In one of the most exciting and closest quarterfinals series in Olympic history, two matches were decided on penalty shootout and the other two by one and two goals. It sets up a mouth-watering semifinal series with world champion Croatia taking on nine-time champion Hungary and Olympic champion Serbia facing Pan American champion United States of America.
State Of The Play
In four breath-taking quarterfinals, Croatia upset European champion and world bronze medallist Spain 10-8; Olympic champion Serbia beat Tokyo silver medallist Greece 12-11; United States of America needed a penalty shootout to defeat Australia 11-10 after the match was tied at seven and 2023 world champion Hungary usurped world silver medallist Italy 12-10, also in a shootout after the match was level at nine.
In two of the matches there were violence fouls that excluded the player for four minutes and gifted a penalty shot. USA’S Johnny Hooper was red-carded and Australia made the most of the situation 3-1. Italy’s Francesco Condemi suffered the same fate and Hungary could make no headway in those four minutes at 1-1.
To have two matches go to a shootout was amazing. To have the other two matches decided by two goals or less was incredible, showing that on the day, eight teams could either win a title or make the medal dais. The other four teams were no slouches either.
Greece was exceptionally unlucky to lose its encounter, scoring the equaliser six seconds from time only for Serbia to shoot the winner three seconds later.
The semifinals will be eagerly awaited, both in the 1-4 series and the 5-8 classifications as teams justify their wins and losses.
DAY 12 MATCHES
Classification 1-8 Quarterfinals
Match 34, CROATIA 10 SPAIN 8 (2-0, 4-3, 2-2, 2-3)
World champion Croatia had the better of European champion Spain. For Spain it was a first defeat in Paris and for Croatia it was a fourth from six matches. It was amazing that the European champion Sain was playing the world in the first quarterfinal. They contested the European final with Spain winning 11-10 in January. Spain’s skipper, Felipe Perrone was hoping that Paris would give him the medal he so desired from five Olympic Games — four with Spain and one with Brazil. But it was not to be as Croatia dominated all match and was never equalled, let alone headed. Spain was the favourite after its unblemished record, but reputations are there to be destroyed and Croatia did it in style today.
Croatian skipper Maro Jokovic, in his fifth Olympic Games, opened the scoring with two goals inside a minute, the first on extra and the second from very deep right by 5:16. Spain peppered the goal but could not gain a gap before the quarter-time break. Alvaro Granados finally sent one in for Spain 10 and a half minutes after the opening whistle. Konstantin Kharkov blasted one in from eight metres and Bernat Sanahuja, with his 12th goal in Paris, converted extra-man attack from the top right. Croatia then really asserted its authority with three unanswered goals from Marko Zuvela from deep right, needing VAR to confirm; Loren Fatovic from seven metres and Ante Vukicevic from the top left for 6-2. Perrone made good with an extra-man shot from the top into the bottom right for 6-3 at 0:48.
Spain made a comeback in the third period with Granados with his 16th goal and Alberto Munarriz with his 13th either side of a Fatovic counter-attack on extra. Josip Vrlic took the margin to three for the fourth time when he backhanded a cross pass to the right post from the far post to close the scoring at 2:00.
Munarriz converted extra to start the fourth period to bring Spain within two goals at a critical time for the European champion. Sanahuja fired in from the top on action at 5:22 and 8-7. Rino Buric stretched it to two goals on extra from right-hand catch, just getting the ball to cross the line. Kharkov strode in with many baulks and, unguarded, rifled the ball into the net for 10-8 at 3:24. Captain and goalkeeper Marko Bijac stole the ball at 3:01, changing the face of the match and setting Croatia up for an extra-man play. Croatian head coach Ivica Tucak, who has had control of the team since 2012 from the legendary Ratko Rudic, went to the timeout. The ball was turned over. Sanahuja hit the crossbar on the attack, which could have kept the team in the match. Croatia elected to save the ball, work the time down. Spain went to a timeout at 1:22, but the shot was blocked. Croatia slowed the match and gave Spain the last 35 seconds to attack. Finally, Spain lost the ball and Croatia had earned a semifinal berth.
Who Were The Referees?
