Day 7: Serbia-Italy; Croatia-Greece semifinals at Junior Water Polo Champs
It is the seventh day with quarterfinal matches of the FINA World Men’s Junior Water Polo Championships at the Al-Nasar Sport Club Kuwait.
In the round 1-8 quarter-finals, Serbia came back from 5-3 down at halftime to best Montenegro 10-9 in a match that was level six times and the winner came from Stefan Brankovic who broke the match open with Serbia's last three goals.
Croatia came back from 3-1 down at quarter time to take the lead at 5-4 and advance to the semifinals with a 7-6 victory over Spain. Spain levelled at 6-6 and the winning Croatian goal came with 4:16 still left on the clock.
European champion Italy swam all over Japan — 17-5 — with Ettore Novara having a field day at centre forward, scoring eight goals. Japan failed to convert three penalty attempts and seemed stunned by the fast, fit and equally agile Italians.
Reigning champion Greece needed a penalty shootout to beat United States of America after being down 4-0 at one stage. Greece led only once, but scored the 11-11 equaliser with only half a second remaining. Greece won the shootout 4-1.
Serbia will play Italy and Croatia takes on Greece in the semifinals.
In the 9-12 semifinals, Hungary resoundingly defeated New Zealand 20-4. Mate Dala was named the best player as Hungary smashed the final quarter 8-1. Canada won the "Commonwealth title" by beating Australia 11-8 in a match which was tied six times until the breakout 4-2 final quarter. Jeremie Coté slammed in five for Canada and Charlie Negus four for the Aussies.
In the lower tier of matches, Russia earned a play-off for 13th by beating China 19-7. China will play for 15th. Russia's Valerii Pelikh top-scored with five goals, three from centre forward shots. Brazil led 7-2 at one stage and had to withstand a comeback from Iran before winning 11-8 with Italo Vizacre netting five for Brazil. South Africa won the "African continental title" 8-7 over Egypt in what was an amazing match. South Africa regained the lead midway through the second quarter and was never headed, although broke the 7-7 deadlock just inside the three-minute mark. Uzbekistan will play Brazil for 17th following a 23-9, counter-attack-laden match against Kuwait in which Javokhir Kutmonbekov scored seven goals.
Wednesday Schedule:
Match 50, 08:00, W41 CHINA 7 W42 RUSSIA 19
Match 51, 09:20, L43 BRAZIL 11 L44 IRAN 8
Match 52, 10:40, W43 SOUTH AFRICA8 W44 EGYPT 7
Match 53, 12:00, L45 NEW ZEALAND 4 L46 HUNGARY 20
Match 54, 13:20, L47 AUSTRALIA 8 L48 CANADA 11
Match 49, 14:40, L41 UZBEKISTAN 23 L42 KUWAIT 9
Match 55, 16:00, 1A SERBIA 10 W46 MONTENEGRO 9
Match 56, 17:20, 1B SPAIN 6 W45 CROATIA 7
Match 57, 18:40, 1C ITALY 17 W47 JAPAN 5
Match 58, 20:00, 1D GREECE 15 W48 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 12 in penalty shootout (FT: 11-11. Pens: 4-1)
Thursday Schedule:
Classification 17-18
Match 60, 08:00, W49 UZBEKISTAN W51 BRAZIL
Classification 15-16
Match 61, 09:20, L50 CHINA L52 EGYPT
Classification 13-14
Match 62, 10:40, W50 RUSSIA W52 SOUTH AFRICA
Classification 11-12
Match 63, 12:00, L53 NEW ZEALAND L54 AUSTRALIA
Classification 9-10
Match 64, 13:20, W53 HUNGARY W54 CANADA
Classification 19-20
Match 59, 14:40, L49 KUWAIT L51 IRAN
Classification 5-8 Semifinals
Match 65, 16:00, L55 MONTENEGRO L57 JAPAN
Match 66, 17:20, L56 SPAIN L58 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Match 67, 18:40, W55 SERBIA W57 ITALY
Match 68, 20:00, W56 CROATIA W58 GREECE
Match reports
Match 50, 09:20, CHINA 7 RUSSIA 19
Quarters: 1-5, 3-4, 1-4, 2-6
Referees: Amirhossein Safabakhsh (IRI), Noboru Yamazaki (JPN)
Extra man: CHN: 3/10. RUS: 3/9.
