On the fourth day in the Women’s competition at the World Championships, it has been confirmed that the reigning World and Olympic runners-up will face the reigning World and Olympic champions.
Spain won easily today against Kazakhstan, meaning they will face the United States in a final before the final. One of the best teams in the world will not progress, and we can’t wait to find out who it will be.
Elsewhere today, Canada are the biggest hitters not to make the top eight after falling against the Netherlands. France broke Kiwi hearts with a agonising penalty shoot-out win, while Hungary made short work of Argentina.
Confirmed Quarter-finals
France vs Italy
Spain vs United States
Hungary vs Australia
Netherlands vs Greece
Cross-over Results
Canada 7-10 Netherlands (2-1, 1-2, 2-6, 2-1)
Canada: J. Gaudreault, K. McKee, A. Crevier 1, E. Wright 1, A. Amorosa, G. Sohi 1, V. Bakoc 1, R. Lekness, H. McKelvey, K. Christmas 1, K. Paul 1, S. La Roche 1, C. Vulpisi
Netherlands: L. Aarts, I. Wolves, B. Sleeking, S. Van der Sloot 2, L. Moolhuijzen 2, S. Van de Kraats 1, B. Rogge 1, V. Sevenich 1, K. Joustra 1, I. Koolhaas, M. Schaap 1, N. Ten Broek, S. Buis
In the first cross-over game of the day, the Netherlands beat Canada 10-7 with ruthless third quarter display.
While Canada invited a lot of pressure in the first half, they kept the Dutch at bay with some fantastic defending. However, the third quarter was a killer for David Paradelo’s side.
Lola Moolhuijzen continues to impress at these championships, with two really important goals in the third quarter. Bente Rogge and Sabrina Van der Sloot also netted twice for the Oranges.
Canada will be devastated, as they are definitely a top eight side. Emma Wright was once again superb at centre-forward, with both keepers, Clara Vulpisi and Jess Gaudreault, making important saves. However, they completely lost the game in the third period, shipping goals at the back too easily.
The Netherlands will now face Greece in the quarter-finals, in what promises to be a exciting prospect.
The opening exchanges lacked quality and conviction from either side. Kindred Paul let two early shots away from Laura Aarts goal, while efforts from Van de Kraats and Sleeking were wayward.
The Canadians, however, did make the breakthrough first, as Axelle Crevier was afforded too much time, and measured a tidy finish into the far left-hand corner.
Canada then nearly made it two, but Shae La Roche’s shot could only find the outstretched block of Vivian Sevenich.
For all the threatening play by the Dutch midway through the 1st, they couldn’t seem to find a way to bypass the Canadian defence – with Nina Ten Broek from the post, and Brigitte Sleeking from the left wing both missing man-up situations.
Bente Rogge equalized for the Oranges with forty seconds left in the quarter. Her powerful finish from close range was well placed over the head of Clara Vulpisi. However, Verica Bakoc restored the Maple’s lead with seven seconds to go, with a straight forward finish on the right side after a well crafted man-up.
It wasn’t long into the second quarter that the Dutch struck back, and some excellent work from Kitty Joustra at centre pushed the ball towards Sabrina Van der Sloot to drill home.
The Canadians scored next though, and Shae La Roche’s solo effort was exactly what David Paradelo’s side needed. She picked the ball up on 9m, swam a short distance, before thundering home.
There was then some heroic defending from the Canadians, who put their bodies on the line to keep their goal advantage. With back to back exclusions, there were big blocks from Emma Wright Axelle Crevier and Shae La Roche. Hayley McKelvey is known for her goal scoring, but she made a quite spectacular block from close range.
It wasn’t just the defenders who were blocking well. Clara Vulpisi made two confident saves, one from a seemingly goal-bound shot from Van de Kraats, and another low-side attempt via Ilse Koolhaas.
Eventually, however, the Canadian wall broke, and Kitty Joustra’s backshot was perfectly placed, and put her side level with the score at 3-3 at the turnaround.
While Canada had been let off the hook in the first half, Eva Doudesis’ Netherlands turned a switch in the third period, with three unanswered goals which changed the whole complexion of the match.
Photo: Orange Pictures
The young Lola Moolhuijzen has been enjoying a very goal-scoring tournament so far and she established herself in this contest, giving her side the lead for the first time. On the left, she had time to fake, before slotting a no-look shot into the near post. Moolhuijzen then added her second immediately after. The 17 year old netted with an audacious lobbed shot from a nice flick out from Kitty Joustra, to make it 5-3.
