Greece women went where they have never been before on the world stage and that’s sitting on the top tier, defeating Hungary 13-9 in the gold-medal final. Netherlands sent off Olympic champion Spain for the bronze medal with a stunning 10-8 margin. In the battle for fifth, Australia led 4-0 and had to come back from two down to level at 10-10 and win the shootout 4-3 for a 14-13 victory. Japan came from six down to defeat China 18-17 in a gripping 7th-8th encounter.
FINAL CLASSIFICATIONS
1. Greece
2. Hungary
3. Netherlands
4. Spain
5. Australia
6. Italy
7. Japan
8. China
CLASSIFICATION MATCHES
Classification 1-2
Match 12, GREECE 13 HUNGARY 9 (5-4, 1-0, 6-3, 1-2)
Greece finished with silver at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and never achieved that feat or better since. Today the monkey was off the back and Greek water polo can celebrate a magnificent 2025 World Aquatics World Cup Campaign with the women going one better than the men and finishing with a golden glow. It was almost relief for the nation that has won at the junior level on multiple occasions, but never at this elite level.
The win was built on a blistering first quarter in which Greece gained a 5-4 edge. With the scores level and one, two and three. It was achieved with nine different scorers with the possibility of a double score for Greece’s Vasiliki Plevritou, but she had her penalty attempt saved. She gained some consolation later when she was named Most Valuable Player in Chengdu. Hungary’s Kata Hajdu conjured up the 5-4 goal a second from quarter time from the top left.
The second quarter was an anomaly, like the bronze-medal match where only two goals were scored. Here it was one goal, to Eleni Xenaki, for her second on a lob shot. Both teams took timeouts in the dying minutes before halftime with no value added.
Dora Leimeter grabbed one back at the top of the third period, but Christiana Siouti scored twice for 8-5, both from outside. Foteini Tricha missed her penalty attempt and Vanda Valyi responded for 8-6 from the top left. Captain Eleftheria Plevritou scored a pair for 10-6 with Hungarian skipper Krisztina Garda firing a missile from the top. Siouti and Vasiliki Plevritou, both on action, did the damage to Hungary with goals in the dying minutes. It was 12-7 with just eight minutes remaining in the gold-medal final.
Panna Tiba and Garda straddled a Xenaki deep-right strike in the final quarter, but the latter’s 13-8 goal came at 5:03. Garda’s response with a rocket born of frustration was tardy at 0:12. Greece was too good on the day.
Match Heroes
Alexia Tzourka was the star for Greece with 13 saves. Eleftheria Plevritou, Xenaki and Siouti scored three goals apiece for Greece while Garda was the sole double scorer for Hungary.
Turning Point
The second quarter was damaging for Hungary as Greece twisted the sword in the third period.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece converted three from nine on extra; missed the only two penalty chances all match; made only two steals to four and shot one less than Hungary at 34-35. They favoured Hungary, but not the goals.
Bottom Line
Greece has come close in the past, but never achieved the golden feat for the women’s team. Today it scaled the pinnacle after a lifetime of excellent commitment. Hungary fell at the final hurdle against tough odds. Hungary now has two silvers to go with one gold and three bronzes.
Classification 3-4
Match 11, NETHERLANDS 10 SPAIN 8 (3-3, 3-1, 2-0, 2-4)
Netherlands did the unthinkable to Spain and that was to deny the Olympic and World League champion another medal at the international level. Spain fell behind at halftime and could not make up the difference as the relentless Dutch sealed the match with a 2-0 third period that Spain struggled to claw back from in the final period.
Elena Ruiz opened on penalty for Spain with Dutch captain Sabrina van der Sloot and Nina ten Broek getting Netherlands ahead two minutes into the period. Goals were traded and then Paula Leiton scored, only for a coach challenge to deny her the goal. However, Mireia Guiral accepted a cross pass to the left post to score soon after for 3-3 by the first break.
In the second quarter, Marit van der Weijden scored her second and Ariadne Ruiz responded, both on extra. Maartje Keuning needed a VAR decision on her goal and Simone van de Kraats lobbed from the deep right for 6-4 at halftime.
