Match 3, 18:10, CHINA 6 KAZAKHSTAN 7

Quarters: 2-2, 1-1, 1-1, 2-3

Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Michael Brooks (NZL)

Penalties: CHN: 1/1. Extra Man: CHN: 4/12. KAZ: 1/9.

CHINA: Zhi Wei Liang, Cheng Hao Chu (1), Jia Hao Peng (1), De Ming Li, Zhong Xian Chen (2), Ze Kai Xie, Wen Hui Lu (1), Yi Min Chen, Ge Lin Zhu, Yu Liu (1), Yun Ji Wang, Xiang Fu, Lin Feng Li. Head Coach: Ling Yun Mao.

KAZAKHSTAN: Madikhan Makhmetov, Yevgeniy Medvedev (3), Egor Berbelyuk, Roman Pilipenko, Miras Aubakirov (1), Alexey Shmider, Murat Shakenov (3), Yulian Verdesh, Altay Altayev, Bolat Turlykhanov, Ravil Manafov, Stanislav Shvedov, Valeriy Shlemov, Ruslan Akhmetov. Head Coach: Nemanja Knezevic.

What a heart-breaking result for China, but a fantastic final quarter from Kazakhstan to win a very important clash, so early in the tournament. Before the match started, Kazakhstan head coach Nemanja Knezevic stated that this match would be like a final for his country. He has targeted China and New Zealand for victories to get through to the Super Final and the match was like a final — dour, tough, one dimensional. Both teams know the importance of starting well and playing in a match that has huge consequences. The quarters were locked each time with China scoring with 15 seconds left in the first period and with less than four seconds in the third. Kazakhstan had led three times at two, three and four only to see China come back. Medvedev was dangerous with strikes either side of halftime. At 4-4, the spectators were probably thinking it was heading to a shootout. China went ahead twice, meaning Kazakhstan was on the back foot. However, Murat Shakenov was the absolute hero of the night with two goals, the first a missile from eight metres for 5-5 and then again at 0;30 on counter, slamming it in from eight metre on counter-attack to close out the scoring. Team-mate Yevgeniy Medvedev chimed in with three goals, including a great outside shot at 0:48, setting up Shakenov for the winner. It was fantastic water polo in the final quarter with the teams rising after each goal. By fulltime there was relief on Knezevic’s face while Mao was ruing the opportunity lost.

Nemanja Knezevic (KAZ) — Head Coach

“Of course we were happy with the result today.  In offence we had some mistakes, in defence not so many mistakes — our man down was OK, but man up in offence is a big problem; a lot of shots were blocked. Today we wanted to win by two or three goals, but one is OK. We must look today at the video tonight and look at the mistakes in offence and correct it. Last time we won (against China) 8-6 for Asia, for the competition to go to Budapest (World Championships). But in this moment, we had three people down from that competition in Asia — if we had them we could have seen more goals. But China is a promising, young team, good team, very talented and very big.”

Ling Yun Mao (CHN) — Head Coach

“The first three quarters were good but the last was bad. We did not defend well. My players were tired as they have just finished playing the national games. I told them to press, press (in the final quarter), but they did not. After the first two periods I told them to slow down, look for the good passes and to the centre. Our five on four was good, but our six on five was bad. We need more training.”

 

Match 2, 16:50, JAPAN 8 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 10

Quarters: 2-4, 3-1, 3-3, 0-2

Referees: Dragan Stampalija (CRO), Vojin Putnikovic (SRB)

Penalties: JPN: 1/2. USA: 1/1.

Extra Man: JPN: 2/7. USA: 2/7.

JAPAN: Katsuyuki Tanamura, Seiya Adachi (2), Shuma Kawamoto, Mitsuaki Shiga (3), Takuma Yoshida (1), Atsuto Jida, Yusuke Shimizu, Mitsura Takata, Atsushi Arai (1), Kohei Inaba, Keigo Okawa (1), Kenta Araki, Tomoyoshi Fukushima. Head Coach: Yogi Omato.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Alexander Wolf, Nolan McConnell, Hannes Daube, Alexander Obert (3), Matthew De Trane, Johnathan Hooper (4), Maxwell Irving (1), Nicholas Carniglic, Jacob Ehrhardt, Ashworth Malthen (1), Alex Roelse (1), Marko Vavic, Zackery Rhodes. Head Coach: Dejan Udovicic.

