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Game 95, 16:00, men, CROATIA 8 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 6 |
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Saturday, 01 August 2009 16:57 |
Bronze Medal
Referees: Sergio BORRELL (ESP), Daniel FLAHIVE (AUS)
Quarters: 2-3, 1-1, 2-0, 3-2
Teams:
CROATIA: Ivo BRZICA, Damir BURIC (1), Miho BOSKOVIC (1), Niksa DOBUD, Ivan BULJUBASIC, Strotan ANTONIJEVIC, Frano KARAC, Andro BUSLJE (1), Sandro SUKNO, Samir BARAC (2), Igor HINIC, Paulo OBRADOVIC (2), Josip PAVIC. Head
Coach: Ratko RUDIC.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Merrill MOSES, Peter VARELLAS (1), Brian ALEXANDER (1), Jeff POWERS (1), Adam WRIGHT, Justin JOHNSON, Layne BEAUBIEN, Tony AZEVEDO (2), Ryan BAILEY, Tim HUTTEN, Jesse SMITH, James KRUMPHOLZ (1), Genai KERR. Head Coach: Terry SCHROEDER.
Croatia won its second medal at world championship level, following up from gold in Melbourne two years ago. The USA missed a chance to become the first team outside Europe to gain a medal at the FINA World Championships.
The USA went 3-1 up in the first quarter but allowed BOSKOVIC to score on extra to close the period in the searing afternoon heat. The USA scored its second-quarter goal on extra while Croatia's sole goal came from the penalty spot through OBRADOVIC. BARAC levelled at 4-4 with an unguarded shot from the top two minutes into the third period. BUSLJE let loose a cannon from the top left to give Croatia the first lead at 1:40 after several good shooting opportunities from the USA failed to find their mark. POWERS scored from two metres off a cross pass on extra for 5-5 at 5:46 in the last quarter but then the damage was done soon after as Croatia went two ahead through OBRADAVIC and BURIC. The first was on extra but the second was from a powerful centre-forward turn while guarded by two players. The USA's final real chance to narrow the gap came when BEAUBIEN creased the bar on extra at 1:47. Croatia¹s goal attempt went wide, the USA took a timeout and gained consecutive exclusions. AZEVEDO drilled the ball from the top for 7-6 at 0:59. Croatia gained an exclusion and, after the excluded player returned, HINIC scored off the set pass down the left for 8-6 at 0:27. The final USA attempt stopped short of the line.
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