World and World Cup champion Greece moved one step closer to the Sydney Finals by disposing of Hungary by an incredible five goals during the first day of the second round. Greece will have to wait until its final match against Japan on Wednesday to cement the final qualification berth.
Overview
While all eyes were on the first match, there were other intriguing encounters.
In Group A, where the top four teams have qualified, United States of America inflicted a second consecutive loss on European champion Netherlands — 12-10 — and unbeaten Olympic champion Spain, fifth at this year’s Europeans, defeated Italy 14-12 with the separation occurring in the third period.
In Group B, European bronze medallist Greece’s win was the huge revelation with a 14-9 margin and Olympic silver medallist Australia, already qualified as the host nation, thumped Japan 22-10. This gives some insight to Greece’s chances of securing a final-day win and the confirmation of a Sydney trip. Hungary needs to beat Japan and Australia for any slim chance of making the Finals. It was runner-up lats year and the silver medallist at January’s Europeans but is playing without the services of long-time captain Rita Keszthelyi who is out for the rest of the season after suffering an injury during club competition.
Match Reports
Match 13. Classification 5-8, Second Round.
HUNGARY 9 GREECE 14 (2-1, 2-3, 3-4, 2-6)
Greece took a big step to qualifying for Sydney with a rampant victory over closest rival Hungary. The statistics show how hard the Greeks worked, playing the last match the night before and the first today. Back on the pool deck was head coach Haris Pavlidis after a suspension when his team lost to Netherlands and Australia. It really came down to the last quarter where a Greek surge sent it across the line. Eleni Xenaki opened the scoring with a skip shot at centre forward but Hungary was quickly 2-1 up with Greece having a penalty shot rejected just before the first break. Eszter Varro flipped in a ball from centre forward with the goalkeeper coming out, giving Hungary a 3-1 advantage early in the second period. Stefania Santa on penalty; Maria Patra from deep left and Christina Siouti with a missile from the top shifted the advantage to Greece. Kamilla Farago repeated the shot to level at 4-4 a minute from halftime.
Greece went two up with another from Xenaki and Farago traded goals with Siouti and Xenaki before speedster Vanda Valyi went on counter for 8-7, still at 2:44 before the last break. In the first minute of the last quarter, Hungarian head coach Sandor Cseh objected to a penalty call — and several others before apparently — throwing his glasses into the pool and giving a lengthy “speech” to anyone who would listen before being removed from the pool deck. Siouti slotted that penalty and another soon after with Xenaki from the top right and Athina Giannopoulou on penalty for the 12-9 margin that broke the hearts of the Hungarians. Hungary replied with consecutive goals but Siouti and Giannopoulou had the last say in the final 90 seconds for a heroic 14-9 victory when on the brink of losing its World Cup crown.
Match Heroes
Siouti with five goals for Greece and captain Xenaki with four. Ioanna Stamatopoulou made 10 saves. For Hungary, Farago slotted four goals and Boglarka Neszmely also stopped 10 shots.
Turning Point
Greece coming from 3-1 down to 4-3 ahead and then scoring three straight for 12-7.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece converted one from four on extra and stopped eight from 10. Greece scored four from five on penalty and Hungary one from one. The steals were shared at one and Greece outshot Hungary 33-27.
Match 14. Classification 5-8, Second Round.
AUSTRALIA 22 JAPAN 10 (7-3, 6-3, 5-3, 4-1)
Australia prepared well for the two hard matches ahead as it shoots for fifth placing to prove its worth as the host nation in Sydney. Today’s match started strongly at 4-0 and then to 7-2, closing the quarter at 7-3. While the Aussie Stingers were pounding in goals, Japan was not resting, bouncing back and plundering double figures despite the onslaught. Those first 10 goals came from 10 different scorers. Sienna Hearn became the first double scorer, on penalty, to start the second quarter with Kako Kawaguchi responding on extra. Bless Daly (17) and centre forward Tilly Kearns countered for 10-4. After a Japanese penalty goal, Olivia Mitchell and a pair of Alice Williams goals pushed the score to 13-5. Japan replied on counter for the halftime score.
Kawaguchi opened the second half on extra and three more Aussie goals made it 16-7 with Daly again scoring on counter. Japan had two penalties rejected by Genevieve Longman in the quarter as two Sienna Green goals, the second a wide lob shot, took the score to 18-9 at the final break. Eruni Ura converted a penalty foul for double figures with the final four goals going to the Stingers — the last two to centre forward Danijela Jackovich — one off the right-post position and the second while the goalkeeper and two defenders were on top of her.
