Hungary will play Greece for the gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Sunday following stunning semifinal matches on Saturday night.
Overview
In the classification 1-4 semifinals, Hungary scored with a minute remaining to deny Australia its second World Cup final match with an exciting 13-12 result. The match was tied on seven occasions — twice in the final quarter.
And in the second semifinal, Greece won 10-9 over Italy in a match of more red cards and plenty of challenges. Greece led by three in the last and Italy was milliseconds away from equalising but the buzzer interevened.
In the classification 5-6, there were incredible scenes as goals were disallowed, red cards were dished out with seeming abandon with two going to the shower with two seconds left on the clock. In the end, Spain made a remarkable comeback to win in sudden-death penalty shootout 17-16 after the match was tied at 12-12.
In the classification 7-8 encounter, Croatia put paid to Georgia's hopes of a victory, winning 18-12 with a 6-1 third quarter.
Day 5 Schedule
Classification 3-4
14:30, Australia v Italy
Classification 1-2
18:00, Hungary v Greece
Match Reports
Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Match 8. ITALY 9 GREECE 10 (2-1, 2-4, 2-2, 3-3)
These two teams provided another one-point semifinal and it was Greece how survived after leading by three goals in the fourth. Italy started in style and led 2-1 at quarter time and looked capable of heading into the final until one of the Italians saw red and upset the apple cart. Vincenzo Dolce and Stefano Guerrato made the sheet for Italy while Dimitrios Skoumpakis replied for Greece. In the second quarter, Greece scored the first two goals and Filip Ferrero drew level at three. At 4:14, the match took a turn for the worse for Italy, it seemed. Mario del Basso was red-carded after consultation with VAR. He was sent on a violence foul, so a penalty had to be taken and four minutes played a man down. Stylianos Argyropoulos had his penalty shot rejected but he scored two goals on extra to push Greece to 5-3 up. Ferrero missed his penalty chance but Matteo Iocchi Gratta countered for the 5-4 goal, meaning Greece went one goal up only in the exclusion period. By the end of the half, Greek goalkeeper Panagiotis Tzortzatos had 18 saves to his name — incredible.
Come the third period, Konstantinos Gkiouvetsis scored twice inside a minute for a three-goal margin. Inside the final two minutes, Italy pulled two back via Giacomo Cannella and Francesco Condemi, on counter while on extra. In the fourth, it did not take long for someone to get into trouble with two players ditched on misconduct fouls — Dolce of Italy and Dimitrios Nikolaidis from Greece. Gkiouvetsis converted a penalty foul and Greece was 8-6 at 6:14. Skoumpakis bounced in a beauty for 9-6 and then Italy’s Alessandro Carnesecchi was heroic with a totally smothered shot in the bottom right for 9-7. Alexandros Papanastasiou was ejected and caught offside. Italy protested he should have left earlier as he might have interfered with the free throw. The referee said “not so”, on VAR review. Carnesecchi was like a man possessed, scoring on extra at 1:13 and after Argyropoulos converted a controversial penalty, Carnesecchi was at it again from deep right at 0:40. Greece took a timeout, lost the ball early and Italy called time at 0:15. Unfortunately, there was one pass too many and the ball was still in hand when the buzzer sounded, gifting Greece a gold-medal berth.
Match Heroes
Tzortzatos with an amazing 21 saves in the match including 10 in the first quarter. Gkiouvetsis and Argyropoulos netted three each for Greece. Carnesecchi landed three goals and goalkeeper Giacomo Nicosia made 10 saves.
Turning Point
Greece going 9-6 up in the last, which proved just enough for victory.
Stats Don’t Lie
Greece scored five from 12 and Italy five from 11 on extra. Greece made three from five on penalty and Italy missed one. Italy won the steals 11-five and the shots 39-26 but Greece’s conversion rate was 38 per cent to 23.
