Overview

Netherlands had no answer for Russia’s determination and finishing power and will now shuffle off to the five-eight playoffs.

United States of America was on song with a gripping 14-8 margin over China, holding the Asians to a 20-minute drought midway through the encounter.

Australia took the lead off Italy midway through the first quarter and always led — three at one stage — before slipping home 15-14.

In the final match of the night, Spain came from one down to defeat Hungary 8-7 in another heart-stopper.

Quarterfinal Match Reports

Match 1. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 14 CHINA 8 (5-4, 2-0, 3-0, 4-4).

USA came through as expected with a shaky start with both teams failing to take open shots as World Cup nervousness set in. USA shut the shop to Chinese visitors when it went 20 minutes, scoring 8-0, setting up the victory. China started the scoring and USA led 2-1, 4-2 and grabbed the 5-4 advantage five seconds from the first break. Both teams played effective water polo with USA missing one of its two penalty attempts, three shots coming on extra and two from centre forward as the teams wasted no time in establishing themselves for the next stage of competition. Yan Siya netted on the first attack and Emily Ausmus scored twice, the first on extra and the second on penalty. It was much tighter in the second quarter as the first goal did not come until 2:38 when Paige Hauschild steered the ball in from the left-post position on extra. Up until then there were just the two shots. Jenna Flynn, who broke the impasse late in the first period, gained her second on penalty at 2:03 for 7-4, which was the halftime score. By now, China was scoreless for nearly 10 minutes.

The Chinese malaise followed in the third as USA took command, even though any goals scored were hard-earned. Ryann Neushul hit the crossbar on penalty after an illegal substitution by China. Ausmus drilled from the top and Neushul scored on action as the referee finally gave a yellow to both coaches simultaneously by 3:09. USA took a timeout at 1:34, but it was not until a minute later that Flynn scored off counter, separating the teams by six goals. The Chinese frustration continued as yet another shot was blocked and USA countered, wasting the opportunity with a badly timed pass before the third-quarter buzzer sounded. China was scoreless for 18 minutes. USA raced to 12-4 and at 5:39, Shao Yixin found a slim gap from the right, sliding the ball into net for 12-5 — the first Chinese goal for 20 minutes. She snared another on the next attack; goals were traded and timeouts were swapped with China successful on its extra-player ploy through Zhang Yumian. Neushul had the final say on extra at 1:21 and another Chinese timeout at 0:12 yielded nothing.

Match Heroes
Ausmus was adjudged best in pool with four goals with USA team-mates Flynn and Neushul netting three each. For China, Shao scored twice.

Turning Point
USA keeping China scoreless for those 20 minutes.

Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted five from 10 and China four from seven. USA put away three of five penalty attempts and outshot China 27-23.

What They Said
Rachel Fattal (USA) — Captain
On scoring 14 goals today as a team, keeping the Chinese scoreless for two quarters, you must be very proud of that defensive effort.
“I think we came out a little slow in the first two quarters, so locking them down in the second two quarters was really important to us.”
On enjoying Australia:
“We’re having a blast; it’s an amazing country, very happy to be here enjoying this tournament.”

Match 2. NETHERLANDS 6 RUSSIA 11 (2-2, 1-2, 1-2, 2-5)

European champion Netherlands felt the brunt of Russia’s desire to emerge into the top echelon after a five-year hiatus, having no answer for the more determined Russians. Netherlands only had a brief advantage in the second quarter while Russia enjoyed possession and provided stiff defence on poor shooting options. Netherlands could blame jet lag but in fact it was the uprights and crossbar that were demons, let along the sea of arms. Netherlands is without veteran captain Sabrina van der Sloot and sharpshooter Simone van de Kraats, but that was not why Netherlands lost. Russia struck first with a superb centre-forward backhand from Vladislava Nechaeva. It was not until 4:00 that Lola Moolhuijzen responded on extra. Anastassiya Adikova gave Russia the edge again and Lieke Rogge was successful from the penalty line for 2-2 at 1:34. Moolhuijzen gained the lead for Netherlands on penalty at the top of the second quarter. Russia challenged on a non-penalty call and was successful, but the resulting shot was smothered. The evergreen Ekaterina Prokofyeva, who played in this pool in 2010, finished extra at 4:04 from the top, making up for her missed penalty attempt, and at 1:37, Daria Savchenko scored from top right for Russia’s 4-3 advantage at the long break.

