USA, Montenegro came first, Hungary and Croatia set up rematch of 2017 World final
Hungary and Croatia will replay last year’s World Championship final in the quarters here in the men’s World League Super Final in Budapest as the host team beat Japan with ease but the world champions fell to the US in a great game and dropped to the third place in their group. The Americans finished atop with three wins, just like Montenegro which also maintained its clean sheet by defeating Australia.
The opening game of the last round of the group stage couldn't have been any better as USA beat world champion Croatia in a thrilling game. The Americans took control early and built a massive four-goal lead and kept three for the last period. In the final eight minutes the Croats began playing worthy of the No. 1 team in the world and their all-in approach almost brought its result but couldn't equalise and force a shootout. This means the US boys claimed the top spot in Group B with three wins while the Croats might land on the third place and this set up a quarterfinal against the host Hungarians.
The famous penalty save from USA's Baron McQuin (see match report) - Credit: LOC / Jozsef Szaka
Montenegro didn't commit the same mistake against Australia, they kept the match under firm control and even though the Aussies fought hard and had some slim chance to turn this game into a nailbiter but couldn't come closer than two goals. Thus Montenegro also secured the top spot with three great wins and is set to face an easier quarterfinal.
Spain enjoyed an easy cruise against Kazakhstan as expected. The Spaniards bounced back from their opening day loss to the US by beating Croatia on Day 2 in a shootout and today they marched on and earned a rather easy win which secured their second place in the group.
Hungary applied the same tactics against Japan which had brought a multiple-goal win at the Rio Olympics, letting their powerful centre-forwards did the hack of the job in front as they were two-size bigger if not more (XXXL v M...). The difference in height and weight, as well as in the speed of the shots made the outcome inevitable.
The usual scene: small v big – the Hungarians dominated these kind of body-to-body duels - Credit: HUN WP FED/David Madar
For detailed stats and play-by-play descriptions click on the links below – the usual game reports and photogallery are at the bottom of the article.
15.15 Group B: Croatia v United States 10-11
16.45 Group A: Montenegro v Australia 10-8
18.45 Group B: Kazakhstan v Spain 3-11
20.00 Group A: Japan v Hungary 7-14
Final standings
Group A
1. Montenegro 9, 2. Hungary 6, 3. Australia 3, 4. Japan 0
Group B
1. United States 9, 2. Spain 5, 3. Croatia 4, 4. Kazakhstan 0
Quarterfinals – Schedule
15.15 Montenegro v Kazakhstan
16.45 Australia v Spain
18.15 Hungary v Croatia
19.45 United States v Japan
Match reports
Game 9, 15.15: Croatia v United States 10-11
Quarters: 1-2 , 2-5 , 5-4 , 2-0
Referees: German Moller (ARG), Balazs Szekely (HUN)
CROATIA
Marco Bijac (3 saves/11 shots, 27%), Ivan Marcelic (1/4, 25%) – Hrvoje Benic (1 goal/2 shots), Loren Fatovic (1/7), Ivan Krapic (1/2), Lovre Milos (1/1), Ivan Buljubasic (0/0), Ante Vukicevic (2/6), Andro Buslje (0/1), Andrija Basic (0/0), Josip Vrlic (2/3), Andelo Setka (1/2), Javier Garcia (1/4). Head coach: Ivica Tucak
UNITED STATES
McQuin Baron (15/25, 60%), Alexander Wolf (GK2, not entered) – Johnathan Hooper (1/1), Marko Vavic (0/2), Alexander Obert (0/1), Benjamin Hallock (0/0), Luca Cupido (2/3), Hannes Daube (1/2) Alex Roelse (1/2), Alexander Bowen (5/11), Chancellor Ramirez (0/0), Jesse Smith (0/0), Maxwell Irving (1/1). Head coach: Dejan Udovicic
Goals/shots
CRO: 10/33
USA: 11/23
Extramen
CRO: 2/15
USA: 2/8
Penalties
CRO: 0/1
USA: 1/1
Best player of the game
Alexander Bowen (USA)
“Right side, right side” shouted Dejan Udovicic to Baron McQuin and the US goalie did that: went to the right and stopped Ante Vukicevic’s penalty in the last seconds of the first period. That sent Croatia to a downward spiral – the next period began with a converted US penalty, as a mirror, making it 1-3 instead of 2-2. The world champions seemed to not believe that the Americans could play so effectively – by halftime they were 3-7 down. Marko Bijac had only three saves (had to be substituted), the attackers missed most of their chances, while the US managed to score from the centre, man-up, counter, just beating the buzzer before the break.
