Quarterfinals of World U20 Champs = Division 1

The quarterfinals of the 2023 World U20 Championships in Otopeni will feature all eight teams from Division 1.

Croatia, USA, Italy, and Greece joined Spain, Hungary, Montenegro, and Serbia in the Round of 8 after recording wins in today’s eighth finals.

Croatia easily defeated Japan 21:12, while Team USA earned a hard-fought 11:8 victory over Australia.

Italy narrowly beat the Netherlands 10:9 in the most exciting match of the eight finals, and Greece,which finished the group stage with no points, defeated host Romania 15:8.

The four losing teams will compete in the matches for the 9th – 12th place classification.

SCHEDULE AND LIVE SCORES OF THE WORLD U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TOTAL WATERPOLO ARENA

2023 World U20 Championships, Otopeni, Day 5

Eighth-finals

Japan – Croatia 12:21 (0:5, 4:8, 7:5, 1:3)

Japan: Ogihara 5, Takeuchi 3, Kitanaka 1, Fukuda 1, Kano 1, Moriya 1.
Croatia: Burburan 4, Cubranic 3, Stojanac 3, Burdjelez 2, Busic 2, Pavlic 2, Zvono 2, Ljepava 1, Mozara 1, Tonicic 1.

Croatia didn’t need much time to secure the quarterfinal berth. The Croats dominated in the first quarter and a half. In the 12th minute, the score was 11:0. Almost each Croats’ shots in these 12 minutes finished in the net. The Japanese’s attack in the first quarter and a half were relatively harmless. Croatia kept the rival far from the goal.

Interestingly, Croatia didn’t have a single man-up attack in the first half. Japan committed four personal fouls, but all were penalty fouls. Croatia converted all four. Japan had five extra player situations and converted three, the first one in the 13th minute for 1:11.
After it earned a big lead, Croatia started thinking about the quarterfinal duel against Serbia and didn’t care much about defense. Japan made the most of it and reduced the gap.

Australia – USA 8:11 (3:5, 4:4, 0:1, 1:3)

Australia: Berehulak 6, Grgurevic 1, Munk 1.
USA: R. Dodd 5, Carson 2, Schneider 1, Ch. Dodd 1, McFarland 1, Castillo 1.

Team USA will represent non-Europeans in the quarterfinals.

Australia played very well. It didn’t let Team USA build a big advantage even in four minutes when the Americans had an extra player due to a brutality foul committed by an Australian player. However, the “Aussies” attack ran out of gas for the second half.

Australia started very well and led 2:0 and 3:1 in the first quarter. The Americans leveled before the first break, and the best scorer of the winning team, Ryder Dodd, gave the USA a 4:3 lead in the 9th minute. Marcus Berehulak leveled shortly after. But, immediately after an equalizer, Australia’s Rory McKell was excluded for brutality. Team USA had a man-up in the four minutes, but it didn’t take advantage of that. Each team scored three goals in these four minutes. The USA took a one-goal lead three times (twice from a penalty shot), but Marcus Berehulak responded with an equalizer on each occasion. The goal for 6:6 was spectacular – Berehulak found the net from 10 meters. Berehulak was the one who closed the first half, with a penalty shot for 7:7.

An equal battle continued after the middle break, but only one goal was scored. Team USA had four man-up opportunities, and Australia had none in the third period. Ryder Dodd was the only one who converted a power play situation to give the USA an 8:7 lead. The same player added two goals in the fourth period and the Americans went to 10:7. They maintained the difference until the end.

The difference in the number of exclusions is something that catches the eye. Australia committed 15 personal fouls, and Team USA’s players were excluded only four times. The Australians didn’t score a single goal with a man-up. The USA’s percentage of power play shots was 40% (4/10). The USA scored two, and Australia one goal from the penalty line.

Netherlands – Italy 9:10 (3:5, 3:2, 2:1, 1:2)

Netherlands:Van der Weijden 6, Wijgers 3.
Italy: Balzarini 3, Provenziani 2, Condemi 2, Boezi 1, Faraglia 1, Somma 1

Italy’s team, the silver medalists from the 2021 World U20 Championships, has made it to the quarterfinals after a tough match against the Netherlands, which won 4th place at the last year’s World U18 Championships.The Dutch put up a good fight and almost had a chance to secure a penalty shootout.

The Netherlands took an early 2:0 lead. Italy responded with a 3:0 run in just two minutes to go in front. The game was tied up again, but thanks to Francesco Condemi’s two late goals, Italy secured a 5:3 lead before the end of the first period.

The Italians dictated the pace in the opening minutes of the second quarter and earned a 3-goal advantage (7:4). But, Mart van der Weijden, the Dutch’s leader, netted two goals in the last two minutes of the first half and narrowed the distance (6:7). The Dutch leveled twice in the third quarter (7:7, 8:8). Four seconds before the last break, WIjgers sent the ball into the net from a distance for 8:8, so the decision was left for the final quarter.

