|
Game 87, 16:50, men, SERBIA 12 CROATIA 11 |
|
Thursday, 30 July 2009 16:50 |
Semifinals 1st-4th
Referees: Gabor KISZELLY (HUN), Felippe GOMEZ (ITA)
Quarters: 4-3, 3-3, 3-3, 2-2
Extra man: SRB 5/11; CRO 4/15
Teams:
SERBIA: Slobodan SORO, Marko AVRAMOVIC, Zivko GOCIC, Vanja UDOVICIC (3), Slavko GAK (1), Dusko PIJETLOVIC (1), Slobodan NIKIC, Milan ALEKSIC (1), Nikola RADEN, Filip FILIPOVIC (4), Andriya PRLAINOVIC (2), Stefan MITROVIC, Gosko PIJETLOVIC. Head Coach: Dejan UDOVICIC.
CROATIA: Ivo BRZICA, Damir BURIC, Miho BOSKOVIC (3), Niksa DOBUD (2), Ivan BULJUBASIC (1), Strotan ANTONIJEVIC, Frano KARAC (2), Andro BUSLJE, Sandro SUKNO (1), Samir BARAC (1), Igor HINIC, Paulo OBRADOVIC (1), Josip PAVIC.
Head Coach: Ratko RUDIC.
Serbia ended the rein of Croatia as world champion with a controlled match against a team expected to go back to back under super coach Ratko RUDIC. It was not to be despite a 2-0 lead to the Croatians at the start. Then, with PRLAINOVIC and FILPOVIC combining with the exceptional captain UDOVICIC, Serbia was in the box seat. This trio scored nine of the goals as Serbia had the better of the shooting if not the foul count, which was mounting and a problem should the game go into extra time. Three times Serbia led by two oals in the second quarter and only twice in the third. FILIPOVIC sent in a slow five-metre, free-throw shot that RUDIC disputed late in the third quarter that gave Serbia a 10-9 advantage after DOBUD levelled the game on a superb cross pass in front of goal. PRLAINOVIC and FILIPOVIC gave Serbia two-goal margins in the fourth either side of a KARAC penalty by 2:32.
BULJUBASIC hit the crossbar and the ball fell just over the line at 1:17 for 12-11, setting the scene for a fantastic finale. Serbia took a timeout but could not score and Croatia gained the final phase after a timeout, earning a a short period on extra. No one wanted to shoot and the final shot came from the top but it was at least 30cm above the bar and Croatia's reign had ended. The story is in the major fouls. Croatia managed to get four Serbians excluded on three majors ‹ including UDOVICIC ‹but netting the chances proved fatal.
 |
|
|
