World champion USA dumped by Greece; bring on Spain

How They Fared

In the classification 1-4 semifinals, Greece outplayed defending champion United States of America in the final quarter for a 13-8 margin and Spain was the better against Hungary, winning 10-7.

In the classification 5-8 semifinals, Australia outplayed Netherlands 10-8 and Italy cruised home in the final quarter over New Zealand 10-6.

In final classification matches, China thumped Croatia 22-11 for ninth position and Israel broke an 11-11 deadlock in the final two minutes to win the play-off for 11^th 14-11.

The conclusion of the classification 13-16 round robin was fascinating with Thailand taking out the group, and thus 13^th classification, by defeating South Africa in sudden-death penalty shootout 21-20 after the match was tied at 16. In the other match, Turkiye defeated Mexico 10-4 for third place at 15^th while Mexico remained winless for 16^th position.

Day 8 Schedule

Classification 7-8
Match 47. 10:00. Netherlands v New Zealand

Classification 5-6
Match 48. 11:30. Australia v Italy

Classification 3-4
Match 49. 13:00. United States of America  v Hungary

Classification 1-2
Match 50. 15:00. Greece v Spain

DAY 7 MATCH REPORTS

Classification 1-4 Semifinals

Match 46, SPAIN 10 HUNGARY 7 (2-3, 3-2, 3-1, 2-1)

Spain thoroughly deserved victory with controlled play and brilliant defence that left Hungary scrambling at times.

Hungary held sway in the first quarter and Spain replied in the second to set up a level match by halftime. Hungary started and goals were traded — Eszter Varro and Queralt Anton, then Natasa Lendvai and Martina Claveria. Inside the final minute, Kata Hajdu scored from the wide left for a 3-2 advantage at the first break. Anton’s penalty was saved at the top of the second quarter but she made amends with a score on extra. Itziar Almeda also scored on extra and Ariadna Temprano shot and scored from the top left for 5-3. Spain was unstoppable, or so it seemed. Zoe Lendvay on extra and Hajdu with an incredible shot from eight metres out and closer to the side of the pool went in for 5-5. She was on counter and had the sense to know the clock was ticking, so, stopped, took the foul and played the six-metre foul shot with three seconds left on the clock. Brilliant.

Spain asserted its authority in the third period, running in three goals for 8-5 before Hajdu converted a penalty in the last half-minute for 8-6. Almeda scored the sixth and eighth goals and Anton the seventh to give Spain super confidence heading into the final quarter. If Hungary could click as a team, anything could happen.

There was defence everywhere and the first goal came from Almeda for 9-6 at 3:41 with a lob on extra. Varro, at centre forward, scored her second at 2:18, almost far too late for a Hungarian revival. Hungary called a timeout at 0:52 for the last throw of the dice, sending goalkeeper Luca Torma up on attack and the shot creased the crossbar leaving Spain to waste 30 seconds. It gained an ejection and had the full length of time to waste and noticed Torma was trying to steal the ball off Spanish goalkeeper Maria de Los Reyes, meaning Carlota Penalver had time to shoot from inside her half, over the head of the retreating Torma into goal for 9-7 with 11 seconds remaining for her 12^th goal. Hungary didn’t even try to attack and the match was over.  

Match Heroes
Almeda was the star among stars with her four goals while Anton collected three. For Hungary, Hajdu scored three and Varro two.

Turning Point
Spain’s first three goals in each of the second and third quarters made it tough going for Hungary.

Stats Don’t Lie
Spain converted six from seven on extra and defended five from seven, enough to win the match. It missed one of two penalty attempts to Hungary’s two from two. Spain made eight steals to seven while both teams shot 25 times.

Bottom Line
Spain is a former champion and proved tonight it could collect a second gold medal to go alongside USA on the all-time table. Hungary was third last time and could be again on Sunday.

Match 45, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 8 GREECE 13  (2-5, 4-1, 2-3, 0-4)

A withering final quarter settled the debate about who is the better team, Greece scoring seven of the last eight goals and keeping USA scoreless in the final eight minutes.

