Greek drama: Russia clinches gold after 11 rounds of penalties
Russia is the new world junior champion after winning one of the most thrilling finals this competition ever seen. In front of 2,500 spectators in Volos, the Russians managed to overcome host Greece in the penalty shootout. The bronze medal went to the Netherlands after a fine win over Spain.
Writing history has always been a strong tradition in this land, at least for a couple of thousand years. Now another chapter was in sight, not weighing as much as the battle for the ancient Troy but significant in the world of water polo. So far no country has been able to clinch both the men’s and women’s junior world titles in the same year. Now, after the men’s team stunning triumph in Belgrade in mid-August, the women were just 32 minutes away to make Greece the first NF to make the unique double.
We can add: in the 32th minute Greece was 5cm away to achieve this feat, but the last shot taken in a man-up hit the cross-bar and bounced down just in front of the goal-line. It stood 9-9, this could have been the winning goal, instead the penalties decided the gold medal.
The final itself was a thriller, what came next went beyond all imaginations. The Greeks survived three misses as their goalie delivered a save after each, but the fourth one meant the end of the drama, Russia converted the next and won the match in the 11th round of the shootout.
The new world champions: team Russia with the trophy - Credit: Apostolos Zacharakis
What made the whole story even more dramatic that it was the tournament’s best player and the top scorer, Eleni Xenaki who missed the crucial last penalty – which also meant that Greece had to settle for silver despite being the only unbeaten side in the games’ regular time. Still, no one argued against the Russians’ victory: the world youth champion side from two years ago offered the finest of water polo once more, their sparkling attacks were simply amazing – in the final they scored six action goals, not needing too much 6 on 5s (they got only one, plus two penalties).
The runner-up Greek team with OC Chairman and FINA Bureau Member Dimitris Diathessopoulos
The Netherlands clinched the bronze medal, partly thanks to an outstanding individual effort by Lizette Rozeboom who scored 5 goals and partly to their spectacular man-down defence: the Spaniards netted their first two extras but couldn’t convert the following seven. Also, they scored three goals in the first period but only three in the remaining 24 minutes – in the meantime the Dutch did a splendid job and fully deserved to stand on the podium.
The happy bronze medal winners: the team of the Netherlands
In the morning matches the United States won a strange encounter against Hungary to finish 5th. Hungary took a 1-2 lead early but their reserves were only enough to produce a high level in front of their own goal, the stronger US players outpowered them in defence, shutting them out for the last three period. The Americans’ attacks weren’t that effective as in most of the matches on the previous days, missed all their extras, but were still good enough to net four action goals to secure another win.
Italy finished seventh, they beat Canada 7-4, with the same margin they did in the group stage.
Volos was a worthy host, as always, the amazing atmosphere in the last three days, created by the thousands gathering around the pool, will be a really long lasting memory for all being present.
Individual awards
Best player: Eleni Xenaki (GRE)
Top scorer: Eleni Xenaki (GRE)
Best goalkeeper: Evgeniia Golovina (RUS)
Final rankings
1. Russia
2. Greece
3. Netherlands
4. Spain
5. United States
6. Hungary
7. Italy
8. Canada
9. China
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Serbia
13. Japan
14. Slovakia
15. South Africa
16. Croatia
Match reports
Game 48, 20.00 – World Championship Final: Russia v Greece 9-9, pens: 8-7
Quarters: 4-4, 3-3, 2-0, 0-2
Referees: Joan Colominas (ESP), Martina Kunikova (SVK)
RUSSIA
GOLOVINA Evgeniia, GEZANICH Daria 3, ZAPLATINA Elizaveta 1, BERZNEVA Maria 1, BORISOVA Maria 1, POPOVA Polina, KEMPF Polina, LAPTEVA Yulia, VAKHTOVA Vezonika, TOLKUNOVA Tatiana, KHAMZAEVA Bella 1, SERZHANTOVA Alena 2, STEPAKHINA Svetlana. Head coach: Sergey Markoch
GREECE
STAMATOPOULOU Ioanna, PLEVRITOU Eleftheria 3, CHYDIRIOTI Ioanna, ELEFTHERIADOU Nikoleta 1, PLEVRITOU Vasiliki, XENAKI Eleni 2, PROTOPAPA Elisavet 2, PATRA Maria, MICHALIDOU Ekaterini, MYRIOKEFALITAKI Maria 1, SELETOPOULOU Maria Eleni, MAVROTA Ifigenia, DOUREKA Stavroula. Head coach: LEANDROS Stefanos
Extramen: 1/1 and 3/8
Penalties: 2/2 and 1/1
A brilliant encounter featuring everything and even more what a World Championship final can offer: twists and turns, sheer excitement, great goals, great individual efforts as well as individual dramas and finally a penalty shootout to be remembered for a long time.