Kitty Joustra then netted her second of the game from close range, after Brigitte Sleeking had the vision, and the quality to pick her out from the right wing.
Canada needed to get back on the scoreboard quickly, but desperation seemed to creep into their game. Verica Bakoc made a poor choice in front of a gaping goal going for the lob off Kelly McKee’s pass being their only significant chance of note.
And the Dutch took full advantage, scoring two more. Firstly when Sleeking once again provided the assist, this time for Bente Rogge, before Van de Kraats finally found the back of the net from a 5m penalty, earned well by her Mataro team mate, Vivian Sevenich.
Gurpreet Sohi pulled one back for the Canadians on the power play, but another lob for the Dutch via Maxine Schaap, only added further to the Canadian’s frustration.
Into the last, Canada had a mountain to climb, trailing by four goals. They needed to take authority and make up lost ground, and Kindred Paul gave them something to cheer about, with a bouncing shot rifled from distance.
The Maple’s would have almost definitely grabbed goal another soon after, but for an outstanding reaction save from Laura Aarts at close range from Christmas.
But Emma Wright eventually powered home to draw the game within two goals, and made it 9-7. Bakoc popped the ball to the post, and Wright tucked the ball under the left arm of Aarts in the Dutch goal.
The last line of the defence for the Canadian’s now was Jessica Gaudreault, and she made two excellent saves to keep her side’s momentum.
Canada had a decent chance with two minutes to go from Ilse Koolhaas’ third exclusion, but even a David Paradelo timeout couldn’t help his side. Kindred Paul tried again from the left, but when Aarts made another excellent save, the Maples knew it wouldn’t be their day.
To add insult to injury, Van der Sloot’s tame shot from the left wing squeezed past Gaudreault, to secure a quarter-final due with Greece.
Vivian Sevenich (Netherlands) – “Obviously it was a really hard game, but we knew this was a game we had to win. We have been training to win the game in the third and fourth quarter, and that showed today. We showed we are ready to fight to the end, and i think we did a really good job as a team”
Jessica Gaudreault (Canada) – “I think we let the third quarter get away from us again, and its something we need to work on as a programme. But we have to use this as fuel for the next games. Our players need to show the rest of the world that we are not meant to be in the bottom.”
Eva Doudesis (Netherlands) – “The key was the fact we remained calm when things didn’t go well. In the key phases of the game we stayed calm. Up next against Greece, I expect a tight game, a close game, between two of the powerhouses of European and world water polo”
New Zealand 13-14 France (2-1, 3-3, 2-3, 2-2, PSO: 4-5)
New Zealand: J. Milicich, E. Nicholson, B. Doyle 2, E. Gault, G. Milicich, M. McDowall 5, E. Houghton 1, K. McKenty, S. Shorter-Robinson, G. MacDonald, M. Josephson, M. Quin, B. Layburn
France: C. Vidal, E. Millot, G. Fitaire, C. Bouloukbachi, L. Guillet 4, K. Benlekbir, J. Dhalluin, A. Battu 1, E. Vernoux 1, V. Bahia 2, C. Radosavljevic, A. Daule, A. Collas
It took penalties for France to defeat New Zealand in the one of the most exciting games at Budapest so far.
It was the unfortunate Malia Josephson who missed the only penalty in the shootout for the Kiwis, which put a devastating end to New Zealand’s top eight dreams.
Juliette Dhalluin was unstoppable at times for the French, scoring four goals of the highest calibre. On the other side, Morgan McDowall was very impressive for the All Blacks – scoring five goals in the contest.
France will now take on Italy in the quarter-finals.
While this game may not have featured many of the world’s superstars, as a contest this one was finely poised. There was nothing to separate these two teams, nothing but 5m penalties.
The opening goal was a beauty, as Estelle Millot’s looped shot right at the end of the French attack curled past Jessica Milicich, however, Emmerson Houghton’s shot from range gave the Kiwi’s the instant response they will have wanted.
Photo: Orange Pictures
The goalkeepers were the main attraction for most of the first. Milicich was more than equal to the next best shot that came her way, as Aurelie Battu’s close range shot from centre was parried away well, before Anne Collas in the French goal saved two attempts from Bernie Doyle.