Greece controlled the first quarter and USA the second. Greece had some misfortune with some shots, but USA stayed true, despite one of its own, throughout and worked hard for every conversion. Greece missed a penalty attempt in the first period, hitting the crossbar and in the second period USA had a goal denied because it was taken soon after the buzzer sounded. Greece went on counter soon after and failed to convert as the USA goalkeeper, Keri Glad, was up to the task, despite how many fakes were made. However, these aside, the goals were spectacular and the standard of play brilliant. Greece went to 2-0 and traded goals to 4-2 before Efstathia Kovatsevits converted a penalty for 5-2. Goals were traded to start the second quarter with USA going first through Lily Palma. Nefeli Krassa enjoyed her first goal in China — a lob — and this is where USA was denied the goal and Greece stuffed up the counter. Another counter failed, this time by excellent behind defence by USA. Allison Cohen on penalty, Charlotte Raisin for her second, from the top and Cohen from eight metres with her 13^th goal, equalised the match by halftime.

Rosalie Hassett scored her second on extra to start the third period with replies coming from Despoina  Drakotou from the top, Kovatsevits (defending above) from deep left; a missed penalty from Drakotou and Kasiana Margariti lobbing from the middle of the pool at five metres for her first goal in China. This took Greece to 9-7 by 2:09. At 1:40, Sydney Lowell scored on extra for her eighth goal, the last before the buzzer. Kovatsevits started the final quarter to give Greece a 10-8 gap with her fifth goal and 12^th for the tournament. She shot from deep left after a multitude of lightning passes. Greece took a timeout at 6:09 and converted the extra play for 11-8 through Karampetsou for her third and 10^th in total. USA called a timeout immediately to settle the team and reset for the last six minutes and the huge task of finding four goals for victory. The USA shot hit the post and at the other end Raisin gained her third major in giving up a penalty foul. Niki Piovan’s shot was saved but she collected the rebound to score for 12-8.

Piovan went with her third major soon after and USA collected a penalty foul, and Cohen’s shot was stopped by Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou, the rebound being cleaned up by Greece. Kovatsevits gave up a penalty foul and Amber Nowaczek’s shot hit the left upright. The ball was recovered by a team-mate but the ball was turned over and Greece had time to breathe. With USA unable to score, Greece had time to run down the clock. USA turned over the ball and Greece went to a timeout at 1:48 to settle the nerves and make sure of victory with a steady finish. At 1:05, Karampetsou scored on counter despite a defender on her back, for 13-8 — a crushing result for the now former champion USA.

Match Heroes
Kovatsevits (above) was named player of the match for her five goals and captain Karampetsou with four — 11 in total. For USA, the best player was goalkeeper Glad, with 13 saves, while Hassett, Cohen and Raisin scored twice each.

Turning Point
The 5-2 start and the shift from 9-8 to 12-8 and then the two denied penalty attempts in the final stanza.

Stats Don’t Lie
Greece converted four from seven on extra and defended five from nine. It scored two from five on penalty and USA missed two from three.  Greece made 10 steals to six and shot 34 times to 26.

Bottom Line
Greece deserved the victory, making amends for 2022 when it lost to USA in the final 10-8, a match that was dominated by USA with quarters of 5-2, 1-4, 2-1 and 2-1. Now it has a chance to go one better and USA still has a bronze medal to win.

Classification 5-8 Semifinals

Match 44, NEW ZEALAND 6 ITALY 10 (1-1, 2-3, 1-2, 2-4)

Italy broke free in the final quarter to send off New Zealand 10-6 in a spirited match that had excellent defence, but you always thought that Italy would come good in the end. Full credit to New Zealand on keeping Italy honest for so long.

Italy was pipped by Hungary in the previous night’s quarterfinal while New Zealand had a match it could well forget against Spain. Like the match before this, those results are thrown out the window and today is a new day with positive thoughts.