Penalties: RUS: 1/1.
Teams:
CHINA: Junjiong Wang, Xingmeng He (1), Boren Shi (1), Lei Yuan, Guan Ou, Beiyi Wang (1), Luobin Liu (1), Yingyi Gao (3), Yi Lu, Yile Cheng, Beile Zhu, Mingtao Wu, Haotian Zhou. Head Coach: Ji Shen.
RUSSIA: Igor Chirkov, Sergei Mersh (1), Nikita Serebrennikov, Emil Zinnurov (2), Zamir Mirziev (1), Iaroslav Nikolaev, Nikita Mikhailov (4), Askar Makhiyanov (1), Valerii Pelikh (5), Ivan Vasilev (3), Danill Frolov (1), Egor Vasilev (1), Danila Apultchin. Head Coach: Sergei Voronin.
Russia earned a shot at 13th place with a resounding 19-7 victory over China. The power behind the win was Valerii Pelikh with five goals, three from centre forward with one a superb, controlled turn, baulk and shot. With a 9-4 advantage at halftime, Russia was always going to win and surged to 13-5 by the final break. China had to work for every goal and captain Yingyi Gao was tireless, scoring three into the bargain. China will go to the play-off for 15th.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 51, 10:40, BRAZIL 11 IRAN 8
Quarters: 4-1, 2-0, 3-5, 2-2
Referees: David Gomez (ESP), Peter La Marque (RSA)
Extra man: BRA: ¼. IRI: 2/7.
Penalties: BRA: 2/2. IRI: 1/1.
Teams:
BRAZIL: Joao Silveira, Lucas Santos, Luiz Scarabelim, Felipe Ferreira, Nicholas Fichman (1), Bruno Chiappini, Italo Vizacre (5), Thomas Campedelli (1), Raul Morales, Marcos Pires (3), Vincius Pessin (1), Gabriel Galvane, Joao Fernandes. Head Coach: Thiago Nascimento.
IRAN: Mohammad Bayat, Omid Aghaei (2), Seyeedalireza Pourang, Khashayar Ghareh, Hossein Lalehsiahpirani (3), Mohammadamin Hassany, Mahdi Barzegarisharifabad, Pouria Fatehi, Amirreza Jalilipour (1), Amirali Moradinoghondar (1), Ali Lotfi, Omid Khosor (1), Mohammad Hassany. Head Coach: Gholami Majid.
Brazil led 7-2 early in the third period and then had to withstand a torrid Iranian comeback before settling on the victory. Brazil will now play for the 17th classification and Iran will go to the 19th-place classification. Brazil started with four goals, kept Iran scoreless in the second quarter went to 8-3 before Iran awoke and scored three straight for 8-5. Goals were traded either side of the final break so at 6:00 Iran was in striking distance at 9-7 down. A big defensive game ensnared the match and it was not until 3:17 that Thomas Campedelli gave Brazil breathing space with a score on extra-man attack for 10-7. Iran tried hard and took a timeout with a minute and a half left, but turned the ball over, dowsing the fire. Marcos Pires scored from close in and Hossein Lalehsiahpirani scored his third from the penalty line flour seconds from time for the final result. Italo Vizacre, named player of the match, scored the longest shot of the competition when he fired a projectile from 20m to close the third period for 9-6 when there was just 1.5 seconds left on the clock at the restart from a goal. It was his fifth goal of the match.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 52, 12:00, SOUTH AFRICA 8 EGYPT 7
Quarters: 1-1, 1-2, 3-2, 3-2
Referees: Nenad Golijanin (SRB), Gabor Vogel (HUN)
Extra man: RSA: 5/7. EGY: 5/8.
Penalties: RSA: 1/1.
Teams:
SOUTH AFRICA: Keegan Clark, Mogamad Mayman, Christopher Beamish, Ethan Coryndon-Baker, Todd Howard (4), Ross Stone (1), Joshua Faber (1), Jonathan Swanepoel (2), David MacDonald, William Dowsett, Yaseen Margro, James Hablutzel, Barnard van Rooyen. Head Coach: Jason Sileno.