Come the third period and the Dutch closed ranks and made it impossible for Spain to get through. Van de Kraats lobbed from the left-hand-catch position at 5:45, for the first goal of the quarter. The second did not come until 0:10 when Noa de Vries countered for an amazing 8-4 margin against the team that had ruled the roost in Paris last year.
Spain was back to form in the final quarter, but the margin of closure was too much. Leiton finally gained her goal at centre forward when the goalkeeper came out to smother her; Bea Ortiz went on counter; Paula Prats scored from the right and Elena Ruiz closed all scoring from the top on extra at 1:18. Meanwhile, Netherlands was not to be outdone and Lieke Rogge carried the day with a goal from the top on extra at 9-5 and then from the penalty line at 10-7, 2:57 from time. It was not Spain’s finest day, but it probably was one of Netherlands’ best.
Match Heroes
Sarah Buis was the best in pool with 12 saves for the Dutch while team-mates van der Weijden, van de Kraats and Rogge scored twice each. For Spain, Elena Ruiz scored twice.
Turning Point
The 3-1 second quarter and the 2-0 third-quarter shut-out.
Stats Don’t Lie
Netherlands made just three from 12 on extra and Spain four from 10; both teams gained a penalty goal; Netherlands won the steal count 11-9 and Spain shot 26-21. Great stats for the Spaniards, but no medal.
Bottom Line
Spain is there to be beaten. It has a target around its head as teams jockey for the Singapore confrontation in July. Netherlands collected its second bronze medal to go with eight golds and four silvers. It has the most medals in this competition with 14, compared to Australia's and United States of America's 11.
Classification 5-6
Match 10, ITALY 13 AUSTRALIA 14 in penalty shootout. FT: 10-10. Pens: 3-4. (3-5, 2-0, 2-3, 3-4)
Australia blew a four-goal, first-quarter advantage and had to come back from a scoreless quarter and two goals down on two occasions to snatch a penalty-shootout victory over Italy. The match went to 10-10 to force the penalties and Australia scored all four to Italy’s three from five.
Australia got off to a rocket start with a four goals coming inside three minutes. However, Italy took stock and nailed two extra-player goals and another from seven metres for 4-3 at 0:21. Players went to a quarter break after an Aussie Stingers shot by Charlize Andrews seemed to be stuck at the cross bar. A VAR review gave the goal and Australia went to the break at 5-3 ahead. The quarter was dominated by Abby Andrews with three goals with the opener from Saturday’s six-goal hero Danijela Jackovich. Chiara Ranelli scored Italy’s first and third goals.
Italy made amends for the bad start to level at five with Ranalli gaining her third on extra and Sofia Giustini scoring her 11th goal of the tournament with a penalty conversion by 3:16. The defensive play of Italy was superb, denying the Aussie Stingers any meaningful attempts at goal and certainly keeping a clean sheet.
Australia broke the drought in the third quarter — after nearly 14 minutes — but a Dafne Bettini triple meant Italy was still in charge at the final break. Ranelli had a penalty saved. Bettini took it to 7-5 when Genevieve Longman fumbled the ball and then goals were swapped to 8-7 when Jessica Emmerson converted extra from the top with 33 seconds left on the clock.
The fourth period had the Aussie Stingers in a better frame of mind, getting Giustini binned on three majors and Alice Williams finding the mark on extra for 8-8. Two minutes later, Bettini struck from the penalty line and Williams came good again at 1:31 for 9-9. Bettini rattled in her fifth goal and Italy was again in the lead. Australia took a timeout to no avail but after defending Italy’s charge, gained an extra attack, which Olivia Mitchell converted at 0:36. Australia was stout on defence and the match went to penalty shots.
Italy went first on the shots, with the first two rounds scored. Then Carlotta Meggiato had her shot saved by Longman. The next three were converted and Lucrezia Cergol hit the post, gifting Australia the victory 14-13.
Match Heroes
Bettini was the best in pool with five goals for Italy and Ranalli added three. However, Australia’s Abby Andrews’ three in the first quarter were instrumental in the psychological war, finishing with four by fulltime. Williams scored twice.