Match Heroes
Longman with 11 saves in goal — two on penalty — while fellow Aussie Stingers, Green, Hearn, Williams and Kearns scored three each. Only one field player missed scoring, not having a shot. For Japan, Ura, Kawaguchi, Hikaru Shitara and Fuka Nishiyama scored twice each. Star shooter and captain Yumi Arima sat out the match.
Turning Point
Australia going 4-0 and 7-2 up in the first period set the scene.
Stats Don’t Lie
Australia made three from four on extra and Japan three from seven. Australia put away all four penalty shots while Japan missed two of its four. The Stingers stole eight balls to one and shot 29 to 27. That Aussie shooting percentage was huge at 75.9.
Match 15. Classification 1-4, Second Round.
NETHERLANDS 10 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 12 (2-1, 2-5, 4-3, 2-3)
USA gained its third win from four matches with a steady win over European champion Netherlands. The match was tied twice by Netherlands either side of the final break, making this a close encounter with a tense finish. Ryann Neushul opened for USA with Fleurien Bosveld and Kittylynn Joustra responding. USA scored the first three of the second period to regain the lead and traded goals brought the match to 6-4 at halftime. Neushul was the only double scorer in the half. Goals were traded to start the second half with Neushul claiming her third at 8-5. A Dutch triple made it 8-8 with Nina ten Broek, Vivian Sevenich, and Bosveld on extra, giving the team a huge boost. Rachel Fattal converted extra for 9-8 at the last break.
Neushul had her penalty attempt shut down and Sevenich equalised with her second immaculate centre-forward backhand. There were still seven minutes to play with plenty on the table. Flynn blasted from the top and after a USA timeout, she converted extra to have the match at 11-9. Neushul slammed in her fourth from the top left and, despite two Dutch timeouts, it could not get past the USA defensive wall. The final goal came from Simone van de Kraats from way out the top right on the buzzer for 12-10.
Match Heroes
Neushul with four goals and captain Flynn with three for USA. Van de Kraats, Bosveld, Sevenich and ten Broek all scored a pair for Netherlands.
Turning Point
The three-goal spurt in the fourth period by USA.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA bombed five from six on extra and saved five from nine; Netherlands missed the only penalty awarded; neither side made a steal and Netherlands shot 30-23.
Match 16. Classification 1-4, Second Round.
SPAIN 14 ITALY 12 (3-3, 3-3, 5-3, 3-3)
Olympic champion Spain remained unbeaten after four days but was hard-pressed by the Italians who conquered Australia and Netherlands and is sitting pretty ahead of the flight to Sydney — something probably no current European teams’ players have done before. Spain looked confident at 3-1 before two minutes were up with Chiara Ranalli striking her second, just crossing the line, and Dafne Bettini lobbeing from deep right for 3-3 at 4:09. No further goal came in the period. Bettini needed VAR to get her penalty shot to take Italy in front several minutes into the second quarter. Paul Leiton needed VAR to show her tap in crossed the line while her second was a smashing shot from two metres off a cross pass. Irene Gonzalez made it a two-goal match from deep left. However, Italy was equal to the task with a pair of extra-player goals for 6-6 at the long break.
Paula Crespi and Agnese Cocchiere traded goals to start the second half with Spain scoring four of the next five goals to take an 11-8 grip on the match. Elena Ruiz, the opening scorer, dragged one in from the left-post position and another from the top. Roberta Bianconi, an Olympic silver medallist 10 years ago, lobbed for 11-9 to close the third period. Ranalli cruised one in from the top with Spain responding twice, including a fourth from Elena Ruiz. Crespi inflicted more pain on extra at 3:03 for 14-10. Italy was not finished, scoring through Lavinia Papi on counter — her first of the tournament — and Bettini from deep right on extra for 14-12.
Match Heroes
Elena Ruiz with four Spanish goals and Gonzalez with three. Bettini and Ranalli snared three each for Italy. The picture below was staged today, 24 hours after Italy qualified, as it did not know its fate until after Australia defeated Greece later in the evening.
Turning Point
Spain turning a one-goal deficit into 6-4 and despite ties at six and seven, maintaining the advantage until the end.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain scored three from six on extra and saved five from 11. Both teams converted a penalty foul and Spain made one steal and shot 34-24.
Progress Points
Classification 1-4: Spain 3, USA 3, Italy 0, Netherlands 0
Classification 5-8: Australia 3, Greece 3, Hungary 0, Japan 0.
Day 5 Schedule
Classification 5-8 Second Round
14:00, Australia v Greece
15:45, Hungary v Japan
Classification 1-4 Second Round
18:30, Netherlands v Italy
20:15, Spain v United States of America