EGYPT: Marwan Reda, Youssef Amer, Abderahman Hamed, Ahmed Elsapagh (1), Mahmoud Maghwry, Karim Saleh, Mohanad Farahat (5), Mohamed Ziyad, Mohamed Rezk, Eissa Bassel (1), Adham Saleh, Mahmoud Elzayat, Marwan Makarem. Head Coach: Konstantinos Vamvakaris.
This was the clash of the African continent with the last five matches between the pair yielding a win each and three draws. It was similar today with the first period 1-1 and the second 2-2 for most of the quarter before Mohanad Farahat broke the deadlock with an excellent six-metre-foul rocket. Todd Howard was at his best with South Africa’s two goals. The margin pushed out to two at the start of the third period as Eissa Bassel turned at centre forward for the easiest of goals. Jonathan Swanepoel lifted South African spirits with identical shots from the top in two minutes to draw level. Then Joshua Faber’s conversion of penalty foul needed a VAR decision to give South Africa the lead once more. Farahat responded on extra from the top and the match had its third level score. Egypt tried a ploy off a timeout, to no avail and the match went to the fourth period even. Two wonderful shots took South Africa to 7-5 with Howard netting a third while heavily defended deep left and Ross Stone used the next attack to gain a six-metre foul and proceeded to send in a spectacular three-quarter helicopter backhand. Farahat nailed his fourth on extra from the top for 7-6 at 4:47 and then converted extra at 3:11 to level and enthralling match. Howard gained his fourth when on extra-man attack, he snapped the ball in from two metres before the defender had time to leave. It was 8-7 at 2:50. Both teams had shots blocked. South Africa attacked and gained an exclusion foul, going to a timeout at 1:12. South Africa botched the attack and Egypt called a timeout. The final pass went to Mahmoud Elzayat who shot from seven metres and Keegan Clark blocked and the ball rebounded high and came down on the line necessitating a VAR decision. No goal! South Africa retained the ball for 20 seconds and had the victory. Howard was named best in water. South Africa will now play Russia for 13th place and Egypt will clash with China for 15th position on Thursday.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 53, 12:00, NEW ZEALAND 4 HUNGARY 20
Quarters: 2-6, 1-1, 0-5, 1-8
Referees: Hatem Gaber (EGY), Liang Zhang (CHN)
Extra man: NZL: 0/7. HUN: 3/8.
Penalties: HUN: 1/2.
Teams:
NEW ZEALAND: Joshua de Reeper, Louie Ferigo, Hamish Sullivan, Louis Clark, Calum de Jager, Brandon Matthews, James Catlin (2), Loui Schuler, Sam Ratima, Matt Morris, Rowan Brown (1), Nicholas Paterson (1), Bae Fountain. Head Coach: Lionel Randall.
HUNGARY: Mark Banyai, Peter Sugar, Botond Bobis (4), Benedek Baksa (2), Marton Magyar (2), Gyorgy Agh (3), Mate Dala (3), Andras Turnai (1), Vince Vigvari (1), Gergo Fekete (1), Zsombor Szeghalmi (3), Mate Aranyi, Marton Mizsei. Head Coach: Kristof Kemeny.
Hungary, still stunned by the one-goal loss to Montenegro the night before, made sure of its quest to play for the highest spot possible, in this case, ninth. A 3-0 start shifted to 6-2 by quarter time and 7-2 at the start of the second. To the Kiwis’ credit, they then kept Hungary scoreless for the rest of the period and even scored off a rebound by captain James Catlin in the final minute for 7-3. Hungary shut out the Kiwis in the third and managed to get centre forward Louis Clark and Matt Morris out on three fouls. The five-goal haul included a penalty strike and two magnificent counter-attack conversions. New Zealander Rowan Brown flicked a rebound over the head of Hungarian goalkeeper Mark Banyai to start the fourth. The juggernaut Hungarians took over and rattled in four goals before New Zealand called a timeout to try and arrest the charge, but there was no change to the scoreboard. In fact, Hungary netted four more and Mate Dala was named player of the match. New Zealand now goes to the play-off for 11th, a huge step up from 18th two years ago in Belgrade, Serbia. Hungary, European bronze medallist and a three-time winner and 13-time medallist, has slipped badly from fourth two years ago.
