Women’s Division 2 Water Polo Tournament I China survives late French onslaught

Overview

It was a classic quarterfinal day where two teams had the drop on the opposition and two others had to battle hard to get to the next stage. China led all the way against France but needed to break a deadlock a minute from time. Germany shook free of Turkiye in the third period and was two ahead before Turkiye gained a consolation goal.

In the bottom third of the competition, Portugal came from 6-5 behind in the third period against Singapore, applied the afterburners, led 10-6 at the final break before winning by a handsome 17-8 and go home with ninth position.

In the classification 11-12 encounter, South Africa went from 3-3 to 9-4 at halftime and 16-4 at the final break and onwards to 21-4 over Bulgaria.

Tuesday Action

Semifinals in the classification 5-8 and 1-4 will be played in the morning session and the classification matches in the afternoon, with no pressure on the top two, as they would have already qualified.

Match Reports

Classification 1-8 Quarterfinals

Match 17, GREAT BRITAIN 22 CZECHIA 4 (6-1, 5-2, 5-1, 6-0)

Great Britain stated a claim for one of the two top spots with a brilliant outing against Czechia. Firing in six goals to none made that statement very clear. Czechia scored either side of the first break and claimed one later in the period, but Great Britain had the match firmly wrapped up at 11-3 by halftime with seven different scorers.

The second half showed how good the British team has advanced in recent years, keeping Czechia to just the one goal while taking the final-break lead at 16-4 and cruising home in the fourth 6-0.

Match Heroes
Amelie Perkins claimed five British goals and Lucy Blenkinship four. Jade Smith was sublime in goal with 12 saves. For Czechia, Nikola Busauerova and Josefina Hola scored twice each.

Turning Point
The 6-0 start started the steamroller effect.

Stats Don’t Lie
Great Britain went a spectacular seven from nine on extra and Czechia three from seven. Britain missed the only penalty attempt. Czechia made seven steals to three but Great Britain took 35 shots to 31.

Bottom Line
Great Britain is within a whisper of making the final, although Japan awaits with an in-form team. Czechia is finding the better teams tough to rein in.

Match 18, GERMANY 12 TURKIYE 11 (4-5, 4-3, 2-0, 2-3)

Germany came through a close encounter where the first numbers were squared. Turkiye started proceedings through Dilara Burali with a centre-forward backhand. Germany took it to 2-1 and goals were traded to 4-3. Kubra Kus, who scored the third Turkish goal, converted a penalty and shot from eight metres on a six-metre shot to bump Turkiye into the lead by the first break. Ira Deike and Belen Vosseberg regained the lead for Germany on extra, only for Kus to scramble in a shot from the left-post position. Deike dropped the ball on a penalty shot but Sinia Plotz scored on counter to give Germany the 7-6 advantage. Kus regained the Turkish lead with a pair and Deike levelled at eight to close out the half.

Burali had a penalty attempt saved to start the second half and Deike scored twice more to have Germany 10-8 up at the final break. Kus was in the trading game with two for 12-10 down at 1:26 in the fourth quarter. Turkiye went to a timeout and scored one of the few goals in Istanbul off this tactic, albeit Burali grasping at a rebound and pushing it over the line for 12-11 at 0:58. Turkiye hit the crossbar on its next attack and after stealing the ball off Germany did not offer a shot despite the coach’s plea seconds from the final buzzer. Germany had survived.

Match Heroes
Germany’s Vosseberg scored four goals and Deike three. In goal, Dara Heinbichner made a magnificent and probably match-winning 11 saves. For Turkiye, Kus was magnificent again with eight goals — 21 for the tournament — and Burali made three.

Turning Point
Germany regaining the lead at 6-5 in the second and 9-8 in the third period. Turkiye struggled to get back on even terms after that.

Stats Don’t Lie
Germany sent in four from seven on extra to Turkiye’s two from seven. Turkiye had the better stats from then on with three from four on penalty to one from two; six steals to three and 36 shots to 35. But it was not enough.