Netherlands had gone seven minutes without a strike It was not to be for another four minutes before it found the net again. By then Bella Markoch stretched the margin to two before Pien Gorter hammered one in from deep left, probably in sheer frustration. It was 4:01, then Mariia Makarova converted extra from top right for 6-4, a score that held until the final break. Netherlands folded in the final quarter as Russia went on the rampage. Nothing the Dutch could do worked, even sending up seven players several times, succeeding once and not so on the second, backfiring with a Makarova missile from well inside her half. The Dutch twice hit the bar on penalty as Makarova netted twice and Markoch came through with the last. Russia deserved victory and as Dutch head coach Eve Doudesis said: “We couldn’t find the spaces.”

Match Heroes
Makarova netted three for Russia and diminutive goalkeeper Diana Khamraeva made 10 saves. For Netherlands, Laura Aarts was the star with a magnificent 12 saves in goal while Rogge, Moolhuijzen and Gorter scored twice each.

Turning Point
The 2-1 third period applied the pressure and the punctuation mark came in the final quarter.

Stats Don’t Lie
Russia buried five from 10 on extra and stopped four from five. The Dutch missed two of four penalty shots and Russia missed its one chance.  The steals went 3-1 to the Russians and the shots 36-26. It was not Netherlands’ day.

What They Said

Sergey Markoch (RUS) — Head Coach

On the win:

“It was very good game. I am happy because we played good tactics… and we won against current European champions.”

On his goalkeeper Diana Khamraeva (Player of the Match):

“She is very clever; she knows where every player should go. She was the best player out there tonight; she deserved player of the match.” 

 

Match 4. ITALY 14 AUSTRALIA 15 (3-3, 4-5, 4-3, 3-4)

Australia survived a dogged Italy, taking the lead midway through the first quarter and never relinquishing that advantage despite Italy coming back at 11 and 12.  Italy narrowed the match to one with just over a minute remaining and had to withstand a seven-field-player assault and then a final long-range shot. Australia’s trump card was goalkeeper Gabriella Palm whose 25 minutes brought nine important saves.

Italy was not going to let the huge Aussie crowd sway its shooting decisions or determination. It started first and finished last for the 3-3 margin with Dafne Bettini scoring twice for the Europeans and Alice Williams twice for the Aussie Stingers. Australia went 2-1 and 3-2 ahead but Bettini’s missile from the top with eight seconds left kept the balance. It was more lively in the second as Australia gained the edge, shooting out to 8-5 before Italy dragged the match to one with two goals in the final minute. Left-hander Abby Andrews snapped in the first two goals and Charlize Andrews, no relation, netted two more either side of a Tilly Kearns drag-back shot. Centre-forward Agnese Cocchiere made it 4-4 and Chiara Tabani 6-5 down. Sofia Giustini from the top and Chiara Ranalli on extra six seconds from the buzzer brought Italy back into the match.

Kearns and Ranalli, on penalty, swapped goals to start the second half. There was another trade; Kearns nabbed a third on counter; Italy lost a penalty challenge, but like the last period, Italy scrambled in the last two, this time levelling at 11. Bettini scored consecutive goals for nine and 10 and Giustini gained her second on extra. This left the final quarter as a tantalising eight minutes. Palm made three consecutive stops. At the other end, captain Bronte Halligan, celebrating her 200th international, smashed in a goal off the far post for 12-11. Lavinia Papi responded at centre forward. It was then Sienna Hearn’s time to shine, scoring consecutive bounce goals from the bottom left for 14-12 at 4:44. Cocchiere easily replied at two metres; Kearns reared high on the right-post position on extra for 15-13 at 1:54. Italy was not done. Gaia Gagliardi backhanded a rebound at 1:19 for 15-14 down. Italy called a timeout at 0:51 and sent up seven players to no effect. Australia went to a timeout even though there was an empty goal. Discretion was needed. The time was used, Italy regained and the subsequent shot was smothered by Palm. Australia was in the top four.

