OGQT Women's Water Polo Day 3: Greece and Italy group winners

Match 9, 14:00, Group B, HUNGARY 5 GREECE 8

Quarters: 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-2

Referees: Svetlana Dreval (RUS), Nenad Peris (CRO).

Shots: HUN: 5/30. GRE: 8/23.

Extra Man: HUN: 2/12. GRE: 2/7.

Pens: HUN: Nil. GRE: 2/2.

Teams:

HUNGARY: Edina Gangl, Dorottya Szilagyi (0/4), Vanda Valyi (1/5), Greta Gurisatti (1/5), Gabriella Szucs (1/1), Rebecca Parkes (0/1), Anna Illes (1/2), Rita Keszthelyi (1/6), Dora Leimeter (0/3), Aniko Gyongyossy, Natasa Rybanska, Krisztina Garda (0/4), Alda Magyari. Head Coach: Attila Biro.

GREECE: Chrsyoula Diamantopoulou, Christina Tsoukala (1/2), Foteini Tricha, Nikoleta Eleftheriadou (1/6, Margarita Plevritou (1), Eleni Xenaki (2/5), Eirini Ninou (0/3), Maria Patra, Christina Kotsia (0/1), Vasiliki Plevritou, Eleftheria Plevritou (3/5), Maria Myriokefalitaki, Ioanna Stamatopoulou. Head Coach: Theodoros Lorantos.

photo credit Andrea Staccioli / DBM

Greece struck the first major blow of the tournament by winning Group B with three straight wins and today’s success over Hungary. Hungary wasted no time in getting on the board with the 32-year-old veteran Gabriella Szucs pushing in a rebound from the right-post position. It would be some time for the scoreboard to be troubled as major fouls started mounting, finishing with nine for the period. Eleftheria Plevritou, so efficient this week, scored from the top on the extra-player situation at 1:22, more than five minutes later than Szucs’ shot. Eleftheria Plevritou scored her 11^th goal of the tournament when she lifted Greece to the lead from the penalty line, snapping a fast shot into the top left at 7:22. More was to come from her. Hungary responded on the next attack through Vanda Valyi, who accepted the first pass on extra from the centre forward to level. At 6:00, Christina Tsoukala nailed the penalty shot after Nikoleta Eleftheriadou twice spun around her opponentsen route to the goal to make sure of the foul. At 5:12, Maria Myriokefalitaki was denied her foul for an offensive foul in what was the final time the ball crossed any line in the half. Twice Hungary was unlucky not to gain penalty fouls in a half where both teams were applying press and this forced the many exclusions. Both teams were very agile on attack. The third period was the turning point in the match, as the Plevritou sisters, Eleftheria (cross cage from the top) and Margarita (deep left), pushed Greece even further from Hungary’s grasp. Hungary took a timeout with no effect, but a minute later Anna Illes did send one in cross cage at 2:06. There was still hope for the Hungarians. That glimpse of hope was dimmed when a backfield turnover gifted Greece the ball on attack and Eleftheriadou did the damage for 6-3 at 0:19. Hungary had all the work to do in the final eight minutes. Xenaki, so often in the shadow of the great, recently retired Alexandra Asimaki, then made her mark from the left-hand-catch position with a double baulk and score on action. With just 1:44 remaining, Rita Keszthelyi, a nine-goal scorer on Wednesday against Kazakhstan, finally made the board, firing in on extra, from deepish left on her sixth goal attempt. At 8-5 against, it was too late. Greek goalkeeper Chrsyoula Diamantopoulou was more than instrumental in the victory with an unimaginable 17 saves. Edina Gangl (HUN), by comparison, made just seven. Greece’s route to the semifinals in made much easier with the victory.

Theodoros Lorantos (GRE) — Head Coach

“We showed we are stronger mentally; it’s important this moment. It’s a great victory for us but everything is Saturday (semifinals) so maybe this victory means nothing… We know what we can do. I trust the players. Today our performance was great and I think we will continue with this mentality during the tournament. To have success and to have victories against a great team like Hungary you should play defence. We managed our game to play defence because our target when I came to this team was to play with our capacity, so when you play defence you can do anything.”

Chrsyoula Diamantopoulou (GRE) — Goalkeeper with 17 saves

“A really important game for us; we needed the win. A great beginning; we are first in our group. Tomorrow is another game and we are focused to the day after tomorrow — that is the most important game. I believe in my team very much; everything that we work for all this time.” On her 17 saves: “We wanted this so much; there’s nothing secret, how much you want it, how much you need to believe in your team. I believe in my defence, I believe in the girls in front and it works like a clock.”

Match 10, 16:00, Group B, FRANCE 6 NETHERLANDS 15

Quarters: 2-8, 2-1, 2-3, 0-3

Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Matan Schwartz (ISR).

Extra Man: FRA: 0/6. NED: 5/7

Pens: FRA: Nil. NED: 2/2.