It was a quiet first quarter in scoring with Italy getting its first through Eleonora Bianco on counter when the Kiwi defend doubled the wrong player. That blunder was set aside as New Zealand concentrated heavily and was finally rewarded with an equaliser at 2:00 via senior international Gabrielle Doyle. That score gave confidence to the Kiwis and at the top of the second quarter, Emison Styris walked in and drilled the ball into the top right for 2-1. Italy quickly responded with Bianca Rosta grabbing her 10^th goal from the right-post position on extra and then Cecilia Grasso going on counter with a lob by 4:37. Italy was in charge at 3-2. Doyle scored her second and fifth of the week from the top right after teams had starting swimming away. Grasso was fast on extra, swimming down the left and shooting from the deep pocket for 4-3 at 2:03. This proved to be the halftime score.

Giulia Bozzo scored on extra, hitting the right post and spinning across toward the left post, falling on the water. The goal was given but VAR was checked to make sure it crossed the line, which it did. Elly Pasqualin gained her second goal in Chengdu, steering in a high pass to the right-post position on extra for 6-3 at 5:17. Tallulah Goldsworthy bounced on in from deep right at 3:59 for 6-4. Italy went to a timeout for no joy and no further goals came in the period. A Kiwi timeout led to a shot saved and soon after Grasso snared her second at centre forward, with a nicely placed pass aiding the goal. Beatrice Cassara, who smashed in five goals against Hungary in the quarterfinals, went on a drive to centre forward and had her first shot stopped, but she flicked in the rebound for 8-4. And her 10^th goal. Margherita Minuto had her penalty attempt saved and she regained the ball but fouled on the shot. Malika Bovo converted a penalty on the next Italian attack. Holly Dunn scored New Zealand’s fifth goal, needing VAR to get it across the line. Matilde Gallettini scored on extra and Dunn drilled one from 10m soon after for her eighth goal. New Zealand took a timeout at 0:23 and the shot came to nothing and the match died out with Italy the victor.

Match Heroes
Goalkeeper Olimpia Sesena with her 14 saves for Italy  was player of the match. Grasso scored three goals. For New Zealand Dunn and Doyle scored twice each and goalkeeper Zoe Crisp took in 10 balls.

Turning Point
The last quarter where Italy gave full expression to its abilities.

Stats Don’t Lie
Italy went five from seven on extra and shut down both New Zealand’s chances. On penalties, Italy gained one from two. New Zealand made seven steals to one and shot 37 times to 28.

Bottom Line
Italy is the better team, but New Zealand made sure it had to earn every goal. A splendid effort by both teams.

Match 43, NETHERLANDS 8 AUSTRALIA 10 (2-3, 2-2, 2-1, 2-4)

It was Australia who bounced back the best from quarterfinal losses only being headed for 31 seconds in the third period and pulling away from 7-7 to win by two.

Both teams came off heart-breaking losses the night before in the quarterfinals, so had to lift for this one. It appeared that Australia lifted the most, trying to wipe away that huge 13-goal deficit to Greece. Netherlands was equally upset, going down by a lone goal to the United States of America.

Australia started well with two goals while goals were traded to 3-2 by the first break. It started the second quarter for 4-2 and later made it 5-3 before the Dutch grabbed one back 14 seconds from halftime. Of the nine goals, only Jemma Potts was a double scorer. Both teams had excellent defence but it must be said that there was hesitation on both sides when it came to taking shots and those that were taken were sprayed wider than normal.

The teams looked more settled in the second half and the Dutch, in particular, looked a major threat from outside. The Dutch found wood twice in the early stages but on the next attack the Dutch gained extra and converted through captain Amy Kleinlugtebeld, for her second goal. She scored another two minutes later — both coming on extra from the deep left. Following an Australian timeout, captain Chelsea Isaac completed the extra-man plan from top left for 6-6 to close the period’s scoring.

