United States of America overcame Netherlands 11-9 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre tonight to secure bragging rights in Group B and now just has to beat winless Argentina for a spot in the quarterfinals. It was movement day as teams jostle for positions with Tuesday’s final group matches finalising positions ahead of the second round and quarterfinals.
Overview
In Group A, Australia overcame Italy 19-15 in a spirited match, virtually sealing the group, while New Zealand was all over Singapore 22-7.
In Group B, China shot efficiently to defeat Argentina 29-9 and champion USA maintained its unbeaten run with a 11-9 win over 2023 champion Netherlands.
In Group C, Hungary and Japan fought a high-scoring match before Hungary won 33-13 while Greece also hit the high-tide mark, downing Croatia 31-7. Hungary will now face Croatia and should top the group as Greece will play Japan and even a win will not be enough to better Hungary.
In Group D, Great Britain gained a second victory, defeating South Africa 12-3 and Spain was untroubled in downing France 23-6 to be in the box seat going into Tuesday’s group decider with Great Britain.
Preliminary Round Group Match Reports
Match 16, Group B, NETHERLANDS 9 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 11 (2-3, 3-4, 1-2, 3-2)
The was the clash of the last two world champion teams with USA currently holding the crown having taken it from the Dutch in Doha last year. It did not take long for Netherlands lead to be erased by the USA. Simone van de Kraats scored the opening penalty attempt. Within three minutes, USA had a penalty hit the bar and another go in thanks to Ryann Neushul, then a very deep shot from the left by Emily Ausmus. There was an urgency from both teams, but passes were having trouble finding their mark. That was until Bente Rogge stood up at the top at 1:02 to send the ball into the top right for the equaliser. USA gained a third penalty foul and Jewel Roemer succeeded for 3-2 at 0:48. A van de Kraats attempt hit the cross bar, leaving USA ahead at the buzzer.
USA led the scoring and it was a total trade-off for the whole second quarter. “What you can do, I can equal.” Neushul scored her second on extra; Lieke Rogge was bettered by Ausmus on counter; Maartje Keuning was shadowed by Emma Lineback. Lieke Rogge lobbed for the 6-5 goal and Anna Pearson scored from two metres to maintain the two-goal differential at the half.
It took some time before anyone could breach the defence with Ausmus converting a penalty at 4:41 for a three-goal break. Stryker stole the ball and went up front, earning an ejection and USA taking a timeout but Ausmus’ shot was deflected wide. Jovanna Sekulic scored from the top right and Vivian Sevenich replied with a backhand from wide right, outside the confines of the goal for 9-6 at the final break. Kitty Joustra and Ava Stryker swapped goals at the top of the fourth period and van de Kraats lobbed for 10-8. Pearson took the margin back to three and the Dutch went to a timeout for no joy. In fact, van de Kraats had her penalty stopped after USA challenged the call. Another timeout yielded a Lieke Rogge goal on extra at 1:37. Despite a number of strong shots, neither team could progress the score and USA had the victory.
Match Heroes
Ausmus with her three goals for USA, but it was her whole team. Goalkeeper Amanda Longan made eight saves. Lieke Rogge was Netherlands best with three goals.
Turning Point
USA busting free of 2-2 and never relinquishing the lead.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted one from two on extra and the Dutch none from two. USA scored three from four on penalty and the Dutch one from two. The steals went the way of USA 2-0. Netherlands out-shot USA 31-27.
Bottom Line
Both are champions and either side could have won. The younger USA must be commended.
What They Said
Adam KRIKORIAN (USA) — Head Coach
On the victory:
“Gee, that’s a great win for that group. A big win for such a young team. They’ve come a long way in six weeks. Just proud of the effort and how consistent we were from start to finish with our focus. I’m a bit surprised to be honest, but we will take it and really enjoy this tonight and it’s really long tournament, so we can’t get too high. We’ve got to keep it in perspective, as well.”
Emily AUSMUS (USA) — Player of the Match
On her performance and how she stayed focused:
“I think I was just focused on the moment and really before the game I just told myself I was going to have a good game and I feel like that really translated. As a group we talked about just going hard and giving it our all, and I feel like I just gave it my all every play and as a team we really connected and focused up out there.
“Personally, it helps when your team is on the same page as you. But yeah, just focusing on what’s at hand, what’s open, what’s not open and setting each other up.”
On how she’s coping with the absence of Maggie STEFFENS:
“We all talked to Maggie and she’s doing great! It’s nice to have a young group and new faces and stuff like that but obviously all my friends from the past squad are still there. I’m still connected with them and I get lunch with them when we’re back home and I know she’s supporting at home which is great; it’s always great to know that we have people who are watching, always supporting us.”