Though some thought there was no way to jam more people inside and around the venue, every square millimetres were used to find places for the fans and guests attending the evening session. Almost 2,500 gathered, the standing line of fans was doubled in depth and in length on the top of the adjacent football stadium, the atmosphere simply couldn’t have been any better.
However, right at the beginning the Russians committed everything to silence the crowd. Gerzanich opened the scoring with a 8m blast but Xenaki, who else, equalised from a counter just a minute later. Zaplatina’s fine lob and Gerzanich’s second great shot gave Russia a 3-1 lead, and they were still 4-2 up as Sherzantova scored a classic 2-on-1 goal, to reply on Eleftherie Plevritou’s hit from a counter. The first centre action from Xenaki was a post but Stamatopoulou started to deliver saves for Greece on the other end after her initial struggles. And the locals’ worries were soon eased when Plevritou put away a 6 on 5, then 33 seconds later Myriokefatilaki equalised from action. It was 4-4 – and just the first period ended.
The second began with a missed Greek man-up, went on with Sherzantova’s shot which slipped in between the hands of the goalie. Next came the show of the centre-forwards. Xenaki could grab the ball for the second time in the match and immediately earned a penalty, Plevritou converted it. Then the Greek goddess put her team ahead for the first time with a brilliant goal from the centre. But Khamzaeva was also up for the task, she scored from the centre for 6-6. Xenaki’s next shot hit the post, then Khamzaeva earned a penalty and Borisova put it away. It was Xenaki’s turn, she delivered an exclusion, Eleftheriadou was on target – it was 7-7 and two more periods were to play.
Then, as it happens many times, the middle break was good for everyone to cool down a bit and try to minimalise the number of mistakes which were to weigh more and more as time was passing in a final. Thus, after the festive-like first period with 14 goals, the second half brought only four.
The Russians tightened their defence around Xenaki, which resulted exclusions but gave no room for her to do the usual magics. The Greeks had three man-ups in this period but missed all, the defenders’ blocks saved the Russian goal on each occasion. Even worse for the hosts, two misses were followed by Russian goals. Khamzaeva earned another penalty, Gerzanich buried it, then came the coaches’ nightmare, a counterattack launched from your missed man-up, after your time-out... It happened, Bersneva rushed away in another 2 on 1 and put the Russians 9-7 ahead, while the hosts were unable to score in the entire period.
Russia had possessions to go three up in the fourth, but couldn’t create real danger, while Protopapa finally sent the ball home from a 6 on 5, narrowing the gap to a single goal with 5:10 remaining. As the clock was clicking down, tension grew by every second. Each Greek attack meant hope, each Russian attack was watched with fear by the thousands around and in front of the TVs as the game was broadcasted live in Greece.
After a series of unsuccessful attempts, with 66 seconds to go, Protopapa’s brilliant left-handed 6m action shot hit the top left corner, resulting a kind of vocal explosion. The last Russian lob touched the bar and the post but never crossed the line, Greek had one last attack, Xenaki earned an extra, it was nicely played, the ball was fed to the 2m line but Plevritou’s shot hit the lower edge of the crossbar and bounced just in front of the goal line. Had the ball flown 5cm lower...
Instead, the decision was left to the penalty shootout.
