The Aussie Stingers inflicted a massive defeat on World and World Cup champion Greece, putting a trip to the Sydney Finals for the Greeks in the balance with one day to go. Hungary thrashed Japan and is still in the hunt for the last berth, depending on what happens on Wednesday.
Overview
Just when you think the tournament is over and the final five positions sealed, Finals host Australia throws a spanner in the works by thumping Greece 17-6, probably its biggest defeat in years. In doing so, it now sits second in the group behind the Stingers, ahead of Hungary — who thumped Japan 28-13 today — by virtue of beating its fellow European nation on Monday. Greece’s clash with Japan would become irrelevant as the result of the Hungary-Australia first match on Wednesday would decide the group standings. If Hungary beats Australia in regular time (for three points) it sets up a three-way tie and Hungary has the better goal differential currently, meaning Hungary would gain the final berth and Greece would stay at home, losing its crown. A three-way tie would exclude the results against Japan.
In Group A, where the top four teams are jostling for positions, there was also mayhem, of sorts. United States of America upset Olympic champion Spain 7-5 in the lowest-scoring match of the tournament to take top position. On day two, Spain beat USA 17-15 in a penalty shootout, so this is Spain’s first loss. Netherlands turned the tables on Italy’s third-day 12-10 victory with an incredible 12-goal turnaround at 12-2. Thus, three of the four matches did not go to form.
Match Reports
Match 17. Classification 5-8, Second Round.
AUSTRALIA 17 GREECE 6 (8-1, 4-3, 2-2, 3-0)
Australia put the cat among the pigeons with a colossal victory over Greece, which is now reeling, eying a possible end to its dreams of a Sydney Finals berth. The match was there for the taking and the trip assured, but it failed to turn up in the first quarter and the team was in disarray, boldly trying to repair the damage in the middle half before realising the task was too much in the final quarter. Australia has already qualified as the host nation, but it wishes to prepare well for the home crowd in a venue that attracted 17,000 spectators when Australia won Olympic gold 26 years ago. Australia led twice and lost both its first two matches and since has strung together three victories, including the day-three 13-10 margin over Greece, making this a historic repeat against 2025’s world’s best team.
Australia was two up early before the Greek response through Christina Siouti on extra. Sienna Hearn headed a three-goal burst, forcing Greece to take a timeout. It did little as the Aussie Stingers rattled in another three goals for an impressive 8-1 opening quarter that had the Greeks stunned. Danijela Jackovich scored twice in the last 50 seconds. Tenealle Fasala steered in a high pass to the right-post position to start the second quarter and 9-1. Greek stand-in captain Eleni Xenaki converted extra off the first pass and Siouti hit the crossbar on penalty. Jackovich gained her third from centre forward and Stefania Santa countered for 10-3. She scored again at 12-4 on penalty — the halftime score.
Alice Williams on penalty and captain Bronte Halligan with a lob goal pushed the margin to 10 early in the third quarter. Xenaki scored twice on extra as each team took a timeout in the closing five minutes. Halligan fired in her fourth from deep right to start the final period with Abby Andrews on counter for her second and Jackovich with her fourth on extra for 17-6 at 4:13. It turned out to be the last goal as both sides put up the shutters with excellent defence. For Greece, it was too late.
Editor’s Note: Greece played without a Plevritou in the water for the first time this decade, probably. Captain Eleftheria Plevritou is out with injury for the second match in a row and Vasiliki Plevritou was not on the roster today.
Match Heroes
Captain Halligan and centre forward Jackovich claimed four apiece for the Aussies and Xenaki three for Greece.
Turning Point
The bewildering opening quarter. Where was Greece?
Stats Don’t Lie
Australia converted only one from four on extra but stopped six from 10. The Stingers claimed both penalty attempts to Greece’s one from two. Australia won the steals 2-1 while the shots were even at 26.
Match 18. Classification 5-8, Second Round.
HUNGARY 28 JAPAN 13 (6-1, 7-6, 8-1, 7-5)
This is the fourth time Japan has amassed 10 or more goals in a match and lost. On day two, these teams clashed and the score was 16-12. The difference in the two encounters is immense. This was a breath-taking match in which shots were being fired at machine-gun rate and the visits to the penalty line an absorbing 12 times. Hungary made its mark with the opening five goals, four on action and one from penalty. Kata Hajdu was the double scorer. Speedster Fuka Nishiyama, who beat the undisputed queen of sprinting, Vanda Valyi, in the first swim-up (roles reversed in the third period), slotted a penalty goal. Kamilla Farago hit the post with her penalty attempt but Valyi scored on counter for 6-1 at the first break. The second quarter was a huge affair with Hungary gaining the edge by one with Eszter Varro netting a hat-trick to go with her first-quarter effort while Zoe Lendvay and Hajdu netted twice each. For Japan, there were six different scorers with Nishiyama collecting her second for 13-7.