However, with 1:19 left on the clock, New Zealand’s top goal scorer at these championships, Morgan McDowall, gave her side the lead. McDowall found space on the left, before rifling the ball into the back of the French goal.
McDowall then added to New Zealand’s lead, as Millie Quin fed the pit, and with a clever turn at centre, McDowall passed the ball around the oncoming Collas in the French goal.
McDowall was then excluded, giving Juliette Dhalluin the time to wait, and send the keeper the wrong way, and before long, Andrey Daule’s precise attempt from the perimeter clipped the post before going in, to pull France level at 3-3.
The Kiwi’s were back ahead when Juliette Dhalluin was excluded on the counter defence, and somehow Morgan McDowell was alone on the breakaway for an easy finish. But Ema Vernoux cancelled McDowall’s third goal with a rocket from the point of the arc.
With a single attack left in the half, Elizabeth Gault put New Zealand’s noses ahead, with a perfectly measured shot from the left. At the turn around, the score was 5-4.
A neat solo effort from Louise Guillet, the French captain, put France level just after the break. Her turn on the left got her goal side, before the 35 year old dispatched a delicate lob from 3m to the far post.
Photo: Orange Pictures
While France then took the lead midway through the period with a speculative shot from Dhalluin (which hit both posts before travelling in), McDowall took matters into her own hands, with two more excellent goals. The first on the extra-player situation, before the second, a vitally important shot from centre.
Dhalluin, however, who seemed to be competing with McDowall for the player of the game award, pulled France back into the contest at 7-7. For the second time in the game, the left-handed 18 year old let a beautiful shot fly, hitting both posts before the ball dropped in, giving Jess Milicich no chance in the Kiwi goal.
Angela Winstanley-Smith’s side had a big opportunity to take the lead once more, but Emily Nicholson could only hit the woodwork, from a central shot not more than 3m out.
As the last period got underway, both sides had chances. Dhalluin came inches away from scoring, but instead hit the post. Bernie Doyle also squandered a man-up opportunity, dragging the shot wide.
But it was Juliette Dhalluin who once again scored with her specialist move, the far post curler. With just half a quarter to go, the French looked in the ascendency for the first time.
Doyle continued to give her side a lift, but struck the post twice. But it was three times lucky for the New Zealand number three, whose third shot, a lob, found the back of the net, via the post.
But no sooner had New Zealand equalized, France were back ahead with little over two minutes to go. It was Battu from the pit showing excellent strength, before dispatching with supreme confidence.
With less than a minute to go, the French led by just a single goal. New Zealand called the timeout, and had one attack to pull level. And from the timeout saw Vivian Bahia dismissed, and Bernie Doyle sent the game to penalties.
And so to penalties, and Emmerson Houghton stepped up first for the Kiwis, a converted well to the goal keepers left. Andrey Daule took inspiration, and put her penalty in the exact same spot for France.
Malia Josephson was next, but could only hit the woodwork. Camelia Bouloukbachi did her job, and gave France the advantage in the shoot-out.
Doyle scored confidently, but Juliette Dhalluin, like in regular time, scored with class.
Millie Quin found the back of the net for the Kiwis, but if one French player was ever going to miss, it wasn’t going to be Ema Vernoux.
And to the final penalty takers, Lizzy Gault gave her side an outside chance, but Bridget Layburn could only get a hand to Louise Guillet’s shot, to send France to the quarter-finals
Angela Winstanley-Smith (New Zealand) – “This result is really hard. Its at the end of the game, and you have played thirty-two minutes to get to that stage. Its a programme, we are evolving, we are developing, we have a little bit of high-performance funding. But we are only just getting started on our Journey. We need to pick ourselves up to focus on top 10, which would be an amazing achievement for us”
Emilien Bugeaud (France) – “Congratulations to all of the girls, to New Zealand, and to lose this kind of game is heartbreaking. But I am happy to be on the good side today. We had no stamina by the end of the game, but sometimes in this kind of game it is the psychology and the mentality.”
Kazakhstan 1-14 Spain (0-4, 1-2, 0-7, 0-1)
Kazakhstan: A. Zharkimbayeva, D. Pochinok, V. Anossova, A. Turova 1, A. Yeremina, D. Roga, A. Novikova , D. Muravyeva, N. Shapovalova, V. Khritankova, A. Mirshina, A. Murataliyeva, M. Martynenko
Spain: L. Ester, C. Nogue, A. Espar 1, B. Ortiz 4, N. Perez, I. Gonzalez 1, E. Ruiz 1, P. Pena 1, J. Forca Ariza 3, P. Camus 2, M. Garcia Godoy, P. Leiton 1, M. Terre
There was no trouble for Spain today as they breezed past Kazakhstan, and now face the United States in the quarter finals.