On improvements to be made:
“I think we can be more connected. This is obviously a new group, we've been together about a month, so just being more connected, finding each other. You never have a perfect game so just going back, watching the film and seeing what we can do better, take every game for itself.
“The game doesn't know who you are and who's going to win but it's who can get out there and grind and at the end of the day, get the win.”
Sabrina VAN DER SLOOT (NED) — Captain
On the biggest challenge of playing USA:
“I think our biggest challenge was defence. We didn't have a good response against their drivers, so yeah, we need to improve that.”
On what the team did well despite the outcome:
“I think that we kept going the whole game and we showed that we are here to play the games and we never give up.”
On how to keep the confidence strong into the next match against China:
“Every game is a new game and we know what we can do, so we have to keep believing in what we can do.”
Match 15, Group A, NEW ZEALAND 22 SINGAPORE 7 (8-2, 5-1, 3-2, 6-2)
New Zealand met some resistance from Singapore after a heavy first quarter that produced 10 goals. The “Polo Blacks” were in control throughout, even when Singapore started throwing goals. The victory makes up for the first-day loss to Italy after leading the Settarosa for the first half. The Kiwis now have to face Trans-Tasman neighbour Australia to have any chance for second in the group. Morgan McDowall was the difference between the two teams as she racked up goals at will. She started with the first two as New Zealand went to 3-0 with Charlene Tio plucking up the crowd with her deft lob shot. McDowall scored a third and Emmerson Houghton made a pair as the Kiwis led 8-2 at the first break. Ranice Yap converted a penalty at 6-2 for Singapore. McDowall and Tio traded goals to start the second period while the Kiwis fired in four straight — McDowall with another — to turn at 13-3.
The third period proved most interesting as the large Singapore supporter base hit crescendo as Lee Lee and Tio scored consecutive goals that made New Zealand take a timeout and reset. Houghton scored and it was 16-5 at the final break. Gabriele Doyle and McDowall started and Tio gained her fourth goal from a brilliant centre-forward turn. It was hard for her not to smile. Singapore gained a penalty, which New Zealand unsuccessfully challenged and Cheng Ong converted. A Kiwi triple took three and a half minutes coming and on the final attack, McDowall lobbed on the final buzzer for 22-7.
Match Heroes
McDowall with a splendid eight goals, followed by Houghton with three for the Kiwis. Tio had four for Singapore and Rochelle Ong made eight saves in goal.
Turning Point
The 6-1 start set the scene for the rest of the match.
Stats Don’t Lie
New Zealand missed its only extra chance while Singapore gained one from three. Both teams struck three penalty goals while the Kiwis stole the ball an amazing 27 times to two. New Zealand shot 39 to 16.
Bottom Line
New Zealand finished 9th in Doha last year and Singapore 16th.
What They Said
Angie WINSTANLEY-SMITH (NZL) — Head Coach
On the team's performance:
“The girls played really well. We've got some things to work on for the next game but I'd like to congratulate Singapore because they've improved a lot in the last two years and I can see them working really hard, so it's really nice to see another country play water polo.”
On what’s been the biggest focus in developing the team:
“It's been a seven-eight-year journey for us together and I think we started out at an average age of 19, and we’re still pretty young at the average age of 23. I think for us, it was getting the overseas experience and building a culture of pride.”
On improving against Australia for the next match:
“We know them very well, they're our local neighbours pretty much. Discipline and defence, that's what we need to do.”
Kristen LIM (SGP) ±— Athlete
On preparations for Singapore 2025:
“A lot of consistent training and ramping up the training to the games.”
On where New Zealand challenged Singapore the most:
“As smaller-sized players normally, we have to work extra hard in terms of stamina, getting up, passing the ball and everything. We have to really challenge ourselves physically but still playing to our strategies as well as our skills.”
Charlene TIO (SGP) — Four Goals
On learnings and the next match against Italy:
“I think (because we’re) playing against bigger players the most important thing is to use our legs to really get out and pass and everything, and really work on our defence.”