Match 54, 13:20, L47 AUSTRALIA 8 CANADA 11
Quarters: 1-1, 3-4, 2-2, 2-4
Referees: Harvey Hinds (CUR), German Moller (ARG)
Extra man: AUS: 4/9. CAN: 6/9.
Penalties: Nil.
Teams:
AUSTRALIA: John Hedges, Jack Rector (1), Matthew Murphy, Lachlan Vos (2), Matthew Oberman, James Gillfeather, Hugh Anstey (1), Charlie Negus (4), Alastair Bruce, Nicholas Taylor, Lewis Putt, Matthew Byrnes, Flynn Mais. Head Coach: Andrew Yanitsas.
CANADA: Brody McKnight, Antonios Giannatsis, Bogdan Djerkovic (3), Jeremie Coté (5), Harrison Henning (1), Nick Seredjuc, Kyril Marinov, Bor Tanasijevic, Stefan Dabic, Stephen Gloade, Max MacMillan, Reuel D’Souza (2), Minos Kotzambasis. Head Coach: Brian Parillo.
The clash of the Commonwealth nations went in favour of Canada after six tied scores. The final 4-2 period was the difference and the match was dominated by big scorers, no more than senior international Jeremie Coté with five and four to Australian captain Charlie Negus. It was a tight opener with a goal each and an up-tempo second spell as Canada went to 3-1; Australia levelling at three and four. Negus scored at 0:13 and the Aussies took Coté for granted as he slammed in the 5-4 goal with just seconds to spare. Australia levelled for the third time through Negus to start the third quarter. Coté quickly restored order for Canada on extra and Harrison Henning made it a two-goal margin once again, receiving an angled cross pass to two metres, steering it in from on high. Negus converted a quick extra-man attack in the bottom left for 6-7 inside the last minute to tie the period, but trail 7-6. On the first Aussie attack, Negus latched on to a cross pass meant for the player behind him and whipped it into goal for the fifth tied score. Hugh Anstey drilled one from the top and Australia had its second lead. Coté snapped in his third goal when poorly guarded and Bogdan Djerkovic did what he does best at two metres to regain the lead for Canada. Coté did more damage from deep left on extra and the two-goal margin was restored, again. Djerkovic put the match beyond Australia with a fumbled centre forward goal that he would be happy with at 1:53. Canada botched a timeout play and Australia had a shot blocked, the match dying as a contest. Canada will now take on Hungary for ninth place and Australia will have another Commonwealth clash, with New Zealand — this time for 11th position — whom Australia needed a huge comeback to beat 8-7 on day three.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 49, 14:40, UZBEKISTAN 23 KUWAIT 9
Quarters: 5-5, 7-0, 7-3, 4-1
Referees: Luca Bianco (ITA), Mikhail Dykman (CAN)
Extra man: UZB: 6/11. KUW: 1/9.
Penalties: UZB: 1/2. KUW: 3/5.
Teams:
UZBEKISTAN: Abdullo Yokubjonov, Mukhammadyusuf Dedabaev (1), Jakhongir Sobirjonov (2), Asadbek Kenjaev (1), Azizbek Turgunov (1), Asadbek Azizov, Zaven Osipyan (3), Azizbek Botirov (1), Javokhir Kutmonbekov (7), Asorbek Yusufjanov (1), Sukhrob Khoshimov (5), Muzaffarbek Makhmudjonov (1), Shokhboz Usmonjonov. Head Coach: Oleg Pletnev.
KUWAIT: Yousef Almotar, Abdullah Jasem (2), Saud Alotaibi (1), Ali Hasan, Abduirahman Alwazan, Manaf Almajadi, Abdulwahab Hasan, Mobarak Dashti (5), Hassan Dashti, Abdullah Alhammad, Mohammad Ashkanani (1), Yousef Alfaressi, Sultan Alsultan. Head Coach: Markos Markoglou.