Indiana Smith on extra from the right-post position, set the pool alight at the start of the second half. Linde Haksteen levelled at seven from the top, then Australia went on defensive mode while chancing its arm up front. Saskia Dunn scored from the deep left at 6:04 and neither team could find a way through. Australia went to a timeout and Emma Pittman completed the instruction on extra for 9-7, the biggest margin since 5-3. Netherlands could not breach the Aussie wall and went to a timeout at 0:56 and brought up goalkeeper Caitlin van Leeuwen. The shot was taken and blocked; the ball was moved down the right and with van Leeuwen scrambling to get back to base, Stephens fired from over the halfway line and the ball dribbled into the goal for 10-7 at 0:33. Tess van der Meer, who scored the third Dutch goal, blasted one in from left-hand-catch with 15 seconds left, but it was too late. Australia retained the ball almost to the end and no further shot came, giving Australia a two-goal margin.

Match Heroes
The entire Australian team, headed by double scorers Potts and Stephens with six others making the sheet. Potts accepted the player-of-the-match award, but I am sure she did so on behalf of her whole team. Goalkeeper Isabel Scott (above) was awesome, looking a major threat at all times and made eight saves. For Netherlands, Kleinlugtebeld was best with three goals and van Leeuwen made nine saves in goal.

Turning Point
The final quarter where Australia broke free of the Dutch shackles and went three ahead.

Stats Don’t Lie
Australia won the match on extra-man attack with five from eight and stopping three of four Dutch attempts. Netherlands scored the only two penalty goals and stole four balls to three.

Bottom Line
The Dutch were tentative throughout, made so by the stout Aussie defence and the presence of Scott in goal. Australia finds itself in the same play-off match as two years ago and the Dutch have the same challenge, having finish seventh in 2022.

Classification 9-10

Match 42, CROATIA 11 CHINA 22 (1-5, 4-6, 3-7, 3-4)

China played its best match to date with a more-than-comfortable win over Croatia, who relied heavily on three players while China used all its team to excellent effect.

From 1-1, China took a grip and shot to 5-1 by the quarter break. Croatia’s big hitters, Jelena Butic and Neli Jankovic trimmed it to two to start the second quarter, only for China to move briskly to 10-3, stopping the halftime clock at 11-5.

A five-goal haul, utilising the same move three times, had China at 16-5 midway through the third period. Butic scored her 22^nd and 23^rd goals for 16-7 and Zhang Jingwen lobbed to stop the charge and help ease China to 18-8 at the final break. Ria Glas scored her 20^th goal in a way no other player has even attempted in Chengdu — from the corner throw. The Chinese defence was bewildered. Butic screamed in two more while Shao, Han Wen for her third and Zhang Jingwen helped China to double Croatia’s score with half a minute to spare.

Match Heroes
Butic hammered in six goals to lift her tally to 25, one short of Thailand’s Raksina Rueangsappaisan. Glas threw in three for 20 goals and Jankovic made two for 23. Three players scored 68 of the team’s 100 goals — 68 per cent. For China, Zhang Yumian (two today) and Shao (four today) topped all scorers with 19 apiece. Zhang Jingwen, named player of the match, scored five goals today to finish with 12, the third highest scorer. Han grabbed three today for 11 all week.

Turning Point
Racing to 5-1 in the first quarter set the tone of the match. A five-goal burst in the third period also helped.

Stats Don’t Lie
China went three from seven on extra and Croatia four from seven. On penalty goals, China converted three from four and Croatia one from one. On steals, China went 10 to three and on overall shots, China sent in 40 to 31.

Bottom Line
China looked by far the classier team today with teamwork the key. Nine scorers featured for China while only three made the sheet for Croatia. China will be unhappy with ninth place, not being in the top eight, while Croatia dropped a spot from two years ago.

Classification 11-12

Match 41, ISRAEL 14 CANADA 11 (2-3, 4-3, 2-3, 6-2)

Israel came through in the final quarter thanks to star centre forward Carmel Rahum who scored six goals and 18 for the tournament. It was even throughout until Rahum unleashed a hat-trick in the final two minutes to blow Canada away. The match was tied six times with Canada being 9-6 up in the third period. All credit to Israel and head coach Shunit Strugo, the nation’s senior captain.