Match 14, Group A, AUSTRALIA 19 ITALY 15 (4-3, 4-2, 6-4, 5-6)
This was always going to be a close encounter against two heavyweights. Both nations have won Olympic gold and they played a week ago in Perth, Australia, with Australia a narrow winner. Tonight, it was Australia again with Italy pinching back goals on many occasions. Australia started and went 1-0, 2-1 before Italy went 3-2 with Australia pulling back two goals to head into the second quarter with a one-goal advantage. There was nothing in the encounter and seven players had made the scoresheet. Abby Andrews (lob) and Danijela Jackovich (centre forward) took the Aussie Stingers out to a 6-3 margin by 6:11 in the second quarter. Chiara Ranalli responded on counter for her second goal. Alice Williams, MVP at the Doha edition last year, lobbed and Hayley Ballesty fired in from deep left for a commanding 8-4 advantage. Italy called a timeout at 18 seconds and two seconds from time Ranalli had the ball in the net for 8-5 at halftime.
Goals were traded with Italy leading the way. Dafne Bettini just got her shot over the line; Williams replied on penalty; Sofia Giustini dumped it in from the deep left for 9-7. Abby Andrews then became the biggest thorn in Italy’s side, scoring twice from the bottom right with Italian head coach Carlo Silipo, himself an Olympic champion, receiving a yellow card after the 11-7 score. Italian skipper Agnese Cocchiere scored from centre forward. Andrews did the damage again from the same position and the margin was at four for the second time. Charlize Andrews — no relation to Abby Andrews, although they both hail from Queensland state — backhanded from centre forward. Tilly Kearns repeated the dose on the next attack for an incredible 14-8 score. Ranalli converted another penalty attempt inside the final minute for 14-9.
Abby Andrews tightened the screw with her fifth goal from seven shots in converting extra at 7:17 for 15-9 at the start of the fourth period. Ranalli then scored her fifth goal from six attempts to bring up Italy’s 10th goal at 6:32. The Setterosa dug deep and Morena Leone lobbed from the bottom right to narrow the score to four. This became three after a timeout that set up Ranalli for her sixth goal on extra at 4:56 — the six-goal differential had been halved in quick time. Australia called a timeout to settle the team. It worked as Charlize Andrews found the net on extra from deep left. Roberta Bianconi responded from the top into an empty space. Williams regained the four-goal ascendancy on extra from the top and Kearns finished an extra-player move from the left post off a near pass for 18-13 at 2:48. Cocchiere converted extra in quick time and Bettini did the same two minutes later. The final nail was rammed in by Ballesty with her second on extra with just five seconds left on the clock for a four-goal differential.
Match Heroes
Ranalli from Italy for her persistence and dedication, plus six goals, in keeping her team within striking distance. However, the official title went to Abby Andrews with her five while Williams finished with four and Charlize Andrews and Tilly Kearns with three. Goakeeper Gabi Palm made eight valuable saves when most needed.
Turning Point
The Aussie Stingers coming from 3-2 down in the first quarter to go 4-3 and never be touched again.
Stats Don’t Lie
Australia converted six from 12 on extra to Italy’s commendable eight from 14. The Aussies put away one penalty goal and Italy two. Italy stole the ball four to one and Australia shot 34-32.
Bottom Line
Australia has the “legs” at the moment, with Olympic silver and a recent victory. This virtually sews up the group for Australia ahead of Tuesday’s final group matches.
What They Said
Rebecca RIPPON (AUS) — Head Coach
On the team’s performance:
“We knew today was going to be a really tough match and we’ve been preparing for it so we’re excited to play and it was a really good battle out there. I don’t think either team really got full control of the game. At the end, we did and we knew that they wouldn’t give up. When they kept coming at us right at the end and closed the gap a little bit, we withstood it and then we played really well towards the end of the game, so I’m really proud of the team.”
On whether you expected such a close game:
“We’ve played Italy a lot. They’re a really proud water polo country and they never, ever give up. We played them recently and they did the same thing. When we got in front, they chased us down, so we knew the game was never over. When they started to close the gap, they just started to make a few changes and to our tactics to really control the game. Once we did that, we’re comfortable, so I was expecting it. They never give up and it’s always a good fight with the Italians.”
On the possibility of securing a quarter-final spot:
“We’ve got one more game to play, but if we do qualify for the quarter-finals, it’s an opportunity to train. We’ll see what the team needs depending on how we are after our third game. So, if we do get that advantage, we’ll take it and it’ll be nice to maybe get out of the hotel and see some of Singapore. Just get mentally refreshed, physically refreshed, because we know after that it’s knockout games.”
On winning the silver medal at Paris 2024:
“We’re really proud of what we did in Paris. We just want to continue to build the team and the style we want to play. We’re trying to play a nice, exciting style of water polo that’s nice to watch, but really tough. That’s the aim – that we continue to build a team and to continue to build a programme at home that supports that, so that hopefully, we can get on the podium more often.”