Uzbekistan will play Brazil for 17th position on Thursday while host Kuwait will clash with Iran for 19th. Uzbekistan had the faster swimmers and caned Kuwait on counter-attack. It was sad for Kuwait, as at 5-5 by the end of the first quarter, the match was going well. However, Uzbekistan countered at every opportunity to win the period 8-0. The third also went well for the Uzbeks, winning 7-3. The assault continued in the last, although Kuwait was still exciting the crowd with its devotion to duty and occasional goal. In its six matches, Kuwait has scored 45 goals.
Referee Luca Bianco (ITA) — Photos Eszter Novak
Match 55, 16:00, SERBIA 10 MONTENEGRO 9
Quarters: 1-1, 2-4, 4-2, 3-2
Referees: Darren Spiritosanto (USA), Irfan Sadekov (RUS)
Extra man: SRB: 4/13. MNE: 3/10.
Penalties: MNE: 1/1.
Teams:
SERBIA: Pavle Gavrilovic, Stefan Brankovic (3), Andrej Barac (1), Aleksa Nesic, Nemanja Stanojevic (1), Petar Mitrovic, Dorde Vucinic (4), Aleksa Cvetkovic, Vasilije Martinovic, Kristian Sulc (1), Luka Pijevancic, Marko Radovic, Vladimir Misovic. Head Coach: Uros Stevanovic.
MONTENEGRO: Darko Durovic, Nebojsa Vuskovic (4), Savo Cetkovic, Uros Vucurovic (1), Aljosa Macic (1), Danilo Radovic (2), Luka Murisic, Petar Mijuskovic (1), Miroslav Perkovic, Vuk Draskovic, Branko Franeta, Alen Isljamovic. Head Coach: Veljko Uskokovic.
This was an unusual clash in that the two countries were once combined and won this championship in 2003 and 2005. Serbia went on to win the crown in its own right in 2011 and 2015 and two years ago, at home, claimed the bronze medal. Montenegro has yet to win a medal in its name at this level. Despite the title it was all about now and what could happen in the pool today and these even teams showed skills beyond their years. There were counters, solid centre-forward play and brilliant defence. Centre forwards were gaining exclusions on which to build the attack, rather than fire individual goals. There was tension throughout and when Serbia came back to level the match a minute from three-quarter time, the match was ON. The earlier play was dominated by the finishing of Dorde Vucinic for Serbia and Montenegro’s Nebojsa Vuskovic. They were imposing a scorched-earth policy as they scored from around the arc at will — both netting four goals. Scores were tied at one, two, three and then Montenegro started dominating, going to 5-3 at the halftime break; 6-4 and 7-5 three minutes from the final-quarter buzzer. Serbia thrust back through Andrej Barac on counter with a lob after a long pass from the goalkeeper and then Kristian Sulc levelled with an outside explosion, the last score of the period. Petar Mijuskovic, such a star this week, came on to the scoresheet with what appeared an easy centre-forward turn three minutes into the fourth. The Stefan Brankovic factor was exposed by Serbia, the lanky player rising high for consecutive goals for a Serbian 9-8 advantage. Aljosa Macic barred the ball into goal from seven metres for 9-9 at 3:26. Serbia called a timeout and Brankovic made it three Russian goals in a row for the all-important 10-9 lead at 2:19. It progressed to the final minute and Russia attacked with its shot being tipped over the back line at 0:35. Montenegro stole the ball at 0:19 and the call for a timeout stopped the clock at 0:17. The resulting shot came from Danilo Radovic, but it was blocked and Serbia progressed as the first semifinalist.
Footnote: Dusan Matkovic was not on the bench for Montenegro, having been suspended for brutality from Tuesday’s victory over Hungary. He was cited following the match after review and was given a two-match suspension, thus missing Thursday’s semifinals.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 56, 17:20, SPAIN 6 CROATIA 7
Quarters: 3-1, 1-2, 0-3, 2-1
Referees: Michiel Zwart (NED), Sinisa Matijasevic (MNE)
Extra man: ESP: 3/13. CRO: 2/9.
Penalties: CRO: 1/1.
Teams:
SPAIN: Unai Aguirre, Bernat Sanahuja (1), Albert Ponferrada (1), Sergio Prieto, Pau Linares (1), Fran Valera (1), Lluc Bertran, Victor Alegre, Oscar Montes (1), Nikolas Paul, Oriol Rodriguez (1), Oscar Asensio, Victor Garcia. Head Coach: Svilen Ivanov.