A little-known fact about this match was who the referees were. Darren Spiritosanto from the United States of America is one of the up-and-coming stars of the referee world with several Olympics and world championships to his name. On the other side is one of the doyens of world refereeing, Boris Margeta from Slovenia, who is officiating his sixth Olympic Games, joining the great and late Eugenio Martinez of Cuba. Margeta missed Tokyo 2020 because of a daughter’s sickness. He could have taken the record himself but will not be able to as he must retire when he turns 60 after these Olympics. Margeta’s glittering career includes more than a dozen major world finals, plus numerous European finals. He is probably the most decorated referee in the sport’s history. At Olympic level he officiated the 2004 women’s gold-medal final and numerous semifinals while covering five men’s and three women’s world championship finals.
Match Heroes
Bijac came good with eight saves in the goal while Fatovic (13 in total), Jokovic and Kharkov (13) pocketed two goals apiece for Croatia. Munarriz (12), Sanahuja (11) and Granados (14) scored twice each for Spain.
Turning Point
Starting 2-0 and keeping Spain scoreless for 10 minutes was where this match was won.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain rattled in six from 14 on extra-man attack and defended 10 of 13. Spain shot 30 to 26 but even these stats were not enough for victory.
Bottom Line
Spain was relying on its five victories and top ranking going into the quarterfinals. Croatia was using its world-champion status to show Spain who was the best in Paris.
What They Said
Maro JOKOVIC (CRO) — Five-time Olympian
On the win:
“We had a few tasks we were sticking to the whole game. We wanted to close their individual counter-attack and their three main shooters from the outside. The decisiveness we had in defence, and our collective play in defence, decided today's game. We were leading 6-2 (in the second quarter), and I don't remember in the past few years a team who has been that dominant over Spain.
“The emotions are running wild, we are happy to go forward and that we are fighting for the medal. This is the point where we need to calm down. We don't care who will be our opponents in the semifinals (Hungary). If we play like this, if we are focused like this, I think we can play against anyone.”
Marko BIJAC (CRO) — Goalkeeper/Captain
On the win:
“The key to our victory was our defence. We were really amazing. We didn't allow Spain any easy shots, or any easy goals. We won with our effort, our swimming, our blocks. We gave everything, especially in defence, and it paid off. We didn't play too well against the United States in our last (group) game, so I was pleased the whole team showed character once more. We were the best when it was the most important. I’m completely empty now, physically and mentally. We must rest and prepare really good for the semifinal.”
Felipe PERRONE (ESP) — Five-time Olympian/Captain
On the performance:
"Croatia played much better than us. Of course, we are sad. We thought we could go to the semifinals, but this is work, this is the game, and they were better than us. We knew that when you play the quarterfinals, it's totally different than the group phases. It doesn't matter what you did before. But I think Croatia (played) a great game. We were always having the feeling that they were controlling the game."
On what went wrong:
"We've started many times (by falling behind), so we are used to that — it's not the problem. The real problem is that we couldn't be close to them in any moment. And any time we were closing (in), they were scoring. So, we couldn't really put pressure on them. This was the key."
On whether he will compete at Los Angeles 2028:
"I don't think so; I'm already 38. Once I finish the Olympics, I have time to think about it. But it's my fifth one (Olympics)."
On Spain's royal family attending the match:
"They are always so close, all the royal family. When we win, when we lose — they are always close. We are not a big sport like basketball and soccer, so it's nice to have that recognition."
On his conversation with the King of Spain:
"He said he was proud of us. He saw that we were really fighting, that we really tried."
Match 31, GREECE 11 SERBIA 12 (3-3, 2-3, 4-2, 2-4)
It would be hard to find another match with the closeness, the intensity and the dynamic way in which both teams exploded into action in the final minute. Nay, the final seconds. This was edge-of-your-seat water polo. This was two brilliant teams finding ever gram of energy until the final buzzer. Only one team could win and today it was Serbia, by the slimmest of margins within the four quarters. It was a sad day for Greece but it can hold its head high.
Greece was playing Dusan Mandic. That’s the way it appeared as the Serbian double gold-medal winner played havoc with the Greek defence. While Greece opened, Mandic covered on penalty. Greece went ahead twice more with Serbia responding each time for 3-3 at the quarter break. Mandic squeezed one in from the deep right to start the second period and have his team in front for the first time. Konstantinos Kakaris and Strahinja Rasovic, for his second, scored on extra. Alexandros Papanastasiou levelled on extra and Mandic buried a ball from a six-metre foul for 6-5 at 3:35, the final goal of the half.