On the growth of the sport:
“The professionalism of the sport has changed a lot. You know, there’s European competitions where you can play as a full-time professional player, so I think that has raised the standard of the sport. It’s forcing all the top teams and everyone else to be better, otherwise you get left behind.
“The rules have changed a little bit also, so it’s creating a more creative game, a more exciting, attacking game; so we’ve just got to keep adapting and building players that, I guess, fit into this game. In Paris, you saw how exciting women’s water polo was, how exciting it was, how the crowds were full and people got behind the sport and the level of the competition was one of the highest I’ve ever seen, so it’s exciting to be part of it.”
Abby ANDREWS (AUS) — Player of the Match
On what made the biggest difference in this match:
“I think we knew that we had to start really strong and be really aggressive and accurate. They've got a team of really strong shooters and put in some great goals, so we really had to tighten up our defence, but I think we backed up ourselves from the beginning and got amazing shots away and just kept putting pressure on them.”
On what it means to represent Australia at this level:
“It means everything. We have younger girls watching us; we have a brand new audience following us from the silver medal in Paris and it really is everything. You get to represent your country and look at the flag when you come out and it's priceless and just amazing.”
On giving advice to young girls aspiring to be athletes:
“Push yourself, get faster at swimming, believe in yourself and if you need, look for a psychologist because they've helped me immensely when I feel down, because sports is all about confidence and how you show up.”
Roberta BIANCONI (ITA) — Goal Scorer
On whether Australia surprised with its tactics:
“No, I don’t think they surprised us. We knew them because we had 10 days of common training with them in Australia. Today, I think that in the second period we didn’t go inside the water (with a plan). We lost ourselves; we lost our balance and confidence so we didn’t find our game. They were a very good team. If you make a mistake, they will be ready to score and beat you.
On how the team could have improved in the match:
“We need to have more teamwork. We are a young team; half of the team are first experiencing the (world) championships so we need to find our balance in the game. I think something we need every time in a game is being a team, or else, we are not ready to play against the strong teams.”
On how she plans to improve team morale:
“I don’t really know right now. I am a player with more experience so I will try to speak with the girls, I will try to help them to find their confidence and to keep calm also because sometimes we are a little bit too nervous and we need to stay more relaxed, just jump in and have fun playing.”
Match 13, Group D, SPAIN 23 FRANCE 6 (6-3, 5-2, 6-0, 6-1)
Olympic champion Spain made sure of a second victory in a match that should have been a little stiffer than the clash with South Africa on day one. Spain raced to a 5-0 lead and for the next seven-eight minutes it was a fairly even match as France provided stronger opposition than expected. However, it fell away after that. France knew how to upset Spain, but could still not hold out the fast-finishing team. Following the Spanish tsunami, France pumped in three goals, thanks to a pair to Ema Vernoux. Paula Crespi scored her second and Spain led 6-3 at the first break.
The dominance continued in the second period as five different players scored for Spain and two for France. Vernoux scored on extra and Jade Boughrara from the deep right. For Spain, former captain Bea Ortiz started the scoring, followed by Irene Gonzalez, Elena Ruiz, sister Ariadne Ruiz and Paula Leiton, for her second, took the score to 11-5 at halftime.
The third period extended France’s drought to nearly 14 minutes as six Spanish goals found the French net. Elena Ruiz and Ariadne Ruiz began the surge, followed by Leiton just getting her backhand across the line. Gonzalez scored a second goal while Daniela Moreno converted a penalty foul and Nona Perez was the recipient of a long goalie pass on counter to score for 17-5 at 0:14.
Come the final quarter, Spain was desperate to keep France out but the bubble had to burst some time. Four goals put the match at 21-5 before France gained an exclusion and Valentine Heurtaux converted with a shot down the bottom right for 21-6 — ending nearly 18 minutes of famine. Crespi and Perez added to their tallies as Spain finished with a handsome winning margin.
Match Heroes
Elena Ruiz top-scored with four and Leiton nabbed three for Spain. Vernoux was the only double scorer for France.
Turning Point
The start and then being able to hold France scoreless for so long.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain converted three from five on extra and France three from eight. Spain put away three penalty goals, made an impressive 10 steals to one and shot 41 to 25.
Bottom Line
Spain has that elusive Olympic gold and it is here for more gold. France has reshaped its team since Paris 2024 with players and a coach.
What They Said
Jordi VALLS (ESP) — Head Coach
On the match:
“I feel very well because we need to win. The team played very well and that's it. Here in Singapore, there are a lot of strong teams and we have to try to play our best in the next games.”