CROATIA: Jerko Jurlina, Ivan Malenica, Karlo Krekovic, Marin Vrdoljak (1), Luka Bajic, Filip Krzic (1), Goran Solje, Branimir Herceg (2), Jerko Penava (2), Matias Biljaka (2), Marko Zuvela, Lovro Paparic, Eugen Sunara. Head Coach: Josko Krekovic.
European silver medallist Spain had the game going to plan in the first quarter, holding out Croatia 3-1 with Albert Ponferrada sending in the skinniest of shots, squeezing it in the bottom right from his top-right position. Fortune swung the way of Croatia in the second spell with Matias Biljaka scoring from wide left and Marin Vrdoljak making it 4-3 from the penalty line after Spanish captain Oriol Rodriguez drilled one from the right. Jerko Penava levelled when his shot from deep left bounced off the hands of goalkeeper Unai Aguirre. The wild shooting of the first half was curtailed in the second as teams aimed for any advantage. One of the best goals so far was Branimir Herceg’s second goal as he drove to goal, accepted a high pass, had his head under water, waved the ball a few times in the face of Aguirre and scored. When Filip Krzic came in from deep right to score, Croatia was 6-4 ahead and Spain scoreless for nearly nine minutes. The pain for Spain continued until three-quarter time as Croatia maintained its two-goal margin and Spain had crossed Croatia’s line just once in 17 minutes. Spain levelled through Fran Valera on extra from the six-metre line after Oscar Montes had earlier narrowed the gap with a cross-pass conversion on extra-man attack. That was just inside five minutes, but soon after, Croatia called a timeout and 18 seconds later, Penava converted the extra for what proved to be the winning goal. Neither teams could score for more than four minutes. Three errors by Spain in the last few minutes put paid to any semifinals hopes. Once the wind played failed to see the free man on the far post on extra and twice the ball was fired from the top into the belly of the goalkeeper. That, and the fact the team did not press the ball in the dying seconds to force a possible draw and the shootout. Pre-tournament favourite Spain now has to battle the 5-8 semifinals. Croatia has a chance to make the final and go one better than the silver medal of 2017.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 57, 18:40, ITALY 17 JAPAN 5
Quarters: 5-2, 5-2, 3-0, 4-1
Referees: Nikolaos Boudramis (GRE), Vlaho Radichevic (CRO)
Extra man: ITA: 3/3. JPN: 1/4.
Penalties: JPN: 0/3
Teams:
ITALY: Francisco di Donna, Massimo di Martire (2), Filippo Ferrero, Mattia Antonucci, Andrea Narciso, Gianpiero di Martire, Mario Guidi (1), Ettore Novara (8), Michele Mezzarobba (3), Vincenzo Tozzi, Matteo Spione (2), Andrea Tartaro (1), Francesco de Michelis. Head Coach: Carlo Silipo.
JAPAN: Tomoharu Shinto, Toi Suzuki, Shun Kobayashi (1), Shohei Yamada, Fumiya Tsuta, Naoki Aoyama, Goro Hizume, Eisuke Takahashi (1), Takumu Miyazawa, Yusuke Inaba (2), Yuki Maita (1), Taiyo Watanabe, Kentaro Tani. Head Coach: Takamitsu Nakashima.
European champion Italy is just two wins away from adding the world title to its trophy cabinet and emulate its senior team after its win in Gwangju, South Korea in August. Its reward for tonight is a face-off with Serbia in the semifinals. The courage and strength of the Italians proved a mighty hurdle for Japan, which has been surprising and stunning people with its brilliance in Kuwait. Japan’s last-gasp clincher against Australia the night before might have taken it out of the team. Italy marched to 5-2 and 10-4 at the first two breaks and crushed the Japanese fast-breaking style with some breaks of its own. Centre forward Ettore Novara relished the rumble, smashing home five goals in the first half, completely demoralising the Asian stars. The biggest gasps came when superstar senior international Yusuke Inaba, who plies his water polo trade in Romania, had two of his penalty attempts blocked by Francesco de Michelis. In the third, Japan was hesitant on attack, but at the time ticked by regained some mojo and started to make chances. However, the total Italian defence and a couple of Massimo de Martire scores left Japan scoreless and trailing 13-4 heading into the final eight minutes. Novara added three more to his tally where he was totally dominant at two metres, the Japanese failing to nullify him. The Japanese now have play Montenegro to have a shot at fifth place.