Match Heroes
Aussie Stinger Palm, without question was best with her nine valuable saves — none soft. Kearns buried four goals while Bettini did the same for Italy.

Turning Point
Australia grappling the lead in the first quarter and maintaining the forerunning.

Stats Don’t Lie
Australia was near perfect on extra with eight from 10 and stopped nine from 14. There was the result of the match. Italy scored three penalty goals and the Aussies one. The steals went six to two for Italy and the shots 36-27 but Australia’s conversions rate was 55 per cent.

What They Said

Bronte Halligan (AUS) — Captain and 200th International

On the match:
“It just felt unreal; it was so cool to step out on to the pool deck and see all our adoring fans — my family and friends. And then to have that group of girls next to me in my 200th game is really special. I also saw Stingers alumni in the stands who have shaped my career as well, so that was so special to have them all here and celebrate the moment with me.


Italy really gave it to us; they came back at us every time. Then we got the two-goal lead, and that gave us a little bit of breathing room. But then they came back and scored really quickly. It was a tough game. We had to stay in it moment by moment, and just keep going and keep building. Ultimately, we got the win because we stayed together and we played united.”

Tilly Kearns (AUS) — Four Goals

On the match:
“That was everything that we were hoping for and that we were expecting. We would’ve probably preferred for it to be a little bit more of a comfortable game but you can never expect that against Italy. So, to get away in such an exciting, close game is so amazing.

On next opponent USA:
“We’ve been preparing against USA for this tournament for the last two weeks, so we know each other inside and out. I think it’s going to be who can nail the basics the best for that game. I’ve played with so many of those girls, so I know them and they know me really well. So hopefully the home crowd advantage can help carry us over the line, but it would be really special to get another semifinal win against them.”

Match 3. SPAIN 8 HUNGARY 7 (2-2, 3-2, 1-2, 2-1)

Spain survived in another classic match, controlling for much of the time before finding itself behind midway in the final quarter. Two goals redressed the imbalance and Spain was through to the semifinals with a match-up against Russia on Friday. Hungary had to play catch-up water polo with Ariadne Ruiz and centre forward Paula Camus leading the way for Panna Tiba to reply twice, the second on counter at 2:40. In the second quarter, Camus pounced on a rebound to score with Kata Hajdu on extra and Zoe Lendvay on the deep left grasping the nettle for Hungary. The lead was enjoyed for three minutes before Spain netted the next two to go into the long break 5-4 ahead.

It was the same in the third quarter with Hajdu levelling at five on extra from the left-post position and Nona Perez replying off the right post from a near-post pass. It was 5:35 and plenty of time for Hungary to respond. Krisztina Garda rocketed home a shot for 6-6 at 4:26.  Both teams used a timeout without any change to the scoreboard by the end of the period. Hajdu swam up and slotted a penalty goal for Hungary’s first lead at 6:06 of the fourth period. Queralt Bertrand, a newcomer to the team, spirited in a shot for 7-7 at 4:23. Irene Gonzalez regained the lead for Spain from the deep left at 1:50. This proved to be enough for victory and advancement to the semifinals.

Match Heroes
Spanish goalkeeper Martina Terre with 14 saves and Camus with two goals. For Hungary, Hajdu netted three goals.

Turning Point
Spain coming back from one down in the final quarter to finish one up.

Stats Don’t Lie
Spain netted three from 10 on extra and defended nine of 11. Hungary converted the only penalty goal, won the steals six-three and the overall shots 28-26.

What They Said