The Croats enjoyed a better spell in the middle of the third when they came back to 6-8 but Alexander Bowen netted a double for 6-10. On the contrary, not even two shots were enough for the world champs to convert a 6 on 4. Then again, the Croats showed something from their ‘real’ knowledge, with 44sec to go they were close again at 8-10 but they couldn’t stop Bowen who netted his 5th of the game to give a three-goal lead to the US.
The Croats’ changed their approach and applied a kind of ‘all-in’ tactics. A nice action goal from Vukicevic from the first possession gave them hope and from that point they launched counter after counter which kind of disturbed the Americans who didn’t want to risk anything in front while tried to neutralise the Croats’ efforts who really began to play which was worthy of world champions. With 4:28 to go a fine centre-shot from Ivan Krapic cut the gap to a single goal (10-11) and they had a series of chances to go even but McQuin came up with a couple of big saves. The Croats missed two more extras in the last two minutes though they had two shots in each but, unlike a day earlier against Spain, couldn’t force the shootout.
Game 10, 16.45 – Group A: Montenegro v Australia 10-8
Quarters: 3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 1-2
Referees: Ivan Rakovic (SRB), Alex Stankevich (USA)
MONTENEGRO
Dejan Lazovic (11/19, 58%), Slaven Kandic (GK2, not entered) – Drasko Brguljan (1/3), Bojan Banicevic (0/0), Marko Petkovic (0/0), Stefan Vidovic (0/1), Duro Radovic (1/2), Mladan Janovic (2/4), Bogdan Durdic (2/3), Aleksandar Ivovic (2/6), Sasa Misic (1/2), Dragan Draskovic (1/3), Vladan Spaic (0/0). Head coach: Vladimir Gojkovic
AUSTRALIA
Anthony Hrysanthos (9/19, 47%), Nicholas Porter (1/1, 100%) – Richard Campbell (0/2), Blake Edward (0/0), Joseph Kayes (1/3), Nathan Power (1/1), Nickolas Elphick (0/0), Aidan Roach (2/2), Aaron Younger (2/3), Andrew Ford (0/4), Timothy Putt (0/0), Lachlan Hollis (1/4), Nicholas Brooks (1/2). Head coach: Elvis Fatovic
Goals/shots
MNE: 10/26
AUS: 8/24
Extramen
MNE: 4/10
AUS: 4/11
Penalties
None
Best player of the game:
Dejan Lazovic (MNE)
The first period already previewed the happening in general: Dejan Lazovic posted a great save on the Aussies’ first man-up, while Drasko Brguljan’s blast found the back of the net on the other end from a 6 on 5. Adrian Roach netted the second extra but Sasa Misic replied from a brilliant centre-goal immediately and with 29sec from time in the first Duro Radovic buried another man-up for 3-1. Aaron Younger was on target though, still in the first, for 3-2.
The second began with some ‘field-work’ but after almost four minutes Brguljan doubled their lead by converting another extra and the Montenegrins had a couple of chances to extend their lead, instead late in the second the Sharks levelled the score. A precise shot from Younger and a finely set-up 6 on 5 levelled the score in less than a minute with just 48sec to go. What came right next was a brief but spectacular demonstration of experience and outstanding skills – and proved to be decisive moments. Aleksandar Ivovic outsmarted the Aussie defenders, manoeuvred himself to clear shooting position, netting one with 32sec to go, then, after a steal and a time-out, again to score with 0:01sec on the clock. His great drives gave a 6-4 lead to Montenegro which had a good calming effect to the team.
Though Australia began with a man-up goal in the third but the Montenegrins hit back with a triple in 2:07 minutes for 9-5 and that was a killer blow. The Australians didn’t give in, they halved their deficit early in the fourth but an immediate reply from Mladan Janovic killed their momentum at 10-7. Aidan Roach’s action goal gave some slim hope for the Sharks, with 2:46 they had a 6 on 5 after a time-out to reduce the gap to a single goal but the shot went wide and that was their last real chance to turn the heat on. Instead, Montenegro sailed away with another win and the clean sheet secured the top spot and an easy-looking QF on Thursday.