What They Said
Theo Vlachos (GRE) — Head Coach
On the support for his team:
“Like at home we feel very, very happy that so many Greeks are supporting us, they feel proud that the Greek national team is playing here, and since we have already won two games, we want to make them feel more happy and win again. Our first target was to qualify for the top four teams, which we achieved yesterday, and we are confident we will do it tomorrow.
On the man-up strategy after a violence foul:
“These four minutes with an extra player are a trap; you feel like you can score more goals and if the other team defends well, you must have the confidence to continue. I think we controlled the game well.”
Match 7. AUSTRALIA 12 HUNGARY 13 (3-2, 2-4, 3-4, 4-3)
There was no denying the strength and power and history behind Hungary and its determination to make yet another final. Australia was the obstacle, and a very high one, at that. This was another match for the ages for the Aussie Sharks and it nearly pulled off the occasion in front of a crowd of more than 2500 people.
Adam Nagy opened and Tim Putt replied. A penalty was called but Australia challenged and it was overturned. Marcus Berehulak, the hero in the quarterfinal, converted extra with Vendel Vigvari levelling, also on extra. Matthew Byrnes, who scored the equaliser that sent the quarterfinal to penalties, countered for 3-2 at 0:07. Nagy was on fire and started the second quarter from the top on extra, making it look easy. Byrnes scored from deep and the Sharks were in the lead again. Nagy could not stop scoring, gaining his third with another whispering missile. Blake Edwards buried a cross-cage shot from deep left and Zsombor Vismeg scored off the left-post position on extra for 5-5 at 1:55. An Aussie timeout had the resulting shot blocked and at 0:22, Vigvari scored from deep left for 6-5 at halftime.
Gergo Fekete and the incomparable Nagy dulled the huge home crowd before Nicolas Constantin-Bicari and Jacob Mercep lit up the crowd with extra-man goals. Zalanki and Mercep traded for 9-8 but Hungarian captain Krisztian Manhercz saved his best for a cage rattler 35 seconds from the final break and 10-8 up for his team.
Byrnes on penalty and Constantin-Bicari from deep left on extra lifted the roof for 10-10. Zalanki smashed the enthusiasm from a six-metre free-throw shot on extra while Australia was protesting. Australia took a timeout and Byrnes converted extra at 4:25 for 11-11. Manhercz scored his six-metre goal and Constantin-Bicari, under so much pressure all night in the hole, scored his third from the right post on extra at 3:49 for 12-12. Zalanki bruised the Aussie hearts at 1:10 on extra; Australia challenged and lost and with nine seconds remaining Australia went on the charge and Charlie Negus’ shot was saved. Hungary had the final berth and Australia was sent to the bronze-medal final on Sunday.
Match Heroes
Nagy and Zalanki netted three apiece for Hungary. Byrnes bombed four and Constantin-Bicari three for the Aussie Sharks. Goalkeeper Laurence Barker stopped nine shots.
Turning Point
After tying the match seven times, it was really Zalanki’s winner at 1:10 that “turned” the match for Hungary.
Stats Don’t Lie
Hungary converted only eight from 16 on extra compared to Australia’s eight from 14. Australia scored one penalty goal; Hungary won the steals eight-four and Australia the shots at 35-34.
What They Said
Gergo Zalanki (HUN) — Winning Goal Scorer
On the match:
“It was an amazing game. I was very happy we played against Australia because I knew so many people would come and for water polo it was a very nice game and atmosphere… I enjoyed it very much.
On the atmosphere:
“I liked the crowd, because usually the setting of water polo is not like this [big crowd], so when we get the chance to play like this with so many people around us, we need to enjoy it and take the energy from it.”
On the gold-medal match:
“We came here because we want to win the [World] Cup. I will enjoy tomorrow because playing the final… it is what we train for, to win the Cup. We need to enjoy, but we want to win it.”