Judith Forca scored the first, with an effortless bounce into the bottom corner. Spain then netted two penalties – the first earned by Paula Leiton with a beautiful turn that Bea Ortiz dispatched. Elena Ruiz then turned the ball over against Anastassiya Mirshina, before drawing a penalty, that she easily scored.
Bea Ortiz and Maica Garcia nearly fluffed their lines in attack on a 2-1, but eventually Ortiz recovered the ball to make it 4-0 at the end of the 1st. The only chance of note for Kazakhstan came via an Anastassiya Yeremina lob that easily cleared Laura Ester’s cross-bar.
Into the second quarter, Judith Forca demonstrated the perfect lob to take Spain to five, but Anna Turova eventually finished off a decent Kazakhstan man-up to register their first goal of the game.
Photo: Orange Pictures
After a spell of inaction in the game, which was being played at a very slow pace, Bea Ortiz netted her hat-trick just before the end of the period. After a quick exchange of passing with Elena Ruiz, Ortiz kicked up, and drilled the ball low into the bottom left-hand corner for 6-1.
The third period was much like the first, with Spain seeming to turn it on when they needed. Leiton, Espar, Forca, Ortiz, Pena, Camus and Gonzalez all finding the back of the net.
Paula Camus made the fourth quarter her own, with an strong score from centre. The American referee, Harvey Hinds, then appeared to slip and twist his leg on the referee platform before being stretchered off, leading to a lengthy delay before the end of the game.
Miki Oca (Spain) – “We played a really good first quarter, and defended really well, and we played the rest of the game with more calm. All of us, we know the United States are very strong. In defence, in offense, in counter attack. We know will have to do our best if we stand a chance”
Anni Espar (Spain) – “We did what we had to do, to win this game. Playing the USA next is like a final, we have been thinking about it to find the key to beat them”
Hungary vs Argentina (4-0, 7-2, 6-3, 6-1)
Hungary: E. Gangl, D. Szilagyi 4, V. Valyi 3, G. Gurisatti 5, Z. Mate 2, R. Parkes, G. Mahieu, R. Keszthelyi 2, D. Leimeter 1, N. Rybanska 2, K. Farago 3, K. Garda 1, A. Magyari
Argentina: N. Stegmayer, L. Ruiz, C. Leonard 3, A. Hatcher 1, L. Ianni, L. Romano, J. Auliel, C. Comba 1, I. Riley, A. Agnesina, A. Bacigalupo, D. Gerschovsky 1, L. Canales
In the last game of the day, the hosts Hungary didn’t slip up in their classification game against Argentina.
Attila Biro’s side were comfortable winners, while Argentina struggled to put the ball in the net, and keep it out at the other end.
Hungary will now face Australia in the quarter-finals, in what will be a contest for the ages.
Early goals from Natasa Rybanska and Rita Keszthelyi immediately put the Hungarians on the front foot, before a Kamilla Farago penalty gave Nahir Stegmayer no chance in the Argentine goal.
Greta Gurisatti, newly of Ferencvaros, slotted home next, to finish off a swift counter-attack set up by her new club colleague, Dora Leimeter.
The second quarter saw Argentina’s first goal, a wonderfully place 6m shot from the arm of Cecilia Leonard. The then had their second not long after from CN Rubi’s Dana Gerschovsky, which cancelled out an earlier Kamilla Farago goal which ricocheted off the post.
Dorottya Szilagyi found her groove midway through the quarter, finding the back of the net twice, to extend the Magyar’s lead to 7 goals to 2. With less than two minutes in the quarter, Gurisatti and Keszthelyi added to the scoring spree, with two break away counters.
Rebecca Parkes was guilty of conceding a penalty with a minute left in the half, but Ashley Hatcher didn’t trouble the keeper, instead firing the ball into the left-hand post. Hungary then made the Argentines pay, as Rybanska climbed high above the defence of the Blue and Whites to tap home. With an attack left, Keszthelyi turned over the ball, before picking out the onrushing Dorottya Szilagyi, who converted well. At half-time, the score was 11-2.
At the third, Hungary needed VAR to award them their twelfth goal of the game courtesy Greta Gurisatti – her third in the game. Her shot hit the far post, but held up just on, and apparently over, the line.