Hungary closed the gate in the third period, rushing to 20-7 through a variety of scorers including newcomer Kinga Alaksza. Kako Kawaguchi broke the Japanese impasse at 20-8 and Hajdu closed for 21-8 with three seconds left on the clock. Eruna Ura converted a penalty foul at the top of the fourth with Hungary shooting to 24-9 before Kawaguchi on penalty, Ura on action and Akari Inaba on extra getting into double figures at 24-12. Hajdu and two Lendvay goals brought it to 27-12 with Nina Lowrey and Hajdu trading goals in the last 20 seconds for 28-13. Hajdu scored on the buzzer — the third time she beat the horn in the match.
Match Heroes
Varro and Lendvay with six goals each for Hungary while the goalkeepers gathered 12 saves. For Japan, Ura was best with three goals.
Turning Point
The first quarter set the tone and the third period was the killer quarter.
Stats Don’t Lie
Hungary fired in five from nine on extra and Japan two from six. Hungary missed two of its six penalty attempts and Japan made sure of its six. The steals were shared at two and the shots favoured Hungary 38-32.
Match 19. Classification 1-4, Second Round.
NETHERLANDS 12 ITALY 2 (3-0, 2-1, 2-0, 5-1)
European champion Netherlands climbed into second position in the group with a stunning annihilation of Italy in what was a low-scoring encounter, showing just how close these teams are. Considering two days before Italy was the aggressor and victor 12-10, today’s result was extra stunning — a massive turnaround. Italy was kept scoreless for long periods and the first goal came at precisely 14 minutes into the match. The second came more than 17 minutes later, when the last-minute call had been made. The Dutch obviously studied Italy’s weaknesses and went for the jugular.
It was an excellent start for the Dutch with player-of-the-match Laura Aarts stopping Chiara Ranalli’s penalty attempt to keep the clean sheet and amass three goals on the way. Simone van de Kraats took the first pass on extra to make it 4-0 at 5:51 of the second period. She hit the left post on penalty soon after. Agnese Cocchiere backhanded in Italy’s first goal two minutes form the half and Pien Gorter accepted a near pass on the right post to score for 5-1 — the halftime score.
Maxine Schaap from deep left and Lola Moolhuijzen on penalty helped keep Italy scoreless as the score increased to 7-1 by the final break. More Italian woes as every shot was blocked or missed while Netherlands turned the screws with four more goals — two to Schaap and another Moolhuijzen penalty goal. As the tiredness had truly settled in, Italy took a timeout and soon after Roberta Bianconi converted extra from the top right at 0:48. Lieke Rogge, who opened the period with her deep-left goal, ended the period on extra from the top left for an improbable 12-2 success.
Match Heroes
Schaap and Moolhuijzen with three each for Netherlands while goalkeeper Aarts made nine saves.
Turning Point
The 4-0 score two minutes from halftime was the basis for the victory.
Stats Don’t Lie
Netherlands converted three from five on extra and stopped five from six; scored both penalty attempts while Italy missed one. Italy took the steals two to one and the overall shots 22-21.
Match 20. Classification 1-4, Second Round.
SPAIN 5 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 7 (2-0, 1-2, 2-2, 0-3)
USA is fast heading for a top finish in Rotterdam, just needing a victory over Italy on the last day on Wednesday. It didn’t look like USA was going to win early on, being 2-0 down and strangely for USA, not scoring in a quarter. Remember that Spain beat USA 17-15 on day two in a penalty shootout, so the North Americans had that in the back of their minds. USA was 3-2 up last time. The second quarter was tentative, as well, with defence playing a huge part with Spain losing the period, but being 3-2 up at the halftime break. Jenna Flynn opened from the top and had a shot blocked after a timeout. Nona Perez made it 3-1 from top right at 0:24 and Ryann Neushul responded at 0:13, taking in a near pass at the right-post position to score for 3-2.
Elena Ruiz made sure of her first shot of the second half; Jewel Roemer faked a pass to the left and shot for 4-3 on extra; Paula Leiton popped up on the right post and scored off a near pass for 5-3. Rachel Gazzaniga countered and fumbled the shot, but scored at 2:40 to bring the match to one. USA pounced early in the fourth quarter as Emily Ausmus shot and scored from top right for the equaliser. Neushul converted extra off the left-post position. Spain went to a timeout for no result at 3:36 while Jovana Sekulic punched the water in delight after spearing in a pass to the right post for 7-5 at 1:13. Spain called a timeout and the resulting shot hit the cross bar. USA went to a timeout and controlled the ball until the final buzzer.
Match Heroes
USA goalkeeper Isabel Williams was named player of the match with 12 saves for USA. Neushul was the only double scorer of the match. Martina Terre took in eight saves for Spain.
Turning Point
USA turning 4-2 down into 6-5 in about six minutes of play.
Stats Don’t Lie
USA claimed two from seven on extra and defended six from eight. Spain made the one steal and took the shots 32-26.
Progress Points
Classification 1-4: USA 6, Netherlands 3, Spain 3, Italy 0,
Classification 5-8: Australia 6, Greece 3, Hungary 3, Japan 0.
Day 6 Schedule
Classification 5-8 Second Round
14:00, Hungary v Australia
15:45, Japan v Greece
Classification 1-4 Second Round
18:30, Spain v Netherlands
20:15, Italy v United States of America