 international goals and takes her top of the ladder in Paris with 10 goals. Szilagyi doubled her Paris tally with three goals for Hungary. Goalkeeper Alda Magyari stopped seven balls. Lu and Deng netted three each for China.
Turning Point
Hungary was on the ropes at 6-3 down nearly two minutes into the second quarter and then took the 8-7 lead at 1:28.
Stats Don’t Lie
Hungary went six from eight on extra and blocked 10 from 15. Hungary also had the benefit of those three penalty goals.
Bottom Line
Hungary is still in with a chance of a top finish, so needed to show that against China who was spirited in a last-gasp effort in Paris. As the bottom-ranked team, China is out and will await the last round match to see whether it finished 11t or 12th, depending on goal differential.
Progress Points
Group A: Australia 8, Netherlands 7, Hungary 6, Canada 3, China 0.
Group B: Spain 9, USA 9, France 3, Italy 3, Greece 0.
Day 9 Schedule — Women
Match 17. 14:00. Group A, Hungary v Australia
Match 18. 15:35. Group B, Italy v Spain
Match 19. 18:30. Group A, Canada v Netherlands
Match 20. 20:05. Group B, France v Greece