Argentina were not going to give up though, and Cecilia Leonard scored a superbly taken goal from the pit, beating Edina Gangl at the back post.
But Hungary were not finished scoring either. Vanda Valyi tucked the ball away cleverly to finish off some good interplay by her and Kamilla Farago, before a Gurisatti lob, and a Leimeter driven shot made it fifteen for Hungary.
Leonard secured her hat-trick with just over three minutes to play from the 5m, but Gurisatti cancelled it out immediately with a clever pop on the post, followed by a clinical finish.
Comba, the Argentine skipper, had a shot diverted past Gangl for a Argentinian score, but Kamilla Farago finished well at the end of the quarter to put Hungary 17-5 ahead.
Argentina once more missed a penalty. Natasa Rybanska was sent for three, but Ana Bacigalupo could not even hit the target, pulling the shot way wide. And that opened up the counter attack for Zsuzsanna Mate to score in transition. Mate then doubled her goal haul with the easiest of finishes from a perfect Keszthelyi pass.
Keszthelyi then provided two perfect assists, this time for Vanda Valyi. The first was easy for Valyi, simply to put the ball into an empty net, the second, however, she still had a lot to do from 5m.
Hatcher found her goal in the game, with a poachers finish at the back post. But goals from Garda and Szilagyi late on sealed the 23-6 win.
Natasa Rybanska (Hungary) – “The game was as we expected, we tried to do the movements that will be doing in the next few matches. It is useful to play at home, at a beautiful pool and a beautiful atmosphere with so many fans. The Australia game will be a very physical game. They play very strong press so it will be very tough”
Cecilia Leonard (Argentina) – “Playing here was a dream come true, to be part of this atmosphere is every players dream. We made history by qualifying for this tournament, and we made history winning a game at this tournament. I think we are growing in this tournament, we practice and train at these tournament as a team, so that’s our deficit. Now we have one week underneath us, we are really excited to see what we can do with that momentum”
Attila Biro (Hungary) – “We had good preparation. Training was tough yesterday, and we will work tactically and technically tomorrow for Australia. I think it will be a very tough game, a big traditional game between Australia and Hungary. Last time when we played against them three years ago in South Korea, we lost against them, so we have a lot of revenge, so we would like to win of course. But it is spectacular to play in front of 5000-6000, and I hope we can give them a result”
Other Results
Colombia 11-14 South Africa (3-4, 3-5, 3-3, 2-2)
Colombia: S. Agudelo, A. Rivera, V. Restrepo 2, C. Ortega Fuentes, A. Caicedo, J. Atehortua 1, D. Marin 3, C. Lastre, M. Serna, S. Vanegas 3, S. Atehortua 1, A. Correa, I. Chamorro
South Africa: D. Passoni, T. Macdonell, P. Tancrel, A. Thornton-Dibb 1, I. Akomolafe, H. Muller 3, S. January, E. Zondo, N. Macleod 4, R. Versfeld 2, A. Vaughan 3, C. Meecham 1, M. Maartens
South Africa have secured a historic first World Championship victory with a deserved victory over Colombia. Nicola Macleod bagged a quad, while Hanna Muller and Ashleigh Vaughn will remember their world championships hat-tricks forever. They will face Brazil to determine the 13th and 14th place classification.
Brazil 12-9 Thailand (4-1, 4-1, 3-3, 1-4 )
Brazil: T. Pregolini, A. Pinciroli, M. Cosmo 1, K. Leao, J. Cavalvante, M. Marrani, S. Ferreira 6, L. Quinn, L. Belorio 2, R. Moreira, M. Coutinho 1, A. Amaral 2, I. Mendes
Thailand: N. Mouksung, T. Kwantongtanaree, P. Rotchanarut, W. Nilklad, N. Khamma, K. Puenpongsakul 1, K. Puangtong 4, B. Khunprathum, R. Rueangsappaisan, I. Turon, Y. Turon 4, P. Rodwattanadisakul, P. Arsayuth
There was an interesting game played in Szeged between Brazil and Thailand, in which the former only won by a three goal margin (12-9). All credit has to go to the Thai team, and particularly from Kritsana Puangtong (4) and Yanisa Turon (4).
However it was the Brazilians who will compete with South Africa for 13th place. Samantha Ferreira scored on six occasions, making the difference for the Brazilians.
