Men’s Division I Water Polo Tournament I Croatia smashes Serbia for Sydney berth

Final Standings

1. Spain
2. Italy
3. Greece
4. Hungary
5. Croatia
6. Serbia
7. USA
8. Netherlands

Awards

Best Player
Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE)

Highest Scorer
Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE) — 24 Goals

Best Goalkeeper
Mauro Cubranic (CRO)

Best Young Player
Ryder Dodd (USA)

Overview

The real action for the day was who was going to get the final ticket for Sydney. It came down to the clash between Croatia and triple Olympic and current European champion Serbia in the day’s first encounter where Croatia completely outplayed the Serbs for an 11-6 hiding. Croatia took fifth place while the battle for seventh gave Netherlands its first victory of the week, downing United States of America — who defeated Serbia in its sole win — 12-11 with three minutes to spare.

In the shuffling of positions in the Group 1-4, Spain emerged the best even though it lost in a penalty shootout with third-placed Greece, 15-13, after the match was locked at 11-11. Italy outplayed Hungary 12-9 in which Hungarian Adam Nagy was red-carded for violence and took out second place.

Match Reports

Match 24. Group 1-4. ITALY 12 HUNGARY 9 (1-1, 4-4, 5-3, 2-1)

Italy claimed second position here en route to a flight to Sydney with a possible gold medal tantalisingly close. However, there is a three-month wait for that prospect — plenty of time to buy the sunscreen lotion and the crocodile repellent. It was the quietest quarter of the week at 1-1. Hungary regained the lead three times in the third period while Italy could not be shrugged off. At 5-5, there were 10 different scorers. With five seconds remaining, several players found themselves in the hot seat with a double exclusion with red cards. Filippo Ferrero (ITA) went with substitution but Adam Nagy (HUN) was sent for violence and Italy was gifted four minutes a player up and a penalty shot to come. Soma Vogel saved the Italian attempt and soon after the restart, Hungary went against the grain and scored through Mate Dala on extra. Matteo Iocchi Gratta on a double exclusion and Alessandro Carnesecchi on extra gave Italy the 7-6 advantage. Hungary twice more levelled with Italian Iocchi Gratta scoring from close in on extra and then had his penalty attempt swatted aside before Vincenzo Dolce made a short drive to score his second for 10-8 to close out the third period. Vince Vigvari, so fast with his shots from the top, converted extra while Gergo Fekete had his penalty attempt skyrocketed by Gianmarco Nicosia. Italy converted a penalty and sent in a shot from the top in the last three minutes for the 12-9 victory.

Match Heroes
Iocchi Gratta filled the goal three times but Nicosia was best in pool with a spectacular 15 saves. Rival Vogel was nearly equal to the task, making 12 saves for Hungary while Vince Vigvari and Peter Szalai netted twice.

Turning Point
After tying at every number to eight, Italy went two clear late in the third period and kept its head in front until the final buzzer.

Stats Don’t Lie
Italy converted seven from 12 on extra and defended five from nine. Italy missed two of three penalty attempts and Hungary bungled its sole chance. Hungary edged the steals 6-5 and the shots 36-34.

Bottom Line
Italy is the more composed team and Hungary slipped to a third straight defeat.

Match 23. Group 1-4. SPAIN 13 GREECE 15 in penalty shootout. FT: 11-11. Pens 2-4 (3-1, 2-4, 2-3, 4-3)

In a match where shooting star Alvaro Granados was not on the sheet, Spain lost some of its edge, bailing out in a penalty shootout. Greece elevated itself to third position and, despite the loss, Spain won the tournament with that one-point, shootout loss. Spain started the stronger at 3-0 with the first goal a defender mistake as Evangelos Pouros swept the ball backwards into goal. That’s how centre forward Oscar Asensio was awarded the goal. Greek captain Stylianos Argyropoulos brightened the packed house with a counter-attack goal for 3-1 before the first break. He scored again on penalty at 4:40 with Pouros this time scoring into the Spanish goal, on extra. Efstathios Kalogeropoulos nailed a penalty goal, won on challenge, and Argyropoulos, scored on extra from a six-metre free throw. Greece was now in charge at 5-3. Unai Biel, who scored a penalty goal in the first quarter, scored from the top left and Bernat Sanahuja lobbed for 5-5 in the last second of the half. Pouros and Argyropoulos scored either side of a bar-hitting Spanish penalty attempt. Two quick Spanish goals and one Greek reply again had Greece in command at 8-7 heading into the final quarter. Biel stunned the crowd and the Greek players with two strikes in just over a minute for the 9-8 lead two minutes into the final period. Pouros from the deep left and Nikolaos Gardikas from the top right redressed the imbalance. Sanahuja with a lob and Pol Daura off the left-post position on action, gave the lead back to Spain by 1:57. After a Greek timeout and a flurry of arms, Konstantinos Kakaris scored from close in to level the match at 11-11, eight seconds from time, forcing the shootout. Panagiotis Tzortzatos made the first two saves for Greece as his team-mates could not miss; the penalties stopped at 4-2, giving Greece a 15-13 victory and third position.