On the received penalties and if he agrees with them:
“Well no, but I think that the decisions during the game is the responsibility of the referees and my opinion isn't important.”
On the pressure of coaching Olympic champions:
“The pressure is not an important thing for the team.”
Lucas HEURTIER (FRA) — Head Coach
On how France plans to recover from the result:
“It was already a good opportunity for us to play against a good team like Spain, and I tried to explain to the girls that if they played at their maximum, it will be positive, for sure. If you miss Now they’re disappointed to (concede 23) goals, which isn’t bad because nobody would like it but in my opinion we can develop also in our defence. We give them some problems and this is the scope of things for the future.”
On the positives:
“We are a young team after all. After the Olympic Games we missed seven players, so it is a new story for this team. We have four or five players who played the last three to four years in our team but 70 percent (of them) are new, so this is a new story for the team and we try to develop a new story.”
On plans to keep the team motivated:
“We will try to teach them to be competitive, so it means (for) every team we will try to develop and play for the best ranking in the end. So, we need to be focused on South Africa and maybe try to develop the best game against Greece and that’s it; we’ll try to develop this every game.”
action but you get your marks, that’s the most important, like this we can improve.”
Match 12, Group C, CROATIA 7 GREECE 31 (1-9, 4-7, 1-7, 1-8)
Greece bounced back from its shock loss to Hungary on day one. Greece wanted to make a statement that the loss was behind it and there are still plenty of matches to win before the medal scenario unfolds. Greece shut out Croatia with a 5-0 rush with Foteini Tricha scoring twice, once on counter and again on extra. Lara Srhoj made it 5-1 for Croatia before Eirini Ninou sent in a pair for 7-1. Neli Jankovic had her penalty attempt rejected and two more Greek goals pushed the score to 9-1 with Stefania Santa getting hers one second from time.
There were more goals in the second quarter with Greece scoring twice before Croatia awoke and started playing the way it had on day one. Goals were traded to 14-4 when Greece sent in three straight before Jankovic drilled from the top for 16-5 at the halftime mark. Maria Myriokefalitaki, who backhanded the 8-1 goal, went on counter and Santa’s counter was her third goal. Magdalena Butic lobbed at centre forward and Iva Rozic scored from the top for Croatia.
The third period was a strong start for Greece, now more on fire than ever with slick passing and counters. Santa stole the ball and countered while Athina Giannopoulou scored twice with the second on counter for 20-5. Croatia took a timeout for no joy and Vasiliki Plevritou scored for Greece. Croatian skipper Matea Skelin was the recipient of a pass after a steal, leaving her free in front of goal, scoring for her team’s sixth goal. Vasiliki Plevritou on extra and Myriokefalitaki with a carefully considered turn at two metres, took the score to 23-6 by the final break. Tricha scored the two openers and Srhoj responded by 6:15 in the fourth period. Then a procession of Greek goals shunted the score out to 31-7 with the experienced players adding to their tallies. Croatia was beaten but not broken.
Match Heroes
Tricha and Santa slammed in five each and Vasiliki Plevritou four. Goalkeeper Alexia Tzourka made 10 saves. For Croatia, Srhoj topped the scoring with three.
Turning Point
A 5-0 start. No turning point at all.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece converted an amazing nine from 11 on extra and shut down Croatia three times.On penalties, Greece was one for one and Croatia one from two. For the steals, Greece made 15 to eight and on overall shots — 40 to 27.
Bottom Line
Greece is the World Cup champion and Croatia is far from that level. However, more experience can build for the future.
What They Said
Foteini TRICHA (GRE) — Five Goals
On the team’s performance:
“We dominated the game. We had our rhythm from the beginning. We tried many things in the defence, especially. And the game might not have been difficult, but I think we tried really hard and we faced a very tough defence.”
On being equal top scorer in the match:
Personally, it's not something that matters a lot. But I'm happy because I'm helping the team achieve what it wants, which is a win. So, I'm really satisfied when I do my job.
On what would be done differently in the upcoming matches:
“We're looking at our opponents – each one differently. But mostly, we focus on ourselves and try to reach our highest level in every game. So, I think we just need to be focused and more focused in every game that’s coming up, no matter who the opponent is.”
Maria PATRA (GRE)
On the team’s performance after losing to Hungary on day one:
“Even though we're a bit upset about the last game's result against Hungary, we showed that our team is very strong and we did our best in offence and defence. We scored a lot of goals, swam a lot and we did well in defence – made lots of blocks. We tried to be better every game, and to keep going forward in the competition as best as we can.”