Teams:

FRANCE: Csenge Gaal, Estelle Millot (2/8), Gabrielle Fitaire (1/1), Camelia Bouloukbachi (0/2), Louise Guillet (0/3), Geraldine Mahieu (2/4), Juliette Dhalluin (1/7), Valentine Heurtaux, Ema Vernoux (0/2), Steffy Michaud, Yaelle Deschampt (0/1), Camille Radosavljevic, Lou Counil. Head Coach: Florian Bruzzo.

NETHERLANDS: Joanne Koenders, Maud Megens (2/5), Dagmar Genee (4/6), Sabrina van der Sloot (1/2), Iris Wolves (2/2), Nomi Stomphorst (0/1), Bente Rogge (1/2), Vivian Sevenich, Maartje Keuning, Ilse Koolhaas (0/2), Simone van de Kraats (4/5), Brigitte Sleeking (1/2), Debby Willemsz. Head Coach: Arno Havenga.

photo credit Andrea Staccioli / DBM
Netherlands needed to win the match by 14 goals to be assured of the top spot in the group and gain the easier route to the semifinals. However, after an 8-2 opening quarter, Netherlands could not sustain the rush and the all-important goal of qualifying for the Olympics really hangs on what happens on Saturday and not today. Netherlands has the power and team to make the semifinals anyway, so it is a moot point. Dutch Head Coach Arno Havenga said afterwards that although his team had not gone full throttle against France (“to save strength for Saturday”), it had not purposely scored fewer goals to avoid Hungary in the semifinals. That scenario had become possible after Greece had beaten Hungary 8-5 in the other pool earlier in the day. The opening quarter spoke volumes for Netherlands’ talent, but the latter stages of the match showed just what France could do, with crisp passing and many threatening moments. Two centre-forward goals began the match and then the Dutch raced to 4-1. Estelle Millot scored the first of her two goals from deep right, but that was France’s lot as Netherlands shot out to 8-1. One of the best goals of the period was the pressure Vivian Sevenich put on goalkeeper Csenge Gaal after both teams had turned on counter. Sevenich persevered and gained the exclusion foul, passing the ball to captain Dagmar Genee for what was 7-2. Genee opened the second-quarter scoring, the last goal for Netherlands for an entire quarter. France scored two unlikely goals when Juliette Dhalluin fired from 10m and centre forward Gabrielle Fitaire scored her first goal of the week when snapping in a rebound that fell advantageously. The second half was much better for Netherlands, although France maintained its impetus with two goals that had the match poised at 10-6 by 4:46. Centre forward Geraldine Mahieu fumbled the ball twice before scoring her team’s fifth goal and Millot turned her opponent nicely for a score from deep right. Iris Wolves and Genee righted the ship to close the period 12-6 ahead — still a far cry from the 14 needed for group dominance. Two early goals in the fourth lifted it to 14-6, but it was nearly five minutes before the last goal came courtesy of Simone van de Kraats. In fact, she scored the 13^th and 15^th goals on extra-player situation as part of her four-goal tally. France would have learnt much from the match and would have lifted the team’s spirits for Friday’s quarterfinal with Hungary.

Arno Havenga (NED) — Head Coach

"Greece and Hungary are very evenly matched, just like us and Italy. In recent years we have a slightly better track record against Greece than against Hungary and I also think that the game of the Greeks suits us better than that of Hungary. But the level the Greek team put in the water today was significantly higher than what I've seen from them in recent years. We prepared well earlier in Zeist for the playing styles of both countries. Now that it will definitely be Greece, we can start focusing even more on their strengths and weaknesses. Partly thanks to our own Greek assistant coach Evangelos Doudesis, we know the Greeks through and through, but, of course, the same applies to them vice versa. It's undoubtedly going to be a tough but fascinating fight on Saturday." 

Dagmar Genee (NED) — Player of the Match

“It was a little bit harder for us. I think, at the beginning, we started really well. The first quarter we had a lot of pace, but in the end, I think our defence was better.”

Match 12, 18:00, Group A, ITALY 26 SLOVAKIA 4

Quarters: 6-1, 7-0, 5-2, 8-1

Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Gabriella Varkonyi (HUN).

Shots: ITA:  26/42. SVK: 4/34.

Extra Man: ITA: 3/5. SVK: 4/6.

Pens: ITA: 1/1. SVK: Nil.

Teams:

ITALY: Giulia Gorlero, Chiara Tabani (1/3), Arianna Garibotti (4/6), Silvia Avegno (0/3), Elisa Queirolo (5/6), Rosaria Aiello (3/4), Claudia Marletta (1/1), Roberto Bianconi (2/2), Sofia Giustini (4/6), Valeria Palmieri (5/6), Izabella Chiappini (1/1), Giulia Viacava (0/4), Fabiano Sparano. Head Coach: Paolo Zizza.

