Gold Medal Game

That was the 4th gold medal for USA and the team of Coralie Simmons proved in all games that they deserved it. The match with Spain was very interesting, as every final match in a World Championship. Each team had hit the target four times, in the first period, but after that USA began to dominate the game.

 


Team USA - winner of the tournament ©HELLENIC SWIMMING FEDERATION

With Aria Fischer (mvp of the tournament) and Mary Brooks in a fantastic condition, with the best goalkeeper of the Championship Amanda Longan to help a lot, the USA achieved again the gold medal , against Spain who played well, but that was not enough for them. Americans, during the whole game eliminated Arica Forca, the key player of Spain, so she couldn’t become dangerous.

SPAIN-USA 10-13 (4-4, 1-3, 2-4, 3-2)
Spain (X. Perez) Ortiz 3, I.Gonzalez 2, Leiton 2, Cordobes 2, Forca 1
USA (C. Simmons) Fischer 4, Brooks 4, Liebowich 2, Neushul 1, Barr 1, Loughlin 1
Extraplayer:  ESP (5/9), USA (4/7)
Penalties: ESP (0/0), USA (1/1)
Referees Bartels (AUS), Birakis (GRE)

Coralie Simmons: (head coach of USA): «Volos is our lucky town. I love Volos. We have the advantage to have very good players and to create a tradition for the sport. Four gold medals in five final games is the best for this team and this is fair, because we work hard».

Αria Fischer (USA, MVP):We are a very strong team that work hardly and achieved this miraculous victory. We are very happy. Volos is a lucky town for us, with amazing people who love water polo and create an amazing atmosphere»

Xavier  Perez (head coach of Spain): «Volos is the best town in the world! Even if the result was not good for us, being second in the world is something great».
 

Bronze medal Game

Τhe bronze medal came for Russia easier than the team of Aleksandr Gaidukov could imagine. The game was totally equalized in the first period (3-3) but then Russia show an incredible will in their game, so they ended up with a huge lead after the third period (10-6).

Canada during the game could not deal with the extra player (2-9) and was not concentrated in the defense. Afterwards, Russia, with Simanovich and Zubkova scoring 4 goals, Russia fairly won the third place in the competition. This medal was a success for them, as in the two previous World Championship were in the fourth position.

CANADA-RUSSIA  8-15 (3-3, 1-3, 2-4, 2-5)
Canada (D. Paradello): Νacouzi 2, Paul 2, Crevier 1, Christmas 1, McKelvey 1, Matthews 1
Russia (A. Gaidukov):  Zubkova 4, Simanovich 4, Kolmakova 2, Trotskaya 2,  Ryzhkova 1, Poliakova 1, Kravchenco 1
Extraplayer: CAN (2/9), RUS (2/5)
Penalties: CAN (0/0), (0-0)
Referees: Varkonyi (HUN), Colominas (ESP)

David Paradelo (head coach of Canada): «We made many mistakes in our game against Russia. It was a very strong tournament, small in duration, with very good games, one close to the other and we seemed tired in the end».

Αndreι Belofastov (assistant coach of Russia):«Τhis medal was a real gift for my team. We had two extremely strong games against USA and Canada and we managed to be in the first places. We had our goalkeeper in an amazing day and in general the whole team function well».

 

Places 5th-6th

Τhe host country, Greece, won the fifth place in the tournament, after defeating Italy (12-7 ).  The two teams  had the potential to reach the first rankings, but they didn’t manage, so they wanted to finish as higher as possible.

The first period was equalized (2-2) but after that Greeks proved that they deserved one medal. Eleutheria Pleuritou was in an excellent condition, scoring 7 goals (4 penalties) and especially in the last period Greece managed to hit the target 6 times and achieve a significant victory and the 5th place in the world.

GREECE-ITALIA 12-7 3-2, 1-1, 2-2, 6-2
Greece (G. Morfesis): Pleuritou E. 7, Χenaki 3, Charalampidi S. 1, Niar
Ιtaly (P. Zizza): Gragnolati 2, Marletta 2, Galardi 1,Ioannou 1, Morvillo 1
Extraplayer :  GRE (2-2), ITA (4/9)
Penalties: GRE (4/4), ITA (0/1)
Referees Florastano (BRZ), Zhang (CHN)

Places 7th-8th

Hungary is the team that captured the 7th place in the competition, after defeating Brazil (11-9).The game was unpredictable for two periods, the two teams were very close, with some beautiful phases (5-5).

Ιn the third period, Hungary took the lead in the score, creating a stable difference (10-6) but Brazil scored 3 goals (10-9). The goal of Dorottya Szilagyi, 01.49 before the final whistle secured the victory for the team of Mattias Petrovic (11-9), although Rivas scored (0.02), for the 11-10.

ΗUNGARY- BRAZIL (2-2, 3-3, 4-1, 2-4)
Hungary (M. Petrovic): Horvath 5, Gurisatti 3, Leimeter 1, Sikter 1
Brazil (P. Oaten):  Αbla 3, Chiappini 2, Duarte 2, Rivas 1
Extraplayer: HUN (3/4),  BRA (5/8)
Penalties: HUN (0/0), HUN (0/0)
Referees: Dutilh_Dumas (NED ), Waldow (NZL)

The final ranking:
1. USA
2. Spain
3. Russia
4. Canada
5. Greece
6. Italy
7. Hungary
8. Brazil
9. Australia
10. New Zealand
11. Japan
12. Mexico
13. Netherlands
14. Great Britain
15. South Africa
16. Ukraine