On what could have been done better:
“We received some goals that were from personal mistakes. Let's say that we don't want to receive some blocks that should be made into goals that we received. We try to avoid as many goals as possible, because you win games from defence. The less goals you receive, the better it is for the team.”
On what teams to look out for:
“We have to look out for every opponent. This is a world championship, and every team is here to win. Even if they're supposedly a team that is not that strong in theory. Everyone plays the same game. We all train for this, and we have to be getting over the opponents. And today’s opponent, Croatia, the goal defence was big — the girls fought a lot. They play a physical game, which is very nice. We don't see it in a lot of the women's teams. We have Japan in front of us, which is an important game for us. We have to win it no matter what. Then whoever comes in front of us, we'll be excited to meet them and excited to play.”
Mia SIMUNIC (CRO) — Head Coach
On the match:
“Greece was so much better; it’s not a level of opponents that we can play against. They were better in every part of the game – in attack, in defence, in transition, scoring. The result says this, also. We just couldn’t handle their strength and so much attack. When we were in attack, they were playing so strong and pressing. It was difficult.”
On the women’s team making its world championship debut:
“It’s our first time at the world championships and we have really, really young girls in the team; 13 of them are aged 16 to 20 years old. That’s no excuse, of course, but they’re really young.”
On what she hopes this young team will take from the experience:
“This is a good school for them. This will help them improve their play, to see how strong they have to be, how fast they have to be and how much they have to think when they play against the best teams in the world.”
Match 11, Group D, GREAT BRITAIN 12 SOUTH AFRICA 3 (5-0, 2-2, 3-1, 1-0)
Britain won the clash of the Commonwealth countries, built mainly on that opening quarter. From there on it was hard for South Africa to pull back the deficit but did shut down the Britons at some stages. Britain controlled the first quarter with five goals, denying South Africa many shots to goals. Lily Turner scored twice, once from the penalty line and the second from deep left. That was 3-0 by 6:13. Toula Falvey shot from the top for the fourth goal and Harriet Dickens made it five at 2:40, the quarter-time score. This was a relief from the previous two matches that averaged a little more than 10 goals per quarter. South Africa rose its head in the second quarter with the first two goals — Hannah Weppelman shovelling the ball in from a melee at the left post and Chloe Meecham converting a penalty a minute later for 5-3. Falvey redressed the situation when she scored twice, her second swotting in a rebound off the crossbar. At 3:25, it proved to be the final goal of the half.
Dickens drilled one from the top to start the third quarter
Match Heroes
Turner scored four goals while Dickens and Falvey scored three each. Goalkeeper Cassidy Ball pulled in seven saves. For South Africa, the goalkeepers were supreme with Kyla Moolman making 10 saves from 13 attempts and Lucy Davis made six from 11.
Turning Point
That opening quarter said it all.
Stats Don’t Lie
Both teams struggled on extra, Great Britain scoring one from seven and South Africa one from four. On penalties, Britain conquered two from three and South Africa one from one. Steals went the way of Britain three-nil and the shots 41-27.
Bottom Line
Great Britain is in the ascendancy, having finished 11th in Doha last year and South Africa 14th, with more experienced players.
What They Said
Katie BROWN (GBR) — Goal Scorer
On the team’s performance:
“Very well today. It was a very challenging game for us (on Friday) because that was our main game within our group that we really wanted to win. It was really great to have another win under our belts and I think the team performed really well and it was a real team performance.”
On what the team could improve on:
“What we felt afterwards and what our coach said to us right after in our team debrief was that it felt like it was quite a swimming game. There weren't that many stoppages. So, our finishing could be a lot better in the next game.”
On the team’s performance so far:
“I think we will bring all of that momentum and all of that confidence going forward. However, Spain is a very hard team. They're the current Olympic champions and so we’ll give them a good go at our next game and we'll go in with all the confidence that we've had from our past two games so far.”
Hannah WEPPELMAN (RSA) — Goal Scorer
On the match:
“It was pretty tough but at the end of the day. I think we came as a team and we really supported one another. We just kept playing and we didn’t give up. That’s the main thing here. We got some scores on the scoreboard.
“It was a really good game, a lot of physicality but water polo is water polo. I really enjoyed the game, going to make lifelong friends as well so it was really good.”
On scoring the first goal for her team:
“I did, and it felt amazing. It really felt amazing. Getting a goal for my team was really the whole goal. Doing it together and supporting one another – it was really amazing.”