Laurence Barker (AUS) — Goalkeeper
On goalkeeping:
“Me, in the cage, is good and all, but I can’t do half the stuff I do in there without the coaches setting up defensive schemes for us; the players in the water getting good blocks up front. Honestly, I can make as many saves as I want, but at the end of the day it’s the boys in the water that are helping.”
On the home crowd:
“It was so special -—I was tearing up just thinking about the amount of kids that were in that crowd today watching us fight tooth and nail with one of the best teams in the world. The Australian team, we’re a bunch of blue collar guys, we’ve all got day jobs and we’re fighting with the highest paid professionals in the world. To be able to do that in this pool… the atmosphere was so special.”
Classification 5-6
Match 10. SPAIN 17 MONTENEGRO 16 in sudden-death penalty shootout. FT: 12-12. Pens 5-4. (2-3, 2-3, 3-4, 5-2)
It was going to be Montenegro’s match but in the end, the resilient and defiant Spanish got across the line, just and in a sudden-death penalty shootout. What a spectacular match! When the encounter was locked in a mission among two teams trying to unravel the other, something was going to burst. It did early in the second quarter when two players found the pressure too much and it needed VAR to check how far they went. For Balsa Vuckovic (MNE) he came off second best and not only saw red but then left the pool deck knowing his team would play one man down for four minutes. His action was deemed as “violence” and Spain went to the penalty line to start the “power-play” four minutes. However — and that’s with a BIG H — Unai Biel had his shot smashed back into his face, almost. The bad news continued as Dusan Matkovic scored on a double exclusion, meaning it had a man up at the other end. Pol Daura regained some Spanish reputation from the top for 5-4 behind and as the time tripped downward toward the end of the four-minute zone, Spain could find no way in. That was one goal from seven attempts! Embarrassing, some would say. For Montenegro to tie the period 1-1 was just amazing.
Spain started all scoring and Montenegro went 2-1 ahead. It became 2-2 through Fran Valera and 3-2 to Vladan Spaic on backhand at centre forward. Vuckovic had his penalty attempt rejected. Dusan Matkovic took it to 4-2 at the start of the second quarter with Bernat Sanahuja responding with a six-metre, free-throw shot. Vasilije Radovic had his moment in the sun from wide out but a VAR decision on violence action meant the goal was wiped and the clock wound back to 7:18 and the subsequent penalty shot and four-minute period served. Closing out the half was Strahinja Gojkovic on extra for 6-4 in Montenegro’s favour.
Valera started the third period with a couple of goals but a VAR review showed that there was a late flag and late person re-entering and the second goal was wiped, the time taken back to 6:37 and the play progressed. Spain called a timeout on extra at 5:00 and the resulting play “regained” a goal for Valera, hitting the goalie’s right hand and falling just over the line for 6-6. Matkovic had two shots and scored with the second to get Montenegro in front again by 4:11. Montenegro inflicted more pain on Spain, going 8-6 up after an extra-man cross pass to the right post found the goal through Miroslav Perkovic. Sanahuja narrowed it to one, however, Aljosa Macic netted twice, firstly with a six-metre shot on the free throw in extra and secondly at centre forward for 10-7 to close the third period.
Unai Aguirre faced a barrage of penalty goals, stopping the first and not stopping the second, both in quick succession, Aleksa Ukropina netting the second. Roger Tahull converted extra for 11-8 in what was still the most absorbing match. Sanahuja and Daura made it 11-10 down. Ukropina made it 12-10 and Spain lost a challenge for a penalty foul. Tahull converted extra at 1:25 and Daura did the same with 20 seconds left on the clock for 12-12. With two seconds remaining and Montenegro on a corner throw, Tahull and Ukropina were red-carded for “jostling”. The corner floated in but no contact was made and the match went to a shootout. Montenegro scored its first four and Spain had the third blocked. The fifth from Montenegro was saved by Aguirre. Daura closed off the rotation and it went to sudden death. Matkovic was stopped by Aguirre and Sanahuja raised the flag with his shot for the 17-16 victory, meaning a few extra dollars in the pocket.