Greece had two penalty attempts to start the second half and had one spear over the crossbar. Dimitrios Skoumpakis gave Greece the edge at 4:01 with Mandic responding from six metres, although it appeared the ball left his hand at five metres and Greece protested to no effect. Skoumpakis converted extra off the left-post position and Viktor Rasovic gained his second on extra after a rebound. A Greek timeout yielded Skoumpakis his third goal of the period and 9-8 heading into the final quarter.
Viktor Rasovic and Greece’s youngest player, Nikolaos Gkillas (21), scored identical goals from deep right on extra. Nemanja Vico equalised off the right-post position on extra and Mandic secured the lead for 11-10 with another six-metre strike at 2:33. Shots were not finding their mark and Greece called a timeout at 0:20 and head coach Theodoros Vlachos sent his goalkeeper on attack. In the confusion, Angelos Vlachopoulos rifled in a shot with just six seconds on the clock and seemingly heading to the shootout at 11-11. It was not to be as the restart ball made it to Nikola Jaksic and he took a six-metre shot with two Greek players still on top of him, the ball finding a way through their arms, taking a bounce into the crossbar and dropping over the line for 12-11 with less than three seconds left on the clock. The final Greek shot was saved and Serbia was through to the semifinals.
Match Heroes
Mandic with his five goals that elevate him by far the best in Paris with 25. For Greece, Skoumpakis scored three and Vlachopoulos two.
Turning Point
In a match where the scores were level at every number to 11, it was really the last goal, scored under exceptional circumstances. So, the turning point was just three seconds in time.
Stats Don’t Lie
Both teams went five from 11 on extra-man attack and Greece put away two from three on penalty with Serbia converting its one.
Bottom Line
Either team could have made it through. If Greece hadn’t missed a penalty shot. If Greece had stopped Jaksic. If… It brought the cream to the top and Serbia lives another day hopefully to win its third straight Olympic gold.
What They Said
Uros STEVANOVIC (SRB) — Head Coach
On JAKSIC's match-winning goal:
"Very simple: (it came) from God. Nothing else."
On the importance of the victory:
"We deserve this (because of) how we prepared for it, (with) all the things we have on our back: the pressure of (being) two Olympic gold medallists in a row — from Rio (2016) and from Tokyo (2020).
"But, after Tokyo, many of the players have not played for the national team and this is not the same team. We are the same name, playing with the same pride, with the same thought, with the same energy, but it's not the same team. In the last two championships (2024 European championships and 2024 world championships), we didn't win; we lost in the quarterfinals. Finally, it's back (and) and we have that (quality). We have two more games and we want to win (them).
Nikola JAKSIC (SRB) — Captain/Winning Goal
On the win:
“We finally looked like the team that came here to win it. We didn't give up from the first to the last moment. We’re physically exhausted because we played an amazing game against an amazing team. I am physically out, but (it's) nothing that a good night's sleep won't fix. Greece put up a great fight and gave us a lot of trouble.
“I couldn't believe they managed to equalise six seconds from the end, but my goal (three seconds later) was because of all the team's effort, luck, and God's help as well. It’s also maybe some kind of reward for everything that’s happened to us as a team in the last year. In the past few tournaments, we’ve suffered a lot and gone out in the quarterfinals. But we don't stop now. We're definitely playing to win it. We didn't do anything yet. We can’t relax, we have two more games to win.”
On whether his decisive goal in the dying seconds was the best goal of his career:
"If we manage to win the Olympics, then probably, yes. It was an amazing moment. I don't remember having a moment like that ever before."
Nemanja UBOVIC (SRB) — Athlete
On the win:
“We have suffered a lot in the last three years in quarterfinals, so we really wanted to pass this one and to go to fight for the medals, to try to go to the final. We resisted Greece a lot, we played excellent defence. We had some small errors, but we were aggressive from the start.”
On JAKSIC scoring the winning goal with three seconds remaining:
“It's the beauty of sport. You need to always believe. At the end, someone from above watched us a little bit and helped us. Let's say at the end, he gave us a good reward for all our effort.”