Photos: Eszter Novak
Match 58, 20:00, GREECE 15 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 12 in penalty shootout (FT: 11-11. Pens: 4-1)
Quarters: 2-4, 3-3, 3-2, 3-2.
Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Michael Brooks (NZL)
Extra man: GRE: 7/13. USA: 3/14
Penalties: GRE: 2/2.
Teams:
GREECE: Stylianos Dalmaras, Efstathios Kalogeropoulos (2+1), Ioannis Alafragkis, Konstaninos Gkiouvetsis (4), Dimitrios Nikolaidis (2+1), Alexandros Papanastasiou (2+1), Konstantinos Kakaris (1), Charalampos Rompopoulos, Efstathios Papageorgiou, Michail Diplaros, Aristeidis Chalyvopoulos (+1), Michail Goniotakis, Nikolaos Mitrakis. Head Coach: Theodoros Lorantos.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Adrian Weinberg, Quinten Osborne (3), Marko Vavic, Tommy Gruwell (1), Leo Yuno, Garrett Zaan, Hannes Daube (2), Jacob Ehrhardt (3), Mason McQuet, Ash Molthen (1+1), Quinn Woodhead (1), Warren Loth, Kent Emden. Head Coach: Jack Kocur.
Greece shot a perfect penalty shootout to surpass United States of America in a controversy-packed match that USA led 4-0 early. More controversy reigned with Greek head coach Theodoros Lorantos unhappy with decisions and constantly coming over the line on defence. He was warned, yellow carded and warned again. He was subsequently red-carded at 5:01 in the second quarter. He stayed close to the team yelling orders and was ushered further into the stands and even further. He was probably frustrated from the United States of America onslaught that had four goals on four attacks. That was when he gained the yellow card. Greece pulled two back by the quarter break. USA went 5-2 at the start of the second and when centre forward Konstantinos Kakaris fired in a two-metre goal, Lorantos was issued his marching orders. Greek skipper Alexandros Papanastasiou went deep left and lobbed for 5-4. Quinten Osborne, who scored the first two goals in similar fashion on extra-man attack, sent in a backhand from centre forward for 6-4. Goals were traded to close the half, USA obviously happy with 7-5. Hannes Daube increased the margin at the start of the third with a sliding shot from deep left. Quinn Woodhead was smiling big time after bouncing in a shot from wide right, boosting the margin to four. The joy was short lived as Papanastasiou rifled in a long shot on the next attack, Osborne collected his third major foul and Dimitrios Nikolaidis slammed in the conversion off the left post for 9-7. Papanastasiou drove down the left and attracted the penalty foul, sending Konstaninos Gkiouvetsis to the line for the conversion and 9-8. The fourth quarter opened with another Gkiouvetsis penalty strike and then he scored an extra-man goal for 10-9 and the lead for the first time. The large Greek crowd was ecstatic and very noisy. USA captain Jacob Ehrhardt equalised from the top at 2:27. Greece scored a goal, but the player who retrieved the ball was inside two metres and the player he passed to sent the ball into goal illegally. A buzzer problem occurred where no one took onus for the buzz, and the stoppage lasted for more than five minutes. USA called a timeout at 1:00 and the play went to Ehrhardt who turned quickly off the right post to put away the 11-10 shot. Greece went to a timeout at 0:11 and miraculously, Efstathios Kalogeropoulos converted extra-man attack at an almost unlikely half a second from time to force the shootout. Greece shot four straight and USA had the first shot blocked and the second hit the left upright while the third was converted. The fourth Greek missile ended USA’s dreams.
Footnote: USA head coach Alex Rodriguez returned to the pool following a hospital visit that sidelined him since last Friday. Assistant coach Jack Kocur has been deputising for him.
Photos: Eszter Novak