Which started with a dramatic miss: Xenaki hit the cross bar. The next eight shots were all buried. Russia was one shot away, but Stamatopoulou made the critical catch on Lapteva’s attempt, saving the shootout to the sudden death phase. There, the first three rounds saw three goals apiece. Then the younger Plevritou sister, Vasiliki hit Golovina’s hand. For the second time a converted penalty would have sealed Russia’s gold. But Stamatopoulou stopped it. Eleftheriadou came next, hit the post. Match ball No. 3 for Russia... The crowd went wild once more as the Greek goalie saved the nation for the third time, catching Lapteva’s second shot as well.
Round 11... And Xenaki’s shot was caught by Golovina again. As a fitting end, it was Russia’s centre, Khamzaeva who stayed calm and sent the ball to the net. Though she didn’t receive a special award but surely deserved the Woman of the Match distinction for her outstanding efforts in regular time and for her 3/3 conversion in the shootout.
While the Russian girls celebrated joyfully, the spectators slowly recovered from the shock and soon gave a huge applause for the world champions and also for the runner-up Greek team. The Greeks had to settle for a painful result: though they didn’t lose a single match in the regular time, after five wins and a draw they still finished runner-up.
Russia was a worthy winner, though, as their level of play was constantly improving throughout the tournament. They lost their opening contest to the Netherlands, then they remained unbeaten. Only great teams are capable of saving their very best to the most important matches, the last two in a championship like this. The Russians just did that and let’s also add that they were the only team in the top four who had to play seven games in as many days, the other three sides were group-winners and had a day off before the quarters.
Led by the former legendary player, Sergei Markoch, Russia added the junior crown to their youth world title from two years ago. That tournament was played with experimental rules, this one with the existing ones, it shows the team’s quality to finish atop in both versions.
Sergei Markoch, head coach, Russia
“I survived a heart-attack I guess. It was a fantastic game and the girls played really well. If we had been a bit more focused, we could have gone three goals up, led 10-7 perhaps, which might have saved us from the shootout. We prepared with some special defence against Xenaki, it worked especially in the second half. I think we have a great team and many of these players will have a great career at senior level.”
Stefanos Leandros, head coach, Greece
“We began this match really badly in defence. Russia is a great team but we let too much room for their excellent shooters. As time went by, we could adjust our defence and it started working more and more. We had the winning shot in our hand in the last seconds but we didn’t score. This is sport, we have to accept the defeat, even if it’s not so easy after a match like this.”
Game 47, 18.30 – Bronze medal match: Spain v Netherlands 6-9
Quarters: 3-3, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3
Referees: Svetlana Dreval (RUS), Nicola Johnson (AUS)
SPAIN
BELLO Inmacuulada, CRESPI Paula, LEITON Paula, GUIRAL Mireia, CIUDAO Miriam, GOSET Blanca, BONAMUSA Alba 3, BARINGO Carmen 1, CORBOBES Marina 1, MONTOYA Elia, DIAZ Sofia, AZNAR Alejandra 1, DOMENE Sandra. Head coach: XAVIER Perez
NETHERLANDS
KOENDERS Joanne, VOORVELT Rozanne, SLEEKING Brigitte 1, BOSVELD Fleurien, KEUNING Maartje, ROZEBOOM Lizette 5, MULDER Brigit 1, KOOPMAN Maud 1, JOUSTRA Kitty Lynn, KOOLHAAS Ilse, TEN BROEK Nina, ROGGE Bente 1, BUIS Sarah. Head coach: DOUDESIS Evangelos
Extramen: 2/9 and 6/10
Penalties: none and 0/1
It took almost three minutes to see the first goal in the medal round, Bonamusa netted a 6 on 5 for Spain – but that launched a flood as five more came in the remaining five minutes. More could have been scored but Koopman missed a penalty (failed to shoot directly), though Mulder later equalised from an extra. Spain had a better spell, Aznar put away the ball in a man-up, then Baringo netted a fine action goal from the wing for a 3-1 lead. A quick time-out helped the Dutch, within moments Rozeboom’s powerful shot did the damage, and she let one more fly, this time from a 6 on 5 – in 41 seconds it was even (3-3).