Match Heroes
Argyropoulos was the star with four goals to give him a tournament-high 24 goals. Pouros poured in three goals of his own. Tzortzatos made nine saves from goal. Biel was on form with four goals and Sanahuja continued his fine tournament with another three for Spain.

Turning Point
The shootout. Spain lost a 3-0 advantage; Greece slipped 5-3 ahead; Spain took the third quarter with Greece equalising, forcing the shootout, inside the last half-minute.

Stats Don’t Lie
Both were pressured on extra with Greece scoring three from six and defending five of eight. Greece made two penalty shots and Spain missed one of two. Spain won the steals nine-five and the shots 38-30.

Bottom Line
Greece finished with four wins and the scalps of Italy and Hungary. Spain lost and beat Italy and now has two losses.

Match 22. Group 5-8. NETHERLANDS 12 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 11 (2-2, 5-2, 5-1, 6-3)

Netherlands came through for a first victory to join USA, but the goal differential means Netherlands finished eighth and will be back in Division II with USA next year while Montenegro and Georgia replace them in Division I after their heroics in Malta earlier today. There were nine ties with USA forcing Netherlands into catch-ups to 3-3 at the first break. USA shunted out to 6-3 with two more Chase Dodd goals following his snappy opener. While USA looked a class ahead, Netherlands showed why it has been such a threat all week. Tom de Weerd book-ended a Mart van der Weijden shot from deep right and de Weerd’s second goal came on extra while the goalkeeper was coming out on him. Lars ten Broek gave the Dutch their first advantage at 7-6 at the top of the third period from wide left. Two USA goals reversed the situation. Goals were traded for 9-8 in favour of USA but Mart van der Weijden converted a penalty foul for 9-9 at the final break. Ryder Dodd, given the accolade of best youngster in Alexandropoulos and some loose change in the pocket from a benevolent World Aquatics, snapped in a cross pass. He seemingly was moving through the air before connecting with the ball, scoring from the top. Ten Broek responded with a six-metre, free-throw goal. Nicolas Saveljic did the same to give USA the lead again at 4:09. Mart van der Weijden struck twice inside a minute by 3:08 for 12-11. In the remaining minutes, there was no shot on goal as there were five turnovers, one block and a dump. The Dutch had frustrated the North Americans.

Match Heroes
Mart van der Weijden was the Dutch hero with five goals, two more than USA’s Chase Dodd.

Turning Point
The match was tied nine times with the breakthrough coming. USA led four times before the Dutch turned the tables at 7-6 early in the third period. USA led four times more with the Dutch playing catch-up. Netherlands’ last two goals decided the match.

Stats Don’t Lie
Netherlands converted four from eight on extra and USA a huge seven from 11. Netherlands claimed the only penalty goal, won the steals 10-4 and made 30 shots to 24.

Bottom Line
Netherlands, who lost by one to Hungary, now has a win to its name, equal to USA who heroically downed Serbia.

Match 21. Group 5-8. SERBIA 6 CROATIA 11 (1-5, 1-3, 2-2, 2-1)

For a match that was hyped up as being the big clash for the final berth in Sydney, it was a fizzer with Croatia smothering the Serbs and romping home with the victory. Celebrations were muted as it seemed the match was decided before the opening whistle. Croatia not only went 5-0 up and 8-2 at halftime, it also repulsed every action and extra-man attack by Serbia, giving up just two penalty goals. This is unheralded at this level. Konstantin Kharkov had three goals by this time and slotted the last of the third period as Croatia stretched the margin to 10-4. Vasilije Martinovic and captain Nikola Jaksic added to their penalty strikes. Luka Butic nabbed a second to start the fourth period at centre forward on extra while the final two goals came from Serbia in the last minute when it was far too late.

Match Heroes
Kharkov topped the scoring with four goals and Fatovic fired in three for Croatia. Mauro Cubranic, named the tournament’s best goalkeeper, snared 10 saves. Nikola Jaksic and Martinovic scored twice while the Serbian goalkeepers tallied 10 saves.

Turning Point
the 5-0 Croatian start was where the damage was done.

Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia scored four from eight on extra and blocked all six Serbian attacks — the most telling factor of the encounter. Serbia scored two penalty goals and Croatia one. Croatia won the steals seven to four and the overall shots 32-30.

Bottom Line
Croatia wanted to be on that plane to the Southern Hemisphere and started accordingly. Serbia has been out of sorts at this event and now has to come back next year to redeem its reputation ahead of the Budapest World Aquatics Championships.

Final Points

Group 1-4: Spain 7, Italy 6, Greece 5, Hungary 0.
Group 5-8: Croatia 9, Serbia 3, United States of America 3, Netherlands 3 (Decided on goal differential).