Water Polo, Women's prelims Day 3 - Italy, USA top groups, eyeing semis

No surprise in the last round of the women’s prelims, thus Italy and the USA clinched the top spots of the respective groups and face an easier quarter-final in two-day time. The other QFs featuring Russia v Spain and Australia v Hungary promise mouth-watering clashes with loads of excitements.

****

Game 1, 9.00 – Group B: China v Spain 8-12 (2-3, 4-4, 1-2, 1-3)
Referees: Boris Margeta (SLO), German Moller (ARG)

CHINA: Yang Jun, Ma Huanhuan 2, Mei Xiaohan, Siong Dunham, Niu Guannan 1, Sun Yating, Song Donglun, Zhang Cong 3, Zhao Zihan 1, Zhang Weiwei, Wang Xinyan, Zhang Jing 1, Peng Lin (GK). Head coach: Rick Azevedo
SPAIN: Laura Ester, Marta Bach, Anna Espar, Beatriz Ortiz 1, Matilde Ortiz, Paula Leiton, Clara Espar, Pilar Pena, Judith Forca 2, Roser Tarrago 2, Maica Garcia 3, Laura Lopez 4, Patricia Herrera (GK). Head coach: Miguel Oca

Extramen
China: 4 for 10
Spain: 3 for 8

Penalties
China: 0 for 1
Spain: 2 for 2

Spain kept the game under control for most of the time but the Chinese never ceased to stage a come-back, like after 2-5 when they managed to catch up their rivals at 6-6, late in the second period. Maica Garcia’s classical centre-shot gave the Spaniards a 6-7 lead to half-time and soon she repeated that for 6-8 and a man-up might have set up a calmer finish but they missed it while the Chinese put away one later so it stood 7-8. Roser Tarrago’s converted penalty relieved the Spaniards before the last period a bit. Then it was all decided, again, the 6 on 5s made the difference: the Chinese shot was blocked and in the very next attack Beatriz Ortiz was on target, it seemed inevitable that there is no way back for China after 7-10. And it wasn’t indeed, soon the gap grew to four and remained till the end of the match.

Game 2, 10.20 – Group A: Russia v Italy 5-10 (2-3, 1-2, 1-3, 1-2)
Referees: Joe Piela (USA), Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU)

RUSSIA: Anna Listyukhina, Nadezhda Glyzina 1, Ekaterina Prokofyeva, Elvina Karimova, Maria Borisova, Olga Gorbunova, Ekaterina Lisunova 1, Anastasia Simanovich, Anna Timofeeva, Evgeniia Soboleva, Evgeniya Ivanova 1, Anna Grineva 2, Anna Karnaukh (GK). Head coach: Aleksandr Gaidukov
ITALY: Giulia Gorlero, Chiara Tabani, Arianna Garibotti 2, Elisa Queirolo 2, Federica Radicchi, Rosaria Aiello, Tania di Mario, Roberta Bianconi 3, Giulia Emmolo 2, Francesca Pomeri, Aleksandra Pomeri 1, Aleksandra Cotti, Teresa Frassinetti, Laura Teani (GK). Head coach: Fabio Conti

Extramen
Russia: 2 for 6
Italy: 4 for 8

Penalties
Russia: none
Italy: 0 for 1

It was a really professional performance from the Italians who managed to leave the Russians step by step. It wasn’t a better spell which decided the outcome, the gap grew period by period. The last time the sides were together was in the middle of the first at 2-2, Elisa Queirolo’s fine blast from the distance put the Italians ahead before the end of the first and with a minute into the second Arianna Garibotti made it 2-4 from an extra. At half-time two goals separated them (3-5) but soon it grew to three: Russia missed a 6 on 5, Garibotti put away Italy’s one for 3-6.

Three great action goals followed, two from the Italians, including Roberta Bianconi’s rocket, doubling the Setterosa’s advantage before the last eight minutes (4-8). Though sometimes the Russians can produce miraculous comebacks, even from being four goals down, it didn’t happen this morning. Italy even went 4-10 up while securing the first place in the group and a seemingly easy QF pairing with China.

Fabio Conti, head coach, Italy:

“We came into the Olympics with the mindset that we had to play six finals. We've treated every game as a final. We made it through the group stage and now we have to focus on the real part of the tournament.”

Elisa Queirolo, player, Italy:

“We are very happy, because this win means we are first in our group. For the next match, we will go against the fourth place team from the other group, so this is important. It doesn't mean we will take it easy, it's still a match that you have to play until the end, but it's still important.”

Game 3, 11.40 – Group A: Australia v Brazil 10-3 (1-1, 3-1, 3-0, 3-1)
Referees: Dion Willis (NZL), Benjamin Mercier (CAN)

AUSTRALIA: Kelsey Wakefield, Gemma Beadsworth 1, Hannah Buckling 1, Holly Lincoln-Smith 1, Keesja Gofers 2, Bronwen Knox 1, Rowie Webster 2, Glencora McGhie 1, Zoe Arancini, Ash Southern 1, Isobel Bishop, Nicola Zagame, Lea Yanitsas (GK). Head coach: Greg McFadden
BRAZIL: Tess Oliveira, Diana Abla 1, Marina Zablith 1, Marina Canetti, Lucianne Barroncas, Izabella Chiappini 1, Amanda Oliveira, Luiza Carvalho, Camila Pedrosa, Viviane Bahia, Mariane Duarte, Gabriela Mantellato, Victoria Chamorro. Head coach: Patrick Oaten

Extramen
Australia: 2 for 9
Brazil: 1 for 9

Penalties
Australia: 1 for 1
Brazil: none

For eight minutes it was surprisingly even but in the second a penalty, a centre-shot and a 6-5 earned the Aussies a 4-1 lead. Though the hosts pulled one back, that was the last moment when the enthusiastic locals could hope for a better result in the stands.