Game 11, 18.15 – Group B: Kazakhstan v Spain 3-11
Quarters: 0-2 , 1-2 , 0-4 , 2-3
Referees: Dejan Adzic (MNE), Daniel Flahive (AUS)
KAZAKHSTAN
Valeriy Shlemoy (9/20, 45%), Pavel Lipilin (GK2, not entered) – Yevgeniy Medvedev (0/0), Ruslan Akhmetov (0/1), Roman Pilipenko (n.e.), Miras Aubakirov (0/0), Alexey Shmider (0/1), Murat Shakenov (1/10), Alexandr Godoyanyuk (0/0), Rustam Ukumanov (1/4), Mikhail Ruday (1/2), Ravil Manafov (0/0), Yulian Verdesh (0/1). Head coach: Nemanja Knezevic
SPAIN
Daniel Lopez (GK, not entered), Eduardo Lorrio (8/11, 73%) – Alberto Munarriz (1/2), Alvaro Granados (2/5), Miguel Del (0/1), Sergi Cabanas (1/2), Marc Larumbe (1/3), Francisco Fernandez (0/0), Albert Espanol (2/5), Roger Tahull (0/2), Felipe Perrone (0/2), Blai Mallarach (3/4), Alejandro Bustos (1/1). Head coach: Daniel Martin
Goals/Shots
KAZ: 3/19
ESP: 11/29
Extramen
KAZ: 1/6
ESP: 4/7
Penalties
none
Best player of the game
Blai Mallarach (ESP)
Spain didn’t burn too much energy while collecting its first regular-time win here. With three more games ahead, they didn’t use their top gear and the Kazakhs seemed to be aware of the most probable outcome and they played less aggressively as in the previous two days. While they had 20 major fouls against the US and 19 against Spain, this time only three were called against them. Also, the quality of the offences was well mirrored by the number of shots: 19-29 to Spain – the nineteen is way too at this level, especially the number of shots on target (11-20).
It took 3:46 minutes for the Spaniards to open the scoring but then they began to build their lead. At halftime they were 1-4 up, then early in the third they netted two in 67 seconds for 1-6 which settled the game once and for all. Only the difference was in question – it stopped at eight.
Game 12, 20.00 – Group A: Japan v Hungary 7-14
Quarters: 1-5 , 2-3 , 2-3 , 2-3
Referees: Roberto Tiozzo (CRO), Juan Carlos Colominas (ESP)
JAPAN
Tanamura Katsuyuki (9/23, 39%), Fukushima Tomoyoshi (GK2, not entered) – Adachi Seiya (1/3), Koppu Harukiirario (0/3), Shiga Mitsuaki (0/2), Yoshida Takuma (0/1), Suzuki Toi (0/0), Miyazawa Takumu (0/0) Takata Mitsuru (0/1), Arai Atsushi (0/1), Inaba Yusuke (5/6). Okawa Keigo (1/2), Araki Kenta (0/1). Head coach: Omoto Yoji
HUNGARY
Viktor Nagy (GK, not entered), Gergely Kardos (14/21, 67%) – Daniel Angyal (1/1), Krisztián Manhercz (0/1), Gergo Zalánki (1/3), Marton Vamos (2/5), Tamas Mezei (3/5), David Jansik (1/3), Gergo Kovacs (0/2), Balazs Erdelyi (2/3), Bence Batori (1/2), Krisztián Bedő (2/4), Zoltán Pohl (1/4). Head coach: Tamas Marcz
Goals/Shots
JPN: 7/24
HUN: 14/34
Extramen
JPN: 1/8
HUN: 1/3
Penalties
JPN: 1/2
HUN: 1/1
Best player of the game
Gergely Kardos (HUN)
Just as at the Rio Olympics, the two sides played a bit awkward game. Japan looked for the counters all the time while in defence they tried to trap the ball by fast moving between the attackers – however, the Magyars applied a simple tactics: two or three of their players stayed close to the half-line and let the others making room for the two strong centre-forwards who are at least two size bigger than the Japanese defenders. That worked, just as the powerful shots from the perimeter and the host team gained a 0-4 lead with ease. On the other end the second-pick goalie Gergely Kardos came up with a series of saves including a fine stop of a penalty.
More were needed as time was passing as the Japanese gained some ground and led some promising counters but Kardos managed to make crucial catches on a handful of 3 on 2s and 4 on 3s – otherwise it could have become a bit more exciting duel. At some stage his percentage was close to 90% but in the second and the third he was beaten a couple of times, especially Inaba Yosuke did some harm by netting 5 goals in the game. Still, the Hungarians maintained the gap as their power, skills and muscles dominated in front of the goal.
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