Canada made the early play with the first goal and 3-1 with less than two minutes remaining. Rahum, a devastating centre forward, unleashed her second goal of the match and 14^th for the tournament to narrow the score to 3-2 down. She was to score another in the second quarter as teams struggled to find ways to stop her scoring this week. Teva Dorfman scored her 11^th goal on penalty to start the second quarter and level the match. Sidney Low netted her second of the week with a lob from a six-metre-foul shot and Isabelle Mady scored her fifth from the top left to give Canada a 5-3 lead. Israel wiped that out with Rahum at centre — where else? Gili Borenstein with a long lob and Miya Tirosh on counter with the advantage of an extra play for her 14^th goal and a 6-5 advantage. With a second left on the clock, Sydney Krushen converted extra off a snap pass from her right to level at six.

Canada had the edge in the third period. Moving to 9-6 before Tirosh shot two penalty goals for 9-8 at the last break. Tirosh levelled at the start of the fourth for her 17^th goal. Goals were traded and at 3:46, Krushen converted extra from the top. Talya Ben Aharon claimed her first goal of the week with a deft lob for 11-10 at 2:50. Israel called a timeout and Rahum answered the call on extra. She scored an identical goal at 1:27 and at 0:35 she finished with her sixth goal and 18^th overall from her favoured centre-forward position.

Match Heroes
Rahum was a delight to watch and when she strode out to collect her player-of-the-match award, her beaming smile was there for all to see. She had just guided her team to 11^th in its first appearance at this level. Tirosh nailed four goals for 17 and Dorfman was next best with 11. For Canada, Abigail Folk and Cianne Benjamin top-scored with 10 goals.

Turning Point
The last two minutes when Rahum went wild.

Stats Don’t Lie
Israel converted five from seven on extra and Canada five from nine. Israel scored three from five on penalty and Canada one from two. Israel made eight steals to four. Canada had one more shot than Israel.

Bottom Line
Israel takes 11^th position and Canada slips two rankings from 2022.

Classification 13-16 Round Robin

Match 40, THAILAND 21 SOUTH AFRICA 20 in sudden-death penalty shootout. FT: 16-16. Pens: 5-4. (2-5, 6-3, 5-2, 4-3)

These two teams clashed on day four in Group C play with Thailand the victor at 14-11. On that day, Thailand was 3-1 up at the quarter break. Today it was 5-2 to South Africa, a huge turnaround. As what happens at these events, teams improve at various rates and lessons learned from earlier matches are utilised in the all-important matches to decide classifications. Today it was Thailand again, proving the first win was no fluke.

Alexa de Villiers and Yanisa Turon traded goals with Amy van Breda and Emma Catto taking South Africa to a 3-1 advantage. Raksina Rueangsappaisan scored her 22nd goal on penalty with Hannah Banks and Amy Smith, also on penalty, raising the total to 5-2 well before the first break. Turon netted her 18^th goal with a penalty strike to start the second quarter and Anastasia Hambakis replied at centre forward. Rueangsappaisan scored off her missed penalty attempt for 6-5. De Villiers on the left post and Catto from the top right, lifted South Africa to 8-5. Rueangsappaisan converted extra and Turon slammed in two outside shots, the first on a six-metre-foul bullet and the next — her 20^th goal — from outside 10m on another six-metre foul shot to level the match at eight, 14 seconds from halftime. Thailand led 5-4 at this stage in their previous encounter.

Turon started the third period on extra and Banks responded on penalty for 9-9. Rueangsappaisan struck her 25^th goal on extras and Thanita Kwontongtanaree drilled form seven metres for a two-goal lead. Tori Voke and Banks replied for 11-11. Rueangsappaisan and de Villiers traded goals for 12-12. The edge came with two seconds remaining when Smith cross-caged from the lower left for 13-12. In the last match, Thailand was 10-6 ahead.

