Spain won its fourth consecutive medal at the 2024 World Championships. The Spaniards beat France 14:10 in the bronze-medal match in Doha, repeating the success achieved in Fukuoka last year.
After a victory over Hungary in the quarterfinals and a penalty shootout loss to Croatia, France didn’t have enough energy to keep up with the big rival until the end.
France came back after being three goals down in the games against Hungary and Croatia. Today, Spain earned a 3-goal lead in the first quarter and stretched the margin to six early in the second half. France couldn’t find its way back.
Spain secured its 10th medal at the World Championships (three gold medals, four silver medals, and three bronze medals).
The 2023 champion Hungary defeated Montenegro after a penalty shootout (18:16) and finished in 7th place.
For the full schedule and the results, visit Total Waterpolo’s 2024 Doha page.
2023 World Men’s Championships (Doha, February 5 – 17), Day 7
Bronze-medal match
Spain – France 14:10 (4:1, 5:3, 2:2, 3:4)
Spain: Granados 4, Sanahuja 4, Perrone 3, Munarriz 1, Famera 1.
France: Bouet 2, Vernoux 2, Marion-Vernoux 2, Bjorch 1, Zivkovic 1, Bodegas 1, Vanpeperstraete 1.
It took more than four minutes before the first goal in the match was scored. France defended a man down twice in the opening three minutes. The Spaniards converted their third man-up. Sanahuja did it, but Bjorch replied immediately. However, it was the only equalizer in the match. Spain built a 3-goal lead in the last 99 seconds of the first quarter. Munarriz and de Toro netted action goals, while Perrone closed the series by converting a penalty shot that Spain earned after Sanahuja was fouled in a counterattack.
Pierre-Frederic Vanpeperstraete ( FRA) and Miguel De Toro Dominguez ( ESP) Photo: European Aquatics / Bozidar Vukicevic / CROPIX
Counterattacks were Spain’s powerful weapon today. In the 15th minute, Perrone scored from a counter for the first four-goal advantage in the match (7:3). At halftime, it stood 9:4. The second half started with lost balls at both ends of the pool. After one steal, Spain began a new counterattack. Granados was unstoppable this time and increased his team’s advantage to six – 10:4. French couldn’t find good solutions in front of Spain’s goal. Unai Aguirre posted 12 saves today (10 in the first three periods). Late into the third quarter, France reduced the gap to 5:10 and 6:11.
France didn’t give up, but Spain controlled the match. France came closer in the 30th minute – Bouet scored from a 6 on 5 for 9:12. But, the Spaniards didn’t let the French go further. Bernat Sanahuja replied with two quick goals – 14:9. Thomas Vernoux scored his 28th goal in the tournament to set the final score.
France lost the last two matches in the tournament, but it can be satisfied with its overall performance. It reached the semifinals for the first time and proved it belonged to the world top.
7th-place match
Montenegro – Hungary 16:18 (3:4, 3:2, 3:3, 5:5, PSO 2:4)
Montenegro: Vujovic 4, Popadic 3, Vidovic 2, Perkovic 2, V.Radovic 2, Mrsic 1.
Hungary: Zalanki 4, Vigvari 3, Vamos 2, Jansik 2, Kovacs 2, Fekete 1.
The game was an even contest, but Hungary, playing without Denes Varga, controlled the result for almost three quarters.
The 2023 world champions took a 2-goal lead for the first time – 4:2 (Jansik) with 11 seconds left in the first period. But, Jovan Vujovic beat the buzzer and cut the deficit in the very last second of the first quarter, Vujovic made it 3:4. Vasilije Radovic leveled at 4:4 in the 11th minute. After that, the teams exchanged the goals for a while – until 7:7. Then, Hungary netted twice within less than a minute – Kovacs scored for 8:7, and Zalanki doubled the advantage.
Montenegro produced a 3:0 run. It closed the quarter with two powerplay goals. In the first possession in the fourth period, Popadic scored for 10:9. Montenegro went ahead for the first time and Hungary had to chase the rival from that moment. The fourth period saw 10 goals. Hungary leveled at 10:10, 11:11, 12:12, 13:13 and 14:14.
Gergo Zalanki Photo by Albert ten Hove/Orange Pictures
The teams were tied at 12:12 with two minutes left on the clock. A minute and a half before the end, Mark Banyai saved a counterattack shot from Vidovic, but the Montenegrins kept the ball, and Vujovic made it 13:12 at 01:17. Ten seconds after, Hungary got a man-up. Vamos converted it for a new equalizer. Montenegro called a time-out at 00:52. A few seconds before the time for the attack expired, Vasilije Radovic put Montenegro in front again – 14:13. Then Hungary called a timeout and forced a man-up with 12 seconds left. Vince Vigvari leveled at 14:14 four seconds before the buzzer.
The Hungarian players made no mistake in the shootout. Montenegro failed to convert two penalties and finished in 8th place like the previous two World Championships. Two years ago, they also lost to Hungary in the 7th-place match.
More articles about the World Championships
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