Japan defeated France 16-10 with an incredible seven-goal, final-quarter burst and five goals to the unstoppable Yusuke Inaba in the classification 5-8 semifinal.

It was a match of different strengths and dominance with France winning the first 10 minutes, Japan the next 10, France for two minutes and then it was all Japan as it rose to the occasion and showed what it is capable of ahead of the Olympic Games. Japan played at its best, especially in the last quarter against a flagging team, much like it has in recent years, before Covid hit.

“As the host country for the Olympic Games, we wanted to beat some of the strong European teams and we have done that. In the middle of the game, we were tough and kept up with endurance and stamina and won it in the final quarter. We want to keep our quick and fast movements (in the final match).”
By Yoji Omoto (JPN) — Head Coach

The day started sunny and 33C, in stark contrast to the previous night’s thunderstorm, which delayed proceedings by about an hour. Japan was caught up in that melee while France played before the heavens opened.

The first quarter made for extraordinary reading on the scoresheet. After eight minutes it was Vernoux 4-Japan 3. Livewire centre forward Thomas Vernoux, just 19 years of age, scored all of France’s goals — from centre forward, right-hand-catch position and on an unbelievable counter-attack. He came into the match was some excellent form and just six goals from the week’s efforts. Inaba was just as good. He started the day with 14 goals from 42 attempts and netted twice in the opening period. He scored another pair in the second quarter to emulate Vernoux. In fact, Inaba had his four as Japan levelled with France 5-5. Three of Inaba’s goals were from penalty goals. His fourth was the first of three straight as Toi Suzuki on counter and Mitsuaki Shiga on extra giving Japan a two-goal advantage.

“I am satisfied with our performance. We did what we wanted to do at the beginning of the game.”
By Yusuke Inaba (JPN) — Five goal and Man of the Match

French captain Ugo Crousillat increased his tournament tally as he scored the sixth, seventh and ninth goals in the third period, lifting his team to level pegging. He scored his first early in the second and his four goals brought his total to 11. At 6-8, France gained what Japanese head coach Yoji Omoto declared “questionable” and Crousillat converted. Inaba scored his fifth from the top (from nine attempts); Atsushi Arai scored his team’s ninth and then France made a statement with Denis Do Carmo drilling from the top on extra to close the third period at 10-9. France was back in the lead.

“Congratulations to the team of Japan. They are a tough opponent to play, with a lot of swimming and movement. It was difficult for us to find a way to defend this type of attacking.”
By Nenad Vukanic (FRA) — Head Coach

It was short lived as Harukiirario Koppu scored at 7:17 in the fourth and French coach Nenad Vukanic gained a yellow card. Six more goals came — three on counter and an open drive in front of the goal by Takuma Yoshida. Arai’s counter-attack goal at 1:02 closed the scoring and France’s fate, sent to the play-off for seventh on Thursday.

Japan earned the right to play for fifth, and nothing short of victory is expected by the team and the coach.

Full match statistics — http://results.microplustiming.com/TBILISI2021/index_web.php

Kazkahstan needed sudden-death penalty shootout to relegate Georgia to the bottom play-off, winning the final quarter 4-1 for 11-11 before claiming the penalties 5-4 for the 16-15 victory.

It was an amazing classification 5-8 semifinal match and one Georgia will be kicking itself for not winning after leading for nearly three quarters.

Kazakhstan was coached by former goalkeeping great Alexandr Shvedov, elevated to the position from assistant after head coach Nemanja Knezevic was red-carded in Tuesday’s match against Montenegro. He had to serve a mandatory one-match suspension. It was Shvedov’s moment in the sun, which was very hot.

“It was a very strong game and Georgia is very good, showing good water polo. We’re old friends. I liked that we won today and I want to thank my players.”
By Alexandr Shvedov (KAZ) — Head Coach

Kazakhstan began strongly, 2-0 becoming 3-1. A double from Georgia’s Marko Jelaca kept his team in the match by quarter time. This promised to be a close match.

However, that thought was blown out of the water in the second quarter as Georgia, urged on by a small but vocal bank of spectators, took total control and rattled in five unanswered goals. At times it seemed as Kazakhstan became gun shy, especially with Georgian goalkeeper Iraki Razmadze on fire. Nika Shushiashvili and Boris Vapenski both scored twice from a variety of positions.

The power shift went the way of Kazakhstan at the start of the third quarter with three goals in more than four minutes. Srdjan Vuksanovic scored his second and third goals from top left. When Vapenski scored his second on extra-man attack, it broke a six-minute famine for Georgia and took the score to 8-6. Murat Shakenov scored his second to bring it within one before Fabio Baraldi, with a backflip from two metres, and Shushiashvili, on extra, marched the score to 10-7. Vuksanovich watched his penalty shot get smacked away by Razmadze, 22 seconds from time. Georgia was in the box seat heading into the final period.

It doesn’t pay to count your chickens before they are hatched. Kazakhstan was about to strike and teach Georgia a lessonDushan Markovich with a lob and Yevgeniy Medvedev on extra nudged the score to 10-9. Giorgi Magrakvalidze made it 11-9 from outside. Kazakhstan took a timeout and Shakenov converted the extra-man play for 11-10. Kazakhstan took another timeout a minute later and the ball found Vuksanovich who scored his third goal at 1:51 for the tie. Georgia had a timeout for no positive result and had another chance when on extra, but the last-gasp shot by Shushiashvili was most ineffective from very deep right, forcing the match into a shootout.

Georgia started the shootout and both teams were unblemished for the first four shots, then things started unravelling. The normally potent Jelaca hit the right upright and Kazakh Miras Aubakirov put his shot into Nikoloz Shubladze’s hand. Shubladze came into the shootout  after the first four shots. We were now in sudden death and Vapenski found the left hand of Kazkahstan’s Pavel Lilipin. This left Shakenov to win the match, firing his shot only just into the bottom left for victory.

The seemingly unlikely Kazakhstan will play Japan for fifth place and Georgia will face France for seventh.

Full match statistics — http://results.microplustiming.com/TBILISI2021/index_web.php