As the end of the match was approaching, the defenses were tighter and tighter. Fourteen goals were seen in the first half and only six in the second. Early in the fourth quarter, Balzarini netted for 9:8. Van der Weijden leveled at 9:9 with his 6th goal (28th). After that, the Netherlands killed Italy’s man-up and had a great chance to take the lead. Two of Italy’s players were excluded, and the Netherlands had a 6 on 4, but it wasted that opportunity.

The decision came in the 31st minute. Italy had an extra player. Balzarini took responsibility, but he hit the crossbar. However, Boezi was in the right place at the right time. He scored from a rebound for 10:9. The Italians kept a minimal advantage until the final buzzer.

Romania – Greece 8:15 (2:4, 3:3, 1:4, 2:4)

Romania: Belenyesi 3, Dinca 2, Piriianu 1, Sachetti 1, NEamtu 1
Greece: Gkillas 4, Georgaras 3, Almyras 2, Bitsakos 2, Pouros 2, Kastrinakis 1, Laskaridis 1.

Greece’s excellent start silenced the home team’s fans. The Greeks produced a 3:0 run in the first 143 seconds. However, Romania recovered from an early shock. In the second quarter, the hosts cut the deficit to one goal twice with two goals from David Belenyesi (3:4 and 4:5). Greece restored a three goal-lead thanks to Nikolaos Gkillas, who hit the back of the net twice at the finish of the first half (7:4). Just 12 seconds before the middle break, the Romanians got a penalty shot. Neamtu made no mistake and boosted his team’s hopes. The score at halftime was 5:7.

The Greeks opened the third quarter in almost the same way as the first period. Kastrinakis and Pouros found the net in the first 90 seconds. Midway through the third period, Gkillas netted his fourth in the match. Georgaras made it 11:5 in the 24th minute and practically sealed Greece’s victory. Dinca closed the third period with a power play goal for 6:10.
Greece controlled the match, and its win wasn’t questioned in the last eight minutes. By the middle of the final quarter, Greece increased the margin to seven (13:6).

Nikolaos Gkillas was the best scorer in the winning team and delivered a few excellent assists. Goalkeeper Nektarios Iliopoulos deserves credit. He posted 15 saves, some of them in crucial moments.

Classification 13th – 19th place

GROUP G, Round 2

New Zealand – Germany 6:15 (3:5, 1:3, 1:4, 1:3)

New Zealand: Tua-Tagaloa 2, McDowell 2, Pickering 1, Dodunski 1.
Germany: Rehm 3, Bauer 2, Metten 2, Grosse 1, Burger 1, Hofmann 1, Rotermund 1, Sekulic 1, Jaschke 1, Dyck 1, Taubert 1.

Argentina bye

New Zealand led 3:2. The Germans imposed their rhythm then, scored six straight goals for an 8:3, and proved who the favorite was.

Germany’s head coach Nebojsa Novoselac tested many combinations in the tactics. All players contributed to the win with similar effects. All eleven field players got on the scoreboard.

Standings: 1. Germany 3 points (1 game), 2. Argentina 3 (1), 3. New Zealand 0 (2)

GROUP H, Round 2

Peru – South Africa 6:15 (0:2, 3:4, 2:5, 1:4)

Peru: Cordova 2, Rodriguez 2, Capillo 1, Lopez 1.
South Africa: Harrod 4, Botha 3, Nielsen 3, De Villers 2, Imbriolo 2, Uys 1.

South Africa recorded its first win in Otopeni. The Africans earned a 6:0 lead in the first quarter and a half, setting the game’s tone. The South Americans woke up too late. They scored three goals in the last two minutes of the first half. However, the Africans opened the second half with a 4:0 run for a comfortable 10:4 advantage and secured the victory.

Iran – Brazil 9:17 (3:4, 2:2, 2:5, 2:6)

Iran:Sadrnia 3, Mehrikohneshahri 3, Abolghasemi 1, Iranpourtari 1, Shams 1.
Brazil: Carasalade 8, Gomes 2, Caumo 2, Razera 2,Diaz 1, Oliveira 1, Wulfhorst 1.

Brazil defeated Iran convincingly, but the Asians were in the game for over two quarters. Brazil headed into the second half with a slim 6:5 lead. At the beginning of the third quarter, the teams traded goals until 8:7. The South Americans managed to increase the margin to four by the end of this period (11:7) and there was no dilemma about who would win.

Frederico Carsalade, who had an almost perfect percentage of shots, made the difference. Eight goals separated the rivals at the end, and Carsalade netted eight goals from 10 attempts.

Brazil secured 1st place in the group with this win. Tomorrow, their encounter with Peru, the only winless team in Division 2, won’t impact the standings. Brazil will play in the 13th-place game against Germany or Argentina.

Standings: 1. Brazil 6 (2), 2. Iran 3 (2), 3. South Africa 3 (2), 4. Peru 0 (2).

SCHEDULE AND LIVE SCORES OF THE WORLD U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TOTAL WATERPOLO ARENA

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