Spain continued its medal streak at the World Championships, which started in Gwangju 2019. After silver in Gwangju and gold in Budapest, it won bronze in Fukuoka today. It is the 9th medal for Spain in the last five years.
Today, the Spaniards, playing excellently in defense, defeated Serbia 9:6 in the 3rd-place match. The difference was made in the second half. Late into the second quarter, the teams were tied at 5:5. However, Spain dictated the pace in the second half.
Team USA won 7th place beating Montenegro 17:15 after a penalty shootout.
M The results, live scores, statistics from the men’s competition are available here
20th World Water Polo Championship (Fukuoka, July 17 – 29), Men, Day 7, morning-afternoon session
Bronze-medal match
Serbia – Spain 6:9 (3:3, 2:3, 0:2, 1:1)
The result describes all. Spain’s defense did a great job in the second half. Today, head coach David Martin surprised many – Eduoardo Lorrio was between Spain’s posts instead of Unai Aguirre. It turned out to be a good move. Lorrio was one of the heroes of the victory.
Serbia started very well and kept up with Spain in the first half. But, the favorite kept the Serbs goalless for more than 18 minutes.
Spain and Serbia met for the second time in Fukuoka. In the first round of Group D, Spain recorded a 16:14 wi. Still, two weeks ago, everything was decided in the first half when Spain produced a 7:0 run turning around a 0:2 deficit to a 7:2 lead.
Today, Serbia was in the game for more than two quarters.
Serbia learned from the mistakes made two weeks ago and the semifinals in Greece and played very well in the first half. As in the first match, Serbia scored an opening goal, but it was the Serbs’ only lead. Strahinja Rasovic converted a man-up in the 2nd minute. Spain responded with two quick goals, and then an exchange of goals started. Serbia leveled at 2:2, 3:3, 4:4, 5:5. Strahinja Rasovic scored the 5th for Serbia in the 14th minute. The outgoing champions earned a new slim lead only five seconds before the middle break. Granados converted ia penalty shot and set the score of the first half – 6:5. After that, Serbia didn’t equalize.
Both defenses were up to the task in the opening minutes of the third period – until the 20th minute. Alberto Munarriz was the first one who found the net in the second half. He escaped Serbia’s defense and made it 7:5.
Shortly after, the Spaniards had a chance to go to “+3” from the 5m line. But, Branislav Mitrovic saved a penalty shot from Granados. Mitrovic played very well today, but his good performance didn’t help Serbia, as the attack had no good solutions.
Serbia missed five man-ups in the third period. After one of Serbia’s wasted 6 on 5s, Felipe Perrone started a counter-attack and forced an exclusion. The 37-year-old ace finished that action with a goal for 8:5.
Felipe Perrone (Spain) with fans after the game All photos by Albert ten Hove/Orange Pictures
Serbia couldn’t come back. Spain imposed its rhythm, it slowed the game with long possessions and didn’t let Serbia create counter-attacks. Lorrio posted one save after another. Felipe Perrone, who was guarded well in the first half, sealed the Spaniards’ victory with an excellent long-distance shot in the 30th minute (9:5).
Serbia ended its silence three seconds before the end. Milojevic scored a consolation goal. Actually, it was an own goal. Lorrio saved a shot from Milojevic, but the ball bounced off the head of Felipe Perrone, who was a few meters far from Lorrio, and went into the goal. Serbia’s sixth goal was confirmed after a VAR check, but it was a slim consolation.
Serbia went a step further compared to Budapest when it finished 5th. The spot in the semifinals is a success for a new team. However, nobody can be satisfied after a loss in a medal match.
Eduardo Lorrio
Spain scored four goals from 8 shots with a power play advantage and defended with a man-down eight times. Serbia’s conversion was 2/10. Spain scored nine goals from 30 attempts, Serbia six of 32. As mentioned, the goalkeepers played very well. Lorrio posted 13, and Mitrovic had nine saves. The best scorers were Spain’s Alvaro Granados and Strahinja Rasovic, with three goals each.
7th-place match
Montenegro – USA 15:17 (3:3, 4:4, 3:3, 2:2, PSO 3:5)
Both teams suffered defeats in penalty shootouts in Fukuoka (Montenegro to Serbia and USA to France). This time, the Americans did better in a penalty drama.
All four quarters were balanced. Montenegro was a team that first managed to earn a 2-goal lead. Matkovic converted a man-up for 7:5 in the 14th minute. But, the Europeans didn’t keep the advantage for long. Team USA leveled at 7:7 by the middle break and added two goals early in the third and went to 9:7. After the USA’s 4:0 run, Montenegro netted two back-to-back goals equalized at 9:9. Hallock scored from a 6 on 5 and gave the USA a 10:9 lead.
In the last minute of the third quarter, Ryder Dodd was sent off due to a brutality foul on Spaic. The Montenegrins equalized at 10:10 from a penalty after the foul. However, they couldn’t build a big lead in the following four minutes playing with a man up. The teams traded goals in the fourth quarter. The Europeans took a 11:10 and a 12:11 lead. The USA leveled shortly after each of these goals.
Ben Hallock
One save in the penalty shootout (Holland blocked a shot from Vidovic in the 2nd round) was enough for Team USA to defeat the rival, as all five Americans found the net at the other end of the pool.
Ben Hallock led the USA’s attack with five goals (four in regular time), while DJuro Radovic scored three for Montenegro (2+1). Both teams scored four powerplay goals apiece, but Montenegro had worse efficiency of shots – 4/13 to the USA’s 4/6.
The Americans finished in a lower place than in 2022. The USA won 6th place in Budapest. Last year, Montenegro was 8th, as in Fukuoka.
For more news and the schedule of the Worlds in Fukuoka, visit Total Waterpolo’s 2023 World Championships page.
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