Dimitrios SKOUMPAKIS (GRE) — Three Goals
On losing the match:
“In this moment, I really hope this is a dream right now, just a nightmare and I will wake up and play again. Every guy on this team really tried a lot, we worked very hard, but this is the sport.”
Match 33, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 11 AUSTRALIA 10 in penalty shootout FT: 7-7. Pens: 4-3 (1-3, 2-2, 2-0, 2-2)
United States of America came back from 5-2 behind after suffering the loss of speedster Johnny Hooper to a violence foul late in the first quarter for allegedly striking Chaz Poot in the face to win in a penalty shootout. It was a huge comeback after Australia led inside the final two minutes. Alex Bowen was USA’s saviour to push his team into the successful shootout.
Luke Pavillard had a stellar day for the Aussie Sharks, with four goals, the first with a spectacular 360-degree twist on counter to slam in the shot. Hooper responded from deep right and Milos Maksimovic barred in on extra for 2-1 at 4:27. It was four minutes later that Hooper became entangled with Poot and VAR relayed the bad news to his team, meaning he will probably miss the semifinals. It meant USA would play a man down for four minutes after a penalty shot converted by Pavillard. Maksimovic made the most of extra to open the scoring in the second while Bowen scored against the trend and Jacob Mercep made it 5-2 just inside the four-minute window — meaning a 3-1 advantage. Luca Cupido cheered up the large USA following with an outside shot for 5-3, 22 seconds from halftime.
The tide turned to USA in the third quarter as Maksimovic had his penalty attempted stopped by Adrian Weinberg. Ryder Dodd mailed one in from the top and Hannes Daube converted his penalty attempt for 5-5 at 3:25. Australia went to a timeout with no joy.
Early in the fourth period, Aussie big man and co-captain Nathan Power was fouled out. USA called a timeout and Daube converted the extra-man play for a first-time lead at 6-5. More than three minutes later, Pavillard scored the first of two identical left-arm shots to regain the advantage for Australia. It was 1:53 and Australia was 7-6 up. With less than a minute remaining, USA went to a timeout, earned an ejection and Bowen made sure of the goal for 7-7 at 0:32. Australia went to a timeout, but the ball was turned over and the match became a shootout.
Australia shot first and both teams scored their first two attempts. Maksimovic had his shot saved; Bowen scored for 10-9; Poot sent his shot into Weinberg’s head and Alex Obert had his attempt saved by Nic Porter. Matthew Byrnes scored and it came down to the last shot on the rotation with Marko Vavic sending USA to the semifinals with an 11-10 scoreline.
Match Heroes
Daube and Bowen scored twice each and goalkeeper Weinberg stopped 11 shots. For the Aussie Sharks, Pavillard was in his good shooting form with four goals (12 in Paris) and Maksimovic collected a pair.
Turning Point
Australia leading 4-1 and USA coming back for 6-5. Pavillard’s pair to regain the lead at 7-6. Then Bowen’s equaliser.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted four from 11 and defended eight from 11. USA scored its one penalty goal and Australia made one from two.
Bottom Line
USA has more experience at Olympic semifinals than Australia, who has never played that high before, gaining two fifth places in the past. Perhaps there could be another? Australia lowered the colours of Serbia and Hungary — two teams who made it through to the semifinals.
What They Said
Marko VAVIC (USA) — Winning Penalty Goal
On the match:
“It was exhausting. Both of us fighting for our country, each trying to get to the semifinal. It's what we've been dreaming about since we were kids. Everyone put it down on the line. It's a dream come true to be able to get this far.
“(USA goalkeeper) Adrian Weinberg was a wall in there. We played some good five-man defence. We didn't let up too many goals when we were down a player (after a four-minute exclusion foul for USA at the end of the first quarter). In the third period we were down 5-3 and to come out 5-5, that was massive for us; to start the fourth quarter even as then it becomes anybody's game.
“Alex Bowen finished an incredible clutch shot at the end (to tie the scores with 32 seconds remaining). He missed the shot the possession before and he didn't care. He stepped in and he finished what he needed to do.”