Bottom Line
Germany has the history, albeit some years ago, while Turkiye is on the charge and promising great things, especially with Kus in the pool.

Match 19, CHINA 7 FRANCE 6 (2-1, 2-1, 2-3, 1-1)

China had to break a deadlock at 1:14 in the last period and stop a French penalty attempt with 10 seconds remaining to make sure of getting through to the last four. It was a sad bow-out for France as these two Paris 2024 Olympic teams met in the quarters. It should not have happened had France not lost to Croatia the day before. China started 2-0 up and was 3-1 ahead early in the second quarter with three different scorers. It could have been 4-1 had Yan Siya made good with her penalty attempt. Yan scored for 4-2 after Orsolya Hertzka scored a brilliant take-and-catch with her right hand in the left-hand-catch position.

Wang Shiyun stretched the margin to three to start the third period and Hertzka replied. Yan took it out to 6-3 and inside the last two minutes, Olympian Ema Vernoux scored on extra and the penalty line for one goal down at the last break. She made good with the first of the fourth quarter, nearly four minutes in from wide left. France had three consecutive attacks with goalkeeper Shen Yineng swatting away two. Three minutes after the previous goal, Yan drilled from nine metres after two attempts failed to score. France lost the ball at centre forward and China hit the post. France then gained a penalty attempt, which Shen saved and China called the timeout to settle the team and play out the ball for victory.

Match Heroes
Yan finished with four and Shen made a brilliant 10 saves in goal in just three quarters. She sat out the third but came back into the fourth and made that spectacular penalty save in the last 10 seconds. Ema Vernoux was best for France with three goals.

Turning Point
The 2-0 start by China led to 5-2 just after halftime. France levelled at 4:16 in the fourth with Yan getting the winner three minutes later.

Stats Don’t Lie
China managed two from six on extra and defended five from six. China went two from three at the penalty line and France one from two. China stole the ball six times to three and won with the more accurate shooting, needing just 23 shots to 33.

Bottom Line
Both teams are rebuilding after Paris 2024 and it was just a case of which team would get across the line. China has the possibility of playing the finals while France does not.

Match 20, CROATIA 18 JAPAN 26 (5-8, 5-5, 6-6, 2-7)

Japan and Croatia promised aplenty and they did not disappoint with an incredible 44 goals, the biggest number in Istanbul. Goals were spread around the teams with 17 players making the sheet. Japan had the early jump at 5-1, had the lead trimmed to two twice before hitting the first break three ahead. There were two penalty goals and four counter-attack goals in the period. Croatia dragged it back to two down twice more in the second quarter (9-7 and 11-9) before Japan went out by four and finished the half with a 13-10 margin.

Japan took it to 17-12 but struck resistance from Croatia who then scored four of the next five goals. At the final break it was 19-16. Nina Jazvin trimmed it to two to start the final quarter, but a saved penalty attempt and  four goals against blew the score to 23-17. Lara Srhoj gained a six-metre foul and scored from 10m before Fuku Nishiyama blasted in the last three Japanese goals for the 26-18 scoreline.

Match Heroes
Maho Kobayashi finished with five goals while Nishiyama and veteran Yumi Arima slotted four apiece for Japan. Iva Rozic sent in four while Jazvin and Srhoj made it three each for Croatia.

Turning Point
Japan’s 4-1 start and 9-5 early in the second quarter made it hard for Croatia to bridge the gap. Croatia came closest to victory at 19-17 in arrears.

Stats Don’t Lie
Japan’s superior shooting at 38 to 33 made the difference. It stole six to four and scored all three penalty attempts to Croatia’s four from five. On extra, Japan converted both chances while Croatia did four from six.

Bottom Line
Japan has the more international experience, speed and all-round shooting. Croatia is trying to assume a world leadership role and is not far from reaching that goal.