Turning Point
Australia’s four-goal start and then Italy’s comeback to lead 7-5 and 8-6. Australia’s comeback made the difference.
Stats Don’t Lie
Australia converted six from 10 and defended eight from 12. On penalties, Australia converted its one and Italy missed one from three. Australia stole 7-6 and both teams took 28 shots.
Bottom Line
Italy was unlucky not to win, but that opening stanza meant something for the Aussies. The comeback was late, but well received by the Stingers’ coaching staff. Italy was also sixth in Los Angeles two years ago when Australia could not compete because of the Covid pandemic.
Classification 7-8
Match 9, JAPAN 18 CHINA 17 (3-6, 4-5, 5-5, 6-1)
The third period is normally the “money” quarter, but it was tied at five, so it became the fourth period as Japan smashed China 6-1 to win by a single goal. Japan was an incredible six goals behind a minute in the third period as China had dominated throughout. Japan decided that enough was enough and set about constructing a match for the ages and something that the Japanese water polo fraternity will talk about for decades to come, especially as this was an Asian derby. Japan beat China 14-11 in the February Asian championships, which was the qualifier for the World Aquatics Championships
China had a brilliant start, shooting to 3-1 before Japan came back to level and then China surged away with the last three goals. Shao Yixin was the only double scorer, sneakily backhanding a goal from the deep right wing for 3-1 and lobbing from the same position on extra for 6-3. Three goals came on counter and one from the penalty line.
China stretched the margin by one in the second quarter as some new players on the international scene made the scoresheet. Japan made several errors that could have been goals. Yan Jing backhanded a goal to start the scoring and Zhang Qishuo countered all the way down the pool for their second goals, giving China an 8-3 advantage. Goals were traded with six different players before Maho Kobayashi scored her second of the period on extra from the top left for 11-7.
The third period was tied with China going six goals up after Zou Yuhe gained her first goal at this level and Yan Jing lobbed from centre forward. Momo Inoue, from an illustrious water polo family, scored her first goal of the tournament with a bounce shot and Shoka Fukuda skipped her shot through the defence on extra for 13-9. Zhou scored the next two Chinese goals either side of a Fuka Nishiyama penalty strike.
Japan was on a mission in the final quarter after Nong Sanfeng pushed it out to five goals from centre. The next four goals came to Japan before a Chinese timeout to try and stem the flow. Captain Arima with a penalty goal; Nishiyama with a rebound off her missed penalty shot; Ai Sunabe on counter with the ball just crossing the line; and left-hander Kobayashi putting in a rebound after counter-attack had the match perfectly poised. At 17-16, China was on shaky ground and the timeout did little to steady the nerves. The subsequent shot was saved and at the other end Kawaguchi fired in her ninth goal for the week on penalty unbelievably to level at 17, a long time since 3-3 in the first quarter. Two minutes later, Japan gained an extra play and Arima stepped up from centre forward for her fourth of the match and 13th in Chengdu for the 18-17 lead at 2:41. At 1:57, the pressure became too much for Chinese head coach Wu Zhiyu and he was red-carded from the pool deck. He challenged for a potential violence and was it was dismissed after a VAR decision. China gained a timeout at 0:19 and sent seven field players up front. The ball came to Zhou with four seconds left and her shot barred down and Japan had the improbable victory. A VAR decision confirmed the ball had not crossed the line.
Match Heroes
Arima was again the star for Japan with four goals to give her a tournament-high 13 from three matches. Kawaguchi and Kobayashi netted three apiece. For China, Yan Jing fired in four goals and Zhou three while goalkeeper-captain Shen Yineng stopped eight shots in her three quarters.
Turning Point
China’s six-goal advantage two minutes into the third period and then Japan’s amazing 6-1 final quarter with five goals in four minutes.
Stats Don’t Lie
Japan had the better of the statistics, although four from 11 on extra was not the best. China converted three from six. Japan put in four from five on penalty to China’s double. On steals, Japan made 10 to eight and on overall shots, Japan blasted 39 to 26, a huge differential.
Bottom Line
The coach’s red card did not help when most needed on the side of the pool. He could have coaxed a goal out of his team. Japan was spirited, calm and had the mental toughness to come through for the victory.