SLOVAKIA: Emma Dvoranova, Beata Kovacikova (1/10), Anastasija Halocka (0/4), Barbora Kvasnicova, Martina Kiernoszova, Monika Sedlakova (0/4), Natalia Peckova (0/4), Karin Kackova (0/3), Miroslava Stankovianska (3/5), Ivana Majlathova, Daniela Katlovska (0/1), Katarina Kissova (0/3), Kristina Horvathova. Head Coach: Milan Henkrich.

photo credit Andrea Staccioli / DBM

There was never any doubt that Italy would slip past Slovakia and didn’t have any point to prove. It’s quest for group victory was in the hands of Netherlands earlier and the Dutch fell short, so Italy just needed the win — a mere formality. This was achieved by racing out to 3-0, allowing Slovakia a chink in which to score on extra-player advantage for 3-1 and then impress as it shot out to 15-1 two minutes into the third period. Miroslava Stankovianska scored consecutive goals — from a one-two pass at centre forward and an extra-player goal off a cross pass — to trim the margin to 15-3. En route to five goals, Elisa Queirolo scored three straddling the final break and Valeria Palmieri, named player of the match, was also finishing with five goals — all from her preferred centre-forward position. Sofia Giustini (ITA) scored either side of Stankovianska’s third goal in the dying minutes. Slovakia was always looking for goals. Fabiano Sparano, giving Italy’s star goalkeeper a rest, made a commendable 13 saves. Italy heads to the quarterfinals to take on Israel and Slovakia has booked a date with Greece.

Valeria Palmieri (ITA) — Five Goals and Player of the Match

“It was important to stay focused today and our objectives tomorrow with the quarterfinal, but we are quite satisfied with this game.”

Milan Henkrich (SVK) — Head Coach

“We transferred the game from last two quarters from yesterday into today’s ga,e. They were in very good physical shape and we were not ready for that. The main problem for our team was that we did not score the chances we got. We made some pretty one on ones and the goalkeeper was very good and that was the main problem the whole match.”

Match 11, 20:00, Group A, ISRAEL 7 KAZAKHSTAN 7

Quarters: 2-2, 1-2, 1-2, 3-1

Referees: Boris Margeta (SLO), Alessandro Severo (ITA).

Shots: ISR: 7/32. KAZ: 7/32.

Extra Man:  ISR: 0/4. KAZ: 2/5.

Pens: ISR: 1/1. KAZ: 1/1.

Teams:

ISRAEL: Ayeley Peres, Alma Yaacobi (0/4), Tahel Levi, Maria Bogachenko (4/10), Kerem Noy (1/2), Hila Futorian (1/8), Yahav Farkash, Dar Menakerman (0/3), Eden Tal (1/3), Noa Sasover, Nofar Hochberg (0/2), Ronny Gazit, Inbar Geva. Head Coach: Dimitrios Mavrotas.

KAZAKHSTAN: Alexandra Zharkimbayeva, Darya Pochinok, Aizhan Akilbayeva (0/2), Anna Turova (0/2), Anastassiya Yeremina (0/12), Darya Roga (2/5), Anna Novikova (2/5), Darya Muravyeva (2/4), Nadezhda Shapovalova, Viktoriya Khritankova (1/2), Madina Rakhmanova, Anastassiya Murataliyeva, Azhar Alibayeva. Head Coach: Marat Naurazbekov.

photo credit Andrea Staccioli / DBM

Israel was playing without No 1 goalkeeper Ayeley Peres, who injured an eye during the previous day’s match with Greece. It was reported that she will not continue in the tournament. Inbar Geva stepped in and made nine saves in a staunch effort in what was such an important match. Both teams fought hard for victory. The draw was enough for Kazakhstan to finish third and earn a quarterfinal match-up with Netherlands. Israel must face the might of Italy. Israel opened the scoring with Hila Futorian on counter, but it was to be her only success in eight attempts. Darya Muravyeva replied on the next attack from centre forward with a backhander. Kerem Noy found her centre-forward position drift out to five metres and wide of the goal, but that did not stop her scoring for 2-1 on the next attack. Later in the period Darya Roga equalised on extra. Maria Bogachenko had a dream day for Israel, scoring at 3-2, 4-5, 5-6 and 6-6 with the last a spectacular first for the tournament, scoring off a corner throw. Kazakhstan held the half and three-quarter leads, the latter at 6-4, which promised much. However, Bogachenko rewrote the script with two goals in two minutes by 4:13. Muravyeva gave Kazakhstan the edge at 3:02 when she backhanded from two metres. Futorian had a shot bar out and soon after Eden Tal will remember her first goal of the tournament when she was caught alone on the left and accepted a pass off a foul, steadied and scored into the open side of the goal from deep left. It was 7-7 at 1:19. Kazakhstan gained an extra opportunity in the final minute, only to squander the pass. Israel used its timeout to help set up centre forward, however, the blitzing defence snuffed out that chance. Israel will remember this draw as one of its early career highlights, while Kazakhstan, looking at the bigger picture, will be happy for third spot.

Dimitrios Mavrotas (ISR) — Head Coach

“After two days that was very tough for us with two teams who are trying to qualify for the Olympic Games. That was our chance to play one game with one team, almost the same level with us. Kazakhstan, it’s one team that participated in the last year’s World Championships (2019), also. For Israel it is a new beginning and I am satisfied with my team. We play also without our first goalkeeper who is injured and cannot continue in the tournament. I hope the next games to be like this one with the same passion and the girls to give all their heart in the game. I knew from the beginning that the game would be very close. To be honest, in the last period my girls had the more energy. They swam very good and we missed two times contra-attack with wrong passes.”