Classification Matches

Classification 11-12

Match 15, BULGARIA 4 SOUTH AFRICA 21 (3-5, 1-4, 0-7, 0-5)

South Africa was hoping for more in Istanbul and playing for the last spot was not on the agenda. Glimpses of good play brought the team to this classification in a good mental state and the 3-1 start proved that. However, Bulgaria was a touchy customer and its scored the next two for what would be the last hurrah as South Africa went 5-3 up at the break. Hannah Banks scored the last on penalty. Georgia Eccles opened the second quarter on extra and then South Africa had three straight penalty chances, missing the first. Banks scored the last and added a counter-attack goal for 9-3. Ivet Dimitrova, who scored the second Bulgarian goal, closed the half with a centre-forward backhand goal.

South Africa had five more penalty attempts in the third quarter and fluffed three but still managed to keep Bulgaria goal-less and march the score on to 16-4 by the last break. The last period was also scoreless for Bulgaria as the Africans secured 11^th position with five more goals.

Match Heroes
South Africa’s Banks and Shakira January scored four goals each as all 10 field players made the sheet. Lucy Davis grabbed eight saves from nine shots and Michaela Boaventura made seven from 10 in their half a match each in goal.

Turning Point
South Africa shaking off the shackles at 3-3 and powering to an 18-1 tidal wave.

Stats Don’t Lie
South Africa was limited to four from 10 on extra while Bulgaria made two from four. South Africa fired in five from nine on penalty compared to Bulgaria’s no chances. Missing four was a sour point. South Africa made eight steals three and shot an awesome 43 times to 27.

Bottom Line
South Africa has been to the Olympic Games. Bulgaria hasn’t. That history speaks volumes.

Classification 9-10

Match 16, SINGAPORE 8 PORTUGAL 17 (3-3, 2-1, 1-6, 2-7)

On paper, both of these teams looked a potential winner. They both won their first matches the day before with close scores. They played closely for the first half and anything could have happened. It did, really, as Singapore folded and Portugal easily took out its second international victory on the big stage. It was a sad ending for Singapore but a successful day at the office for Portugal. From 3-3 and 5-4 down after the first two breaks, Portugal grasp ed the nettle and turned a 6-5 Singaporean advantage into 10-6 by the last break and then 7-2 in the final quarter. The ever-reliable Ranice Yap scored late in the first and then the last goal as she was kept quiet.

Madalena Lousa began her team’s scoring and was heavily supported by Beatriz Fernandes and Carolina Fernandes as they had all week. Ines Brito scored two brilliant goals from two metres and Joana Arromba lobbed beautifully from well outside for the 16-7 goal.

Match Heroes
Portugal’s Lousa scored five goals and Carolina Fernandes four. Ines Brito chipped in with three. For Singapore, Charlene Tio and Yap scored twice each with Yap taking her tally to 20. Rochelle Ong was again strong in goal with eight saves.

Turning Point
Singapore losing control of the match at 6-5 and not scoring until 15-7.

Stats Don’t Lie
The biggest stat was that Portugal limited Yap’s scoring and took 37 shots to 18. On extra, Portugal missed both chances and allowed three from six to enter its cage. It scored both penalty goals and saved two out of three. Portugal has been stealing all tournament and 13-4 today was most admirable.

Bottom Line
Portugal is a rising force in European and world water polo. Long may that continue. Singapore seemed to shut down in the second half.

Day 4 Schedule

Classification 5-6 Semifinals
Match 21. 09:00. Czechia v Croatia
Match 22. 10:30. Turkiye v France

Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Match 23. 12:00. Great Britain v Japan
Match 24. 13:30. Germany v China

Classification 7-8
Match 25. 16:00. L21 v L22

Classification 5-6
Match 26. 17:30. W21 v W22

Classification 3-4
Match 27. 19:00. L23 v L24

Classification 1-2
Match 28. 20:30. W23 v W24