Japan, the more experienced team, blew a chance to grab an opening win by being two goals up in the third period only to lose by two. Japan lost in Rio last year as well and tonight’s performance proved it could easily be the form team in the Gold Coast. However, three goals down in the third, Japan levelled the match at 5-5 by halftime, went 8-6 up and then let USA in with two, including a screamer from Olympian Alex Roelse on the buzzer to close the period and have the match at 8-8. Japan was shut out in the fourth, but not before some excellent scoring opportunities being blocked. The desperation showed in that final period, but USA’s desire for victory was keener. Japan has the most Olympians here, but even captain Yusuke Shimizu, playing his heart out, including a last-gasp two-metre shot, could not breach the USA defence. It was there for Japan. However, some silly passes, a blocked penalty shot attempt at 5:36 in the last and some extra-man chances lost, gave the match to USA. With so many new faces in the USA line-up, the result must have rightfully pleased head coach Dejan Udovicic.

Dejan Udovicic (USA) — Head Coach

“It was a tough game for us, we came in with a totally new team, a young team. I need to be pleased with that result. We took control early in the game, but after we led 5-2 we lost a little patience or threat to control the game. But we had a successful recovery, especially in the last quarter. For us the crucial point is to qualify (for the World League Super Final). But we are going to try and win every game. We have that state of mind, especially with the young guys, that we want to win.”

Alexander Obert (USA) — Captain

“We’ve got a lot of young guys out here so it’s kind of a learning experience for me, learning experience for them and it was a lot of fun, a good team win. They (Japan) have seven of their Olympians from Rio, we were ready for them. A lot of the young guys watched some game film on them, learnt how their style of play is different from normal water polo — it was a good learning experience for everyone. Just keep doing what we were doing. We knew if we kept to our systems, played counter defence we’d end up winning in the end.”

Yoji Omoto (JPN) — Head Coach

“After we led by two we did not change our play, but we missed the penalty goal and some six on fives. We didn’t go well any more. We are not so big physically so we had to attack strongly, but we couldn’t score, missing shots. It was like the Olympics last year when we lost by four (to the USA). The best thing was coming back from 4-1 down in the first period to lead 8-6.”

Yusuke Shimizu (JPN) — Captain

“That was not good. I was not happy. In the third period we attacked well and took the lead by two. Then at a point we made some easy mistakes. We lost the 8-6 lead because of our defensive mistakes. We need to correct these.”

 

Match 1. 15.30, AUSTRALIA 18 NEW ZEALAND 3

Quarters: 4-1, 3-0, 4-1, 7-1

Referees: Haziel Ortega (USA), Yosuke Kajiwara (JPN)

Penalties: AUS: 2/2.

Extra Man: AUS: 4/7. NZL: 2/5

AUSTRALIA: Ed Slade, Luke Pavillard (2), Tim Putt (1), Joe Kayes (2), Nathan Power (2), Andrew Ford (3), Jarrod Gilchrist (4), Rhys Holden (1), James Fannon (1), Lachlan Hollis (1), Nicholas Brooks, Anthony Hrysanthos. Head Coach: Elvis Fatovic.

NEW ZEALAND: Sid Dymond, Matthew Lewis (1), Matthew Morris, Ryan Pike (1), Callum Maxwell, Matthew Small, Anton Sunde, Liam Paterson, Sean Bryant, Matthew Bryant, Jerome McGuinness, Sean Newcombe (1), Bae Fountain. Head Coach: Goran Sablic.

The Aussie Sharks prevailed with a seemingly easy scoreline, which belied the hard work New Zealand put in until the end. Australia was all power and finished off strongly, something New Zealand struggled with, especially in the second period. Head Coach Elvis Fatovic used his entire team and all bar one field player scored. The quarter scores tell the story — especially the last — of the extra abilities of the Aussies, especially after a tough National League season and the late naming of the team the day before. There were five debutantes, who all performed well. Top of the tree for the Sharks was Rio Olympian Jarrod Gilchrist with four goals while fellow Olympian Joe Kayes, captaining the team for the first time, scored twice and earned ejections. In a strange twist, New Zealand had four Matthews in the six-man attack at the one time, probably a rarity in world sport. One, Matthew Morris, has just turned 17 and was not afraid to shoot. Goalkeeper Bae Fountain (16) was in excellent form with several fine saves in his stint in the water. One of the best goals of the match came from Sean Newcombe, who hustled and spun for 14-3 to score from the top.