Kwantongtanaree scored from a six-metre foul and Banks replied from a deep-right shot. Turon captured goal number 22 with a six-metre shot for 14-14 — the seventh tied score. South Africa, then Thailand took a timeout with the latter scoring through Kwontongtanaree on extra for the go-ahead goal. Smith replied on penalty and Turon brought up number 23 from eight metres. Voke levelled at 0:39 on counter. South Africa stole the ball off Thailand, went to a timeout and fumbled the attack to send the match to a shootout.

Thailand missed its second attempt and South Africa its fifth, forcing it to sudden death. Inge Southey hit the crossbar and Rueangsappaisan made sure of her shot to win the encounter and take 13^th position.

Match Heroes
Turon was named best in pool with a fantastic seven goals to give her 23 in Chengdu. Rueangsappaisan grabbed five more for 26 — currently a tournament high. Kongchouy with one today, was next best with 12 goals. For South Africa, Banks scored four goals to double her tally while Smith (8) and de Villiers (9) scored three each. Voke, who scored twice, also finished on nine goals.

Turning Point
Every goal was a turning point.

Stats Don’t Lie
Thailand went six from eight on extra and defended seven of 13 South African attempts. Thailand converted two from three on penalty and South Africa three from three. Thailand made 14 steals to 1o and shot 29 times to 25. This shows that Thailand should have won, but it did come to sudden death!

Bottom Line

What a finale to a fantastic mini-tournament. All these players can be proud of their efforts in supplying stunning results. Thailand, with its superior shooters, was like dynamite in the pool and much will be expected of this nation in coming years. South Africa endured two shootouts, winning one and losing today’s.

Match 39, MEXICO 4 TURKIYE 10 (1-2, 2-3, 0-2, 1-3)

Turkey beat Mexico 16-9 in their Group D encounter on day four and today was no different, although the margin a little slimmer.

Turkey began with the first two goals through Hanzade Dabbag and Arik Bilge, both on penalty. Suheid Perez responded five and a half minutes later with a cross-cage shot from the top right for 2-1 at the quarter break. Hamiyet Suzmecelik lobbed for 3-1 to start the second quarter with Mia Brondo replying on penalty. Bilge (centre forward) — bringing up her 20^th goal —and Dabbag (penalty) took Turkiye out to 5-2 with Sofia Gaytan collecting an extra-man goal from two metres in front for 5-3 to close the first-half scoring. It was 7-2 at the same stage three days ago, so an improvement by Mexico.

Bilge turned solidly at centre forward for the first goal of the third period at 4:02 and Derin Pehlivanoglu slipped in the seventh goal, 21 seconds from the final break. Victoria Feliciano brought one back for Mexico from centre forward two minutes into the final quarter and Pehlivanoglu responded from the top left. Turkiye used a timeout to good effect, Bilge scoring on extra off the right-post position. With 16 seconds remaining in the tournament for both teams, Brondo was red-carded for violence, gifting Turkiye the final shot from the penalty line, which Iremnaz Karatas converted for her first goal of the week. Turkiye gained three points, but, more importantly, it finished 15^th ahead of Mexico who remains winless and took out 16^th classification

Match Heroes
Bilge with her four goals for a team-high 22. Dabbag, with two, finished with 14 goals and Pehlivanoglu scored twice for 10. Alma Luna was the star for Mexico once again, with 15 saves in goal. Brondo finished with 14 goals and Gaytan with 10.

Turning Point
The opening two goals played a huge part in the victory.

Stats Don’t Lie
Turkiye scored one from two on extra and defended five from six. It scored four from five on penalty and Mexico one from one. Both teams made five steals but the biggest statistic was Turkiye’s 31 shots to 19.

Bottom Line

Turkiye did it twice and Mexico will learn from that. Excellent to see these nations at this event.

Final Points

Classification 13-16 Round Robin
Thailand 8, South Africa 6, Turkiye 4, Mexico 0.