Spain 7 – Canada 10
(1-1, 3-2, 1-2, 2-5)

Towards the middle of the final period, the game was still close, and a potential crisis for the thus far undefeated Canadian team was averted by one of their defenders - Tara Campbell. Campbell’s three successful shots from distance within three minutes of play appeared decisive and broke the resistance of the Spanish national team. Besides, in several key moments in the last quarter, the goalkeeper of the Canadian team Rachel Riddell deflected three difficult shots.

Patrick Oaten, head coach of the Canadian team: “I’m pleased that we could become better and better from quarter to quarter. And what Campbell managed in the last period - it was fantastic! Why, in every game any new player of our team could stand out and play so productively? It is my training secret (smiles).”

Jane Joan, head coach of the Spanish team: “We played perfectly in two periods of this game, but in the final quarter could not offer resistance of the Canadian team. For the fifth day of tournament it is hard to play well from a physical point of view – as I said yesterday, two of our best players had no time to recuperate after in the championship of Italy, after that intense tournament.”

Spain: Del Soto, Gil (1), Ortiz, Hagen, Lopez-Escribano, Pareja (2), C. Lopez, Pena, Diaz, Meseguer (2), Garcia, L. Lopez (1), Domenech (1).

Canada: Riddell, Alogbo (1), Monton (1), Csicos, Bekhazi (1), Genoway (1), Tomiuk (1), Perreault (1), Eggens, Robinson (1), Campbell (3), Janssens.

Australia 8 – USA 9
(3-1, 1-2, 3-4, 1-2)

The owner of the second pass into the final was determined in very intense, absolutely equal game, and throughout the three final quarters the advantage of either team never exceeded one point. The last minute of the game was a key moment when the score was still tied up. Then, in the net of the Australians a foul shot was appointed. Kelly Rullon's throw appeared to be inaccurate, but she managed to pick up the ball and shoot it again – the team of Australia was saved on that occasion by the goalkeeper Victoria Brown. But the Australians failed to prevent Rullon from making a third attempt which gave the Americans the deciding edge.

Greg McFadden, head coach of the Australian team: “It is really a pity that the outcome of such an intense game is decided by referees. I have no right to criticise them, but those who understand water polo watched it all happen themselves. Why didn’t anyone of our players appear nearby when Americans executed last penalty? It is our big mistake. But it is not as big as the mistakes of the referees that we did not appear to be in a situation warranting this penalty.”

Adam Krikorian, head coach of the American national team: “To tell the truth, I am disappointed by how our team played today. Sometimes we played too slowly, and sometimes too hurried. It is possible to recognise that today we had luck on our side.”

Australia: McCormack, Lincoln-Smith (1), Ralph (2), R.Rippon, Moran (1), Knox (1), Webster (2), Gynther, Mills, Dessauvagie (1), M.Rippon, Arancini, Brown.

USA: Armstrong, Petri (1), Hayes (1), Villa (1), Wenger (1), Gandy (1), Rullon, Steffens, Windes, Gregorka (1), Figge, Craig (2), Dries.

There were also playoff games for 5th - 8th, which took place between China and Italy and concluded with a win for the Asian team with a score of 11-9, and between Russia and Greece, which ended with a Russian victory of 11-8.

Thus, tomorrow, the following matches will also take place to determine the final rankings:

For 7th-8th place: Italy vs. Greece
For 5th-6th place: China vs. Russia

Here are some highlights from today's other play-off games:

China 11 – Italy 9
(2-2, 3-1, 2-3, 4-3)

In the group stage the national team of China crushed the Italians with a difference of +9 goals. This play-off game developed much more tensely. At the beginning of the final quarter, after a precise shot from the Italian Annalisa Bosello, the score was equal – 7-7. However, at the end of the game the more physically powerful team of China had more force saved to make a stronger finish. After having realised a numerical advantage three times, the players of China won the game.

Roberto Fiori, head coach of the Italian national team: “Working out tactics for this game, we tried to consider information about the national team of China; about its play during this tournament. In particular, we knew that the most dangerous of their competitors are players’ number 8 and 10; we tried to pay particular attention to them. It is important that to our young team starts feeling more sure of themselves among such strong teams.”

Pan ShengHua, head coach of the Chinese national team: “It was a hard game during which we felt accumulated weariness from the tournament. As a result we made many mistakes – both in defense, and in attack. But I am quite satisfied by the result.”

China: Yang Jun, Teng Fei (1), Liu Ping, Sun Yujun (1), He Jin, Sun Yating (2), Song Dong Lun, Gao Ao (3), Wang Yi (2), Ma HuanHuan (1), Sun Huizi (1), Zhu Jia Yi, Wang Ying.

Italy: Gorlero, Abbate (1), Motte, Dal Fiume (1), Verde, Radicchi (2), Aiello, Bosello (3), Ayallo (1), Rocco (1), Bianconi, Lavoroni, Ricciardi.

Russia 11 - Greece 8
(3-3, 2-3, 2-1, 4-1)

Easily leading the score at the beginning (3-0 by the 4th minute), the Russian national team then allowed their opponents to intercept the initiative. The team of Greece not only levelled position, but also began to lead. Team Russia, among which was team leader Ekaterina Pantyulina, managed to even up the score for only 3 seconds until the end of the third period – after Olga Belyaeva's exact throw. The players of Greece did not have force for the final period.

Alexander Kabanov, head coach of the Russian team: “The Greek national team is competent and organised and capable of punishing for any liberty taken. And we, leading the score 3-0, felt a little relaxed. To tell the truth, I as the coach don’t like when a match begins so successfully, this does not always affect a team well. I am grateful the girls could cope with their uneasy psychological condition after yesterday's defeat.”

Georgios Morfesis, head coach of the Greek team: “We fought adequately with Russia throughout three quarters of the game, but many mistakes were made in the fourth. But half of our team is quite new, which is why our purpose is simply to get better from game to game. After all, there is a month till the World Championship in Rome.”

Russia: Protsenko, Glyzina, Prokofyeva (1), Konukh (1), Ryzhova-Alenicheva, Kuryatnikova, Antonova, Soboleva (3), Timofeeva (1), Belyaeva (3), Ivanova, Gaufler (1), Vylegzhanina (1).

Greece: Tsouri, Tsoukala, Kouteli, Psouni, Liosi, Avramidou, Asimaki (2), Gerolymou (4), Manolioudaki (1), Antonakou, Lara (1), Kouvdou.