Then it’s gone in all of a sudden, or rather in 54 seconds, Robbie Webster finished a counter, then Keesja Gofers delivered in extra, it was 6-2 for the favourites, had it been a computer game, the ‘game over’ sign would have flashed on the screen. The Brazilians missed a 6 on 5, Webster scored from action for 7-2 and two more missed man-ups showed that the two sides are a class or two apart. Three more goals here, more man-ups and misses there – for sure, it’s going to be harder for Australia in the coming matches, at first against Hungary in the quarters.

Rowie Webster, captain, Australia:

“There's a certain disappointment that comes with not having the pride of finishing at the top of your group, but it doesn't change anything going into game four (the quarterfinals). Every team in this competition is looking forward to playing game four, and you've got to win to play off for a medal. We will definitely take a lot of confidence from this game.”
“There's certainly room for improvement, but we're building. Each game we're building. We've got a few debutants that haven't ever been in an Olympic Games. As long as we keep improving, we go back and review our games, we learn from our mistakes, I think we'll be a really strong force in the finals.”

Patrick Oaten, head coach, Brazil

“It is kind of like a David and Goliath story, but we have to approach that game like they are just a normal team. They are the favourites and we have to be able to shut down their strengths as much as we can.”
“This team never gives up. They keep fighting the full 32 minutes, no matter what the score is. I'm extremely proud of that. I like the way we are playing defensively, but we are struggling on offence and in six-on-five situations. We are the most inexperienced team here and we have absolutely nothing to lose. We are just going to work and continue to work.”

Game 4, 13.00 – Group B: Hungary v United States 6-11 (2-2, 1-5, 1-1, 2-3)

Referees: Marie-Claude Deslieres (CAN), Diana Dulith-Dumas (NED)

HUNGARY: Edinga Gangl, Dora Czigany 1, Dora Antal 1, Hanna Kisteleki, Gabriella Szucs 2, Orsolya Takacs, Anna Illes, Rita Keszthelyi 1, Ildiko Toth, Barbara Bujka 1, Dora Csabai, Krisztina Garda, Orsolya Kaso (GK). Head coach: Attila Biro
USA: Ashleigh Johnson, Madeline Musselman 3, Melissa Seidemann, Rachel Fattal, KK Clark, Maggie Steffens 4, Courtney Matthewson 2, Kiley Neushul 1, Aria Fischer, Kaleigh Gilchrist 1, Makenzie Fischer, Kami Craig, Sami Hill (GK). Head coach: Adam Krikorian

Extramen
Hungary: 0 for 4
USA: 3 for 9

Penalties
Hungary: 1 for 1
USA: 1 for 1

A game without any big thing at stake – at least in the world of reality: a 5-goal win would have rocketed Hungary to the first place but beating the US team by a single goal already requires a special performance, to build a five-goal margin require the involvement of aliens or heroes from the Marvel world. Instead of tales and sci-fi themes, the Hungarians settled for a peaceful approach and tried to play an even game against the world beaters. Well, they don’t have too much chance to remain really close but at least it was a fair encounter, where both sides played solid, a kind of preparing themselves for the more important encounters, the matches in the knock-out phase.

Early in the second it was 3-3 but from that point the US defence tightened enough to shut out the Magyars, while the Steffens&Co. produced four straight goals for a 3-7 lead and this 0-4 rush virtually decided the match. The Hungarians fought bravely and got a bit closer early in the fourth at 6-8 but three fast US goals in 1:37 minutes from back-to-back attacks restored the order. In fact, the difference was 5 goals at the end but for the favourites.

KK Clark, player, USA:

“The next three matches are do or die, so we're trying to distinguish them and play two tournaments. We're happy with our performances but we know we can do better. The first tournament is over. We did well. We can't get too happy because the next games are going to be way harder.”
“I think we continue what we've done for the last two years. We just continue to recover and rest, dial it in more and try to focus even harder. These are the real games and we can't wait to play.”

Attila Biro, head coach, Hungary

“I would have loved to see a more even match but after all it doesn’t matter we play with Australia whatever the outcome would have been here. I think, based on how we played today, we can head to our quarter-final game with confidence. This hasn’t been a practice match as this is the Olympics, though I have to admit we tried a couple of things which we would like to apply in the upcoming games.”

****

Classification

Group A
1. Italy 6, 2. Australia 4, 3. Russia 2, 4. Brazil 0

Group B
1. USA 6, 2. Spain 4, 3. Hungary 2, 4. China 0

Quarterfinals
Italy v China
Australia v Hungary
Russia v Spain
Brazil v USA