On scoring the winning goal in the shootout:
“It was nerve-racking. I played in college with (goalkeeper) Nic Porter. We practised together for four years. I didn't know what he was going to do, and it was definitely on my mind if he knew where I was going to go, whether I was going to try and trick him, so I just tried to keep it simple.
“I didn't even look at him until I went up to shoot. He was trying to eye me down and talk to me about the pressure before I got there. He was chirping me, but I just tried to keep my composure and luckily I stuck it. Everything just went crazy. My team-mates just rushed me. No words.”
On USA’s semifinal against Serbia:
“That'll be a battle. They’re the two-time defending champions. They've got a different roster now, but they’ve still got a lot of guys with a lot of experience. They have had some struggles, but that’s just kind of their theme. They have some real veteran players that are always top of the top (level). They're pros. We’ve got to bring our A-game and hopefully we come out on top.”
Ben HALLOCK (USA) — Captain
On the victory:
"I'm ecstatic. I'm so excited. I'm just going to process how the whole game went. So many mistakes made (by me) that I am frustrated right now, but I'm also so happy with the win."
On BOWEN's goal in the last minute of the final quarter that tied the match 7-7 in regulation time:
"He throws the ball really hard. He's a great shooter. We put ourselves into good positions, had a good man-up. But he was able to step up to take a shot."
Blake EDWARDS (AUS) — Co-Captain
On his thoughts on the game:
"No one thought we would come through the groups, let alone challenge a team all the way to a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals, so we'll hold our heads up high. This isn't the last you'll see from this team. In any sport there is going to be momentum swings and, unfortunately, we weren't able to control that in the third quarter and we let them back into the game.
"A bit of fatigue, a bit of nerves for pretty much all of us, playing our first quarterfinal, so that's experience we'll take on next time we're here."
On how, as captain, he will pick his team up in the dressing room after their defeat:
"The boys will be licking their wounds, but we've got to refocus. We can be proud of the effort today and we need to refocus for the next game because fifth place sounds a lot better than eighth.
"We need to put that (loss) aside and take the learnings that we can from it and refocus on the game in two days' time. A lot of the teams that we're up against are fully professional athletes and our boys are juggling full-time work, studying, with very little funding. To match it on the world stage at the Olympic Games and come all the way to a quarterfinal and lose a penalty shootout, you couldn't write it."
Nic PORTER (AUS) — Goalkeeper
On the loss:
"For us to come here and miss out on the Olympic semifinals by millimetres is heartbreaking. It was one of those games where it was just hard for us to get into a rhythm. We had our chances, and worked our way back to a one-goal advantage with a minute left. Our defence has been so good this tournament, we really believed we would get a stop to win us the game.
"Unfortunately, that's the way sport goes sometimes. Full credit to the US. They really pulled it out of the fire there. It was our game to win, and they snatched it from us for sure. I'm super proud of the boys. We're ranked 11th in the world, and to make it to an Olympic quarterfinal is punching above our weight.
"We're a programme that's severely underfunded, severely under-supported. The boys work full-time jobs during the day and sacrifice so much to be a part of this team."
Match 32, ITALY 10 HUNGARY 12 in penalty shootout FT: 9-9. Pens: 1-3 (2-3, 0-1, 5-2, 2-3)
Hungary, third in its group, took another unsteady step toward a record 10th Olympic gold medal with a penalty shootout victory over Italy, second in Group A. It meant that both groups have sent two teams to the semifinals — both the third and fourth teams.
Krisztian Manhercz set the stage for Hungary with the first two goals, the second on penalty. He scored the third on extra for 3-1 after Italy had a penalty attempt stopped. Alessandro Velotto scored both Italy’s goals — the second from a six-metre foul — after which he was warned by the referees following a VAR consultation, possibly for over-vigorous play. It was his second and third goals of the tournament. Francesco Condemi was then red-carded for an alleged strike. VAR appeared to show his hand hitting Szilard Jansik in the right eye at the end of his shooting follow through. However, the referees saw it differently and he was given the violence card, gifting a penalty shot to Manhercz, who converted. The extra four minutes were not taken advantage of by Hungary as the period furnished one goal apiece.