Match 10, Group C, HUNGARY 33 JAPAN 13 (8-3, 8-2, 9-3, 8-5)
Hungary made sure of an easier win than the one-goaler against Greece on day one. Hungary was relentless and potent from all angles as the quarter scores show. Japan struggled to keep up but as the last period shows, it was defiant until the end. Eruna Ura opened for Japan but when Vanda Valyi countered at 6:08, the Hungarian machine was activated. Captain Rita Keszthelyi with a lob on counter and Eszter Varro at centre forward, gave Hungary the 3-1 edge. Goals were traded with Natasa Rybanska scoring three consecutive Hungarian goals and Japanese captain Yumi Arima nailing a penalty goal. Valyi and Kata Hajdu finished the scoring for 8-3 at the quarter break. Arima split two Hajdu goals as it moved to 10-4. Arima then split two Varro goals; Japan missed a penalty attempt and four more Hungarian goals closed the half at 16-5. Keszthelyi scored twice more with Valyi scoring on the drive and Hajdu with a most unusual goal. She shot with nine seconds remaining and the ball drifted as players left the pool. It drifted, and with the fans whirring above, created a zephyr than aided the ball across the line for the 16-5 goal, probably more than 10 seconds after the quarter buzzer.
Valyi started the third period with a pair and Dora Leimeter scored from five metres as goalkeeper Haruka Inaba came out — the second time she did this. Arima and Ai Sunabe, Japan’s first scorer, made it 21-7. Valyi and earlier scorer Dalma Domsodi scored on penalty and centre forward respectively. Maho Kobayashi drilled from the top right and Rybanska added to her total. Dorottya Szilagyi finished all scoring from deep left.
The final quarter was just as breathless with a staggering 13 goals. Keszthelyi opened with the first two goals and then the trading began to 30-11 when Rybanska snared her sixth goal. Hajdu grabbed a fifth off a cross pass and Kamilla Farago finished it all at 0:15 with a lob. Japan had two penalty attempts stopped by Luca Torma and Kaka Kawaguchi scored two extra-player goals in the penultimate minute.
Match Heroes
Rybanska and Valyi for six each, Keszthelyi and Hajdu with five and Varro with four led the 10 scorers for Hungary. The goalkeepers pulled in 14 saves with Torma shining with those penalty stops. Japan’s Arima added four goals to the seven she scored on day one.
Turning Point
Japan going from one down to 9-3 up and beyond.
Stats Don’t Lie
Hungary was awesome on extra plays, converting eight from nine and stopping five of 12. Japan netted four from seven on penalty and Hungary three from four. Hungary out-stole Japan 12-7 and outshot 42-37.
Bottom Line
Hungary is gunning for gold. Japan
What They Said
Sandor CSEH (HUN) — Head Coach
On the team’s performance:
“I think we played very well. We expected a little bit of difficulty because Japan is a very good team. The team played well in defence. After the third quarter, we conceded only eight goals for Japan and I think this is good.”
On potential improvements:
“Japan always plays very differently. It was very good that we played well against this style and this was the most important thing to start for the future (games).”
Kata HAJDU (HUN) — Five Goals
On the team’s performance:
“We had to really warm up for this match – it was really early. I think we did our best because we tried to score more goals, which I think we did very well.”
On what the team can improve on:
“We have to correct our mistakes in the defending part but I think our goalie was really good. The attack was also really good but we lost so many passes. So, we have to correct that too.”
On the difference from their opening game against Greece:
“Oh my God. It was a really big relief after the Greece match that we've won. So, we were really happy when we came out of the pool. But we really didn’t underestimate the Japan team because we know that they will score, go forward and also have a really good defence. So, we had a lot of work in both matches but we proved ourselves that we can do anything better with the team.”
Shota HAZUI (JPN) — Head Coach
On the match:
“The Hungary team is very strong. They have power and their shooting is good, their passes are also very good. Very difficult game for us. We wanted to try some counter-attacks but we couldn’t do it.”
Kako KAWAGUCHI (JPN)
On the match:
“We couldn’t play our style of water polo today. They were too fast and very aggressive, and we made a lot of mistakes.”
On areas of improvement for the next match:
“(We need to be) more focused. Shoot more, get more goals and swim faster. No mistakes.”
Match 9, Group B, CHINA 29 ARGENTINA 9 (9-4, 6-1, 6-1, 8-3)
China started the match with precision and closed the same way. Perhaps the influence of Olympic champion Spanish coach Miki Oca has had a positive effect in the short period he has been with the team? China was precise in all departments, especially on the long cross passes that led to goals. Shooting for the top was also accurate. Argentina was no slouch on attack and gained a considerable number of ejections to keep within sight of China.
