Overview

Biggest interest in the day was the clash between Spain and United States of America, the latter winning 3-0 with a 4-0 second set. Russia pummelled South Africa 3-0 with 23 goals to nil; Greece pushed Australia to a fourth set after winning the third and Croatia made sure of a 3-0 win over Turkiye after a slow start.

Match Reports

Match 01, SOUTH AFRICA 0 RUSSIA 3 (0-7, 0-8, 0-8)

Russia overpowered South Africa in all facets of play as the 12 from 12 on counter showed. South Africa was given no opportunity to score on extra or penalty and had to try and find a route through the tough and rock-solid Russian defence. Russia blew out the scores in each set and peppered the goal at will.

Match Heroes
Russia’s Mariia Makarova scored six; Elvina Sitdikova five; with quads to Ekaterina Prokofyeva, captain Olga Lupinogina and Margarita Pystina.

Stats Don’t Lie
Russia missed one penalty chance and converted two from four on extra. South Africa threw 12 shots in anger and Russia 34. Russia also scored eight action goals to go with the 12 on counter.

Match 2, SPAIN 0 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 3 (2-3, 0-4, 1-2)

Spain struggled against United States of America, scoring two from 17 on action and one on extra against a slightly stronger opponent. While it was decisive in the three-sets department, the first set was decided with a Jenna Flynn score seven seconds from time. In the second, USA scored on penalty, action and two extra plays while keeping Spain scoreless. In the third, Jewel Roemer scored the 2-0 goal at 1:25 on penalty with  Carlota Penalver replying at 0:27 from a five-metre, free-throw shot. The attempted equaliser on the buzzer from goalkeeper Mariona Terre was saved.

Match Heroes
Flynn scored a hat-trick for USA and Lauren Steele pulled in 10 saves from goal. Penalver scored two of Spain’s three goals.

Stats Don’t Lie
USA converted three from four on extra and Spain one from two. USA sent in three of four on penalty and had 18 shots to Spain’s 20.

Match 3, GREECE 1 AUSTRALIA 3  (1-5, 2-3, 5-4, 0-3)  

A last-gasp goal from Eirini Stavridou secured the third period but otherwise, Australia held command. Australia started strongly with a 5-0 start in the first set with Stavridou scoring Greece’s first, three seconds from time on extra. The separator in the second set was Olivia Mitchell’s counter-attack goal at 0:50. The final set was scoreless until 2:31 when Saskia Dunn netted, followed by two more Mitchell scores.

Match Heroes
Mitchell with six goals and Dunn claiming three for the Aussies. For Greece, Anastasia Bikou and Stavridou scored three each. Goalkeeper Eftychia Konstantopoulou made 12 saves from goal.
Stats Don’t Lie

Australia scored one from three on extra to Greece’s three from seven. Australia missed one of two penalty shots and Greece made sure of one. Australia shot 32 to 26; countered four times to none and scored nine times on action to four.

Match 4, CROATIA 3 TURKIYE 0 (2-1, 0-3, 4-0)

Croatia notched its opening victory with a better conversion rate. The opening period went Croatia’s way inside the final minute on penalty. Ria Glas on counter and Neli Jankovic on action and penalty made it 3-0 in the second set before Kubra Kus responded on extra. Glas and two more Jankovic strikes set Croatia up for the set clean-out and the match victory.

Match Heroes
Jankovic top-score with four and captain Glas made three for Croatia. 

Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia missed its sole chance on extra while Turkiye made one from two. Croatia sent in both penalty chances and denied all three Turkish shots. The overall shooting favoured Croatia 19-18 — a low-scoring affair indeed.

Progress Points

Russia 3, Australia 3, Croatia 3, USA 3, Spain 0, Greece 0, Turkiye 0, South Africa 0.

Day 2 Schedule

Match 5. 12:20. Australia v South Africa
Match 6. 14:00, Greece v Russia
Match 7. 15:40. United States of America v Turkiye
Match 8. 17:20. Croatia Spain