Francesco di Fulvio gained the Italian goal — half a minute into the third quarter — sending the ball over the right shoulder of the goalkeeper. Gonzalo Echenique went on counter and made it 4-4. Despite a Hungarian timeout, Italy shifted gear to 6-4 thanks to di Fulvio again. Gergo Zalanki and di Fulvio traded before Zalanki closed the period at 7-6 down. Echenique opened the fourth period; Gergo Fekete on extra and Zalanki with that wicked left arm levelled at 8-8. Fondelli missed his second penalty attempt and Manhercz tidied up for Hungary to regrasp the lead at 9-8. An Italian timeout was rewarded with a Nicholas Presciutti bouncer on extra for 9-9 at 1:23. Both teams went to a timeout and the final blast came from Jansik — with a bulging black eye — on counter, having his close-in shot tipped away by goalkeeper Marco del Lungo. It was now time for a penalty shootout.
Hungary shot first with Denes Varga hitting the post and di Fulvio having his saved. Marton Vamos made it 10-9 with Fondelli having a horror day from five metres, missing a third. Fekete and Eduardo di Somma had saves registered against their names. The reliable Manhercz made the score 12-10 and Hungary was through to the semifinals.
Match Heroes
Manhercz with five goals (14 in Paris) and the decisive winner in the shootout for Hungary. Zalanki (11) had a hat-trick. Di Fulvio and Echenique shot three each for Italy with di Fulvio lifting his tally to 12 and Echenique to 10. Del Lungo was the best of the goalkeepers with 10 saves.
Turning Point
The fact that Hungary could not make use of the violence-foul situation. Also, the fact that both teams held two-goal leads and could not expand on that.
Stats Don’t Lie
Hungary converted only three from 14 on extra-man attack to Italy’s four from 10. Hungary shot 30 times to 27.
Bottom Line
It came down to which team wanted to win it more than the other. No one could tell, it was so close. Hungary, however, is now two wins short of 10 Olympic titles. Italy will have to wait another Olympiad before thinking about win No 4.
What They Said
Krisztian MANHERCZ (HUN) — Five Goals
On the match:
“It was a really tough game for both teams. The brutality (violence) call in the second quarter (red card with substitution for Francesco Condemi, ITA) really changed the game. When Italy took the lead in the third quarter we got really dizzy in our head. There was a lot of good individual performances and the whole team fought. We didn't give up. We believed in each other. Both teams deserve to be in the semifinal."
On goalkeeper Soma VOGEL saving three penalties in the shootout:
“It's really good if you have a team-mate whose name is Soma VOGEL in the penalty shootout because that means you have an advantage.”
Soma VOGEL (HUN) — Goalkeeper — Three Shootout Saves
On saving three penalties in the shootout:
“We've had many medals, gold medals, won by penalty shootout, so it proves that training and trying again and again brings you to your goal. I enjoyed every second of the game and I'm also very happy that even though we missed two, our shooters were very confident as always. We have so many good shooters in the team, it gives me confidence in penalty shootouts because I know that they’ll score. I was surprised they missed two today.”
On his team-mates swimming to him to celebrate the win:
“I’m always like, 'Don't swim to me, it's a team. If we did it together hug each other and don't only come for me'. But it feels good and I accept the love they give me.”
On the semifinal against Croatia:
“They’re a great team, great shooters, great offensive players. Also (they have) an amazing goalkeeper and a very experienced team. They will start the game as hard as Italy started and as aggressive as Italy started. If we can start and handle this aggression well, as we did today in the first quarter, then we will have a good chance.”
Marton VAMOS (HUN) — Shootout Scorer
On having VOGEL in goal for the penalty shootout:
“This is a cheat (code) for us because we have him.”
Alessandro CAMPAGNA (ITA) — Head Coach
On his team's performance:
"I feel very hard right now. We played fantastic matches. We play with heart, we play with cleverness, we play with power, energy and determination until the end. I don't know now (what the future holds). I have to go to the Olympic Village and try to relax a little bit because I'm very sad and very nervous."
Day 14 Schedule — Men
Round 5-8 Semifinal
Match 36. 13:00. Italy v Spain
Round 1-4 Semifinal
Match 37. 14:35. Serbia v United States of America
Round 5-8 Semifinal
Match 35. 18:00. Greece v Australia
Round 1-4 Semifinal
Match 38. 19:35. Hungary v Croatia