China first and then Argentina scored before Nong Sanfeng speared in her second, starting a four-goal spurt. Goals were traded to 7-4 before Yan Jing, tapped in a cross pass on the right post and Yan Siya from the right-hand-catch position where China scored at least three of its goals. Argentina’s goals all came from extra-player situations from four different players. The second period was a little slower as Argentina pressured the Chinese into major fouls. By the half’s end, China had amassed 13 majors to eight. Yan Siya dragged one down on a cross pass to start the second quarter, followed by Bianca Perasso for Argentina with a short drive down the left. The next five goals came from China, three on action, one on counter and Yan Jing on extra for 15-5 at 0:26. Anahi Bacigalupo, who scored Argentina’s third goal, had her penalty shot blocked seconds from halftime. China ripped in five straight to start the third period having the score at 20-5 by 2:41. Shao Yixin and Yan Jing scored their seconds. Shao was free down the left to score her third with Maylen Sampedro finishing a counter for Argentina. Nong fired in her fourth from the top at 0:38 for 21-6 at the last break.
Argentina kept pace with China as by now three Chinese had been binned and one from Argentina. The revelation of this period was centre forward Zhou Shang who turned and scored three goals in two and a half minutes. Shao countered and Zhang Yumian converted a penalty as the score climbed to 27-9. Earlier, Julieta Auliel grabbed her second barring down from the top position; Perasso claimed a second on extra and Bacigalupo made sure of her second penalty attempt. Yan Siya and Zhang Yumian scored their third goals each in the final minute to close the match.
Match Heroes
Nong was named best in pool as she and Zhou and Shao claimed four goals each. Three others scored three and all 12 field players made the sheet. The goalkeepers amassed 10 goals between them. For Argentina, Perasso, Sampedro and Auliel scored twice.
Turning Point
The 5-1 at the beginning, followed by Argentina’s 13-minute drought in the middle stages.
Stats Don’t Lie
China claimed seven from 12 on extra and shit down eight of Argentina’s 14 attempts. China scored both penalty goals and Argentina one from two. China made eight steals to two and fired in 45 shots to 28.
Bottom Line
China was crisp, accurate and dedicated. Perhaps too dedicated when it came to the foul count with three not seeing out the match and a handful of others in foul trouble earlier. Argentina was tireless and three goals in the final quarter was excellent reward for persistence.
What They Said
Miguel OCA (CHN) — Head Coach
On whether he thought China would score so many goals:
“I didn’t think there were going to be that many, but the players were very good going on the counter-attack and had good shooting, and we found the goal very easily.”
On the team’s preparations for Singapore 2025:
“We had seven or eight weeks of preparation and we are growing. That’s the point of the preparation – growing game after game. We need to play a lot of games and to play against strong teams like against the USA and with the Netherlands next. We need these kinds of games to grow.”
On what is special about this team:
“They’re really good girls and they work very hard. They are a very good team. The team has a lot of potential. We need to work and with day-by-day training, we’ll keep on growing and then we’ll see where we arrive.”
WANG Huan (CHN) — Goal Scorer
On winning the match:
“It feels good. We were more aggressive in this match. Apart from some small errors in defence, we followed our game plan, especially in our attack.”
On how the team regrouped after their first match:
“We made some mistakes during that game, so we analysed those mistakes after that and tried to correct them. For this match against Argentina, the opponents were not as strong as the USA. So, for us, our goal was to give it our all and take the win.”
On the team’s goal for Singapore 2025:
“Our team is newly formed and our foreign coach just arrived, as well. We’ve been working together for only about seven weeks. So, the goal is always to give our best in every match, and we’ll take it one at a time.”
Progress Points
Group A: Australia 6, Italy 3, New Zealand 3, Singapore 0.
Group B: United States of America 6, China 3, Netherlands 3, Argentina 0.
Group C: Hungary 6, Greece 3, Japan 3, Croatia 0.
Group D: Spain 6, Great Britain 6, France 0, South Africa 0.
Day 5 Schedule
Match 17. 09:00. Group B, Argentina v United States of America
Match 18. 10:35. Group C, Greece v Japan
Match 19. 12:10. Group D, South Africa v France
Match 20, 13:45, Group D, Great Britain v Spain
Match 21. 16:00. Group B, China v Netherlands
Match 22. 17:35. Group A, Australia v New Zealand
Match 23. 19:10. Group A, Italy v Singapore
Match 24. 20:45. Group C, Croatia v Hungary