Match Heroes
Sanahuja, Valera and Daura with three apiece and Aguirre with 12 saves in goal set up Spain for victory. Ukropina and Matkovic scored three each and Darko Durovic saved nine goals.
Turning Point
Spain coming back to force the shootout with a 5-2 final quarter.
Stats Don’t Lie
Spain struggled on extra with eight from 19 while Montenegro made five from nine. Montenegro missed two from four on penalty and Spain missed one. The steals were locked at three and Spain shot 37-31.
What They Said
Miguel De Toro (ESP) — Athlete
On the match:
“It was not our best performance today but little by little we were improving our game; we were going well in defence and I think that was our key.
“After the first three quarters we were three [goals] down, so we needed to show our character and show our skills and we did this, so we are very happy.
On the experience in Sydney, Australia:
“For us it has been amazing to travel to another part of the world. For most of us it was the first time to be here; it has been really good. Everyone is so kind and we will for sure have good memories from here.”
Classification 7-8
Match 9. CROATIA 18 GEORGIA 12 (5-3, 4-3, 6-1, 3-5)
Croatia could have crushed Georgia had the newest team on the block not laid down a brilliant final quarter, scoring five consecutive goals. It proves Georgia is a force to be reckoned with while Croatia proved it has plenty of talent in the bank as this is a much younger team than normal. Valiko Dadvani began the scoring for Georgia but Croatia had other ideas, scoring three straight before Dadvani could find the net again. Two more Croatian goals — five different scorers — gave the team a 5-2 advantage. Nika Shushiashvili converted extra from the top right for 5-3 while team-mate Sandro Adeishvili was floundering and demanding a VAR review for violence. The referee would have none of it, as did his coach. Maro Susic hammered home a pair in the second quarter as the goals were traded to 7-5. Vlaho Pavlic, who scored Croatia’s first goal, made it 8-5 from the top left. Tin Brbnjak blasted from the top of extra and a response from Croatia via Saba Tkeshelashvili on penalty for 9-6 at 0:57, the halftime score.
Goals were swapped early then Susic gained his second of the period after countering and being caught by the goalkeeper wide of the goal. Susic turned and fired the ball into the empty goal. Fran Dobric followed for good measure, on extra, to elevate the score to 13-6. Pavlic and Rogac exchanged goals and Brbnjak finished off a nice extra-man play for 15-7 just before the final break.
It became 16-7 before Mislav Cuckovic (CRO) and Adeishvili (GEO) got into a pickle and were red-carded after a scrutiny of the incident on VAR. Brbnjak pushed it out to 17-7. Then Georgia struck a purple patch with five straight, including a gift in front of goal when the goalkeeper flipped the ball behind him into the path of Giorgi Meskhi. The last say, however, was from Croatia when Nardo Dragas drove down the right for the 18-12 victory.
Match Heroes
Brbnjak was best in pool with five goals, followed by Pavlic with four. Captain Mauro Cubranic made 10 saves for Croatia. Tkeshelashvili, Dadvani, Vasic, Rogac and Shushiashvili all scored twice each for Georgia.
Turning Point
The 5-2 start was the building block on which Croatia won this encounter.
Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia buried eight from 16 on extra and stopped six from 11. Croatia scored once and Georgia twice from the penalty line. The steals were squared at four, as were the shots at 35.
What They Said
Mauro Cubranovic (CRO) — Captain
On the match:
“Great game for us, great preparation for us for 11 guys that are going to play European championships in Bulgaria. For the youth national team this was great training for what is coming in the future. I am very proud, happy and satisfied we showed some stability and talent with some work this generation will show some great results in the future’.
On the visit to Australia:
“Sydney is a beautiful city. We are all really happy we had the opportunity to come here and see a city this far from home. I think everyone is hoping we come here again.”