As if hadn’t been any break, the scoring went on, Bonamusa found the back of the net from 6m, then Sleeking did a clean job in an extra for 4-4. The break came here, netting goals was ceased for 8:35 minutes. This quarter didn’t see any more goals just great defending, both sides killed two man-ups apiece so it stood even at halftime.
The wall-like, closed Dutch man-down defence was effective against another Spanish 6 on 5 at the beginning of the third, on the other end Rozeboom’s blast bounced in from an extra, giving Holland the lead for the first time. The fourth Spanish extra didn’t put them on level either, after low attempts, this time a high shot was stopped by the wall. Soon the Spanish 13:25 minutes long goal-drought was halted by Bonamusa who managed to hit the bottom right corner at the end of a lengthy possession, which saw two fine saves from Koenders but the Dutch goalie wasn’t lucky for the third time.
The Dutch could respond still in this period, though they missed a 6 on 5, Rozeboom had another baaang-like shot, a free-throw from 6m with 12 seconds before the last break, putting her team ahead once more (5-6).
And they went two up for the first time in the match, Koopman’s shot was a bit deflected but still good enough for an extraman goal. Spain, on the other hand, searched for the solution to beat the Dutch man-down defence in vain. It was close but Koenders managed to catch the ball on the goal-line. The Dutch also missed one but made the next, Rogge netted it easily from the left wing for a 5-8 lead with 3:23 remaining.
The Spanish coach called for an emergency time-out which seemed to be useful, as Corbobes’s lob brought Spain closer but only for a while. Rozeboom was really on fire, this time she scored from the centre-forward position (it was her 5th goal), rebuilding the three-goal margin. The Spaniards’ last slim hope vanished when they – or rather their shot – bounced off from the Dutch wall in their last 6 on 5. They made the first two, missed the next 7, scored three goals in the first period – and three in the remaining three quarters. This is their side of the story – while Rozeboom’s brilliant shots and the quite effective man-down defence secured the World Championship bronze medal for the junior European champions. No doubt, they fully deserved it.
Evangelos Doudesis, head coach, Greece:
“Yesterday we lost the gold medal so had to find the necessary power to get the bronze. We managed to achieve that, the man-down defence was the key to our success. On the short term we can be satisfied with this result but it’s more important that on the long run this team will serve as a good base for the national team. And let ma add that it’s always a great feeling to win a medal in my home country.”
Perez Xavier, head coach, Spain:
“Today we couldn’t give our best. The Dutch did a good job in defending, especially in man-down, we tried everything but nothing worked. We are disappointed now, but let me congratulate my team, to the Netherlands and thank for the organisers and FINA for this great championship.”
Game 46, 12.20 – For places 5/6: United States v Hungary 4-2
Quarters: 1-2, 1-0, 2-0, 0-0
Referees: Maria Daskolopoulou (GRE), Doriel Terpenka (CAN)
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
LONGAN Amanda, LIEBOWITZ Alexis 1, KLASS Sarah, HILL Abbi 1, HAUSCHILD Page, WEBER Bayley, HARBILAS Chloe, WHITELEGGE Rachel, MAMMOLITO Denise, NEUSHUL Ryann 2, AYALA Val, JONSHON Ava, KAPANA Carlee. Head coach: SIMMONS Coralia
HUNGARY
LEKRINSZKI Gina Petra, BREZOVSZKI Gerda, VALYI Vanda 1, HERTZKA Orsolya , KONCZ Laura, HUSZTI Dora, FARKAS Tamara, TOTH Csenge, KUNA Szonja, KISS Eszter, VARGA Viktoria, HLENGIWE Mchunu 1, MACZKO Lilla. Head coach: PETROVICS Matyas
Extramen: 0/6 and 0/4
Penalties: 0/1 and 1/1
Playing seven matches in as many days should be rather tiring even for young ladies. This was mirrored in this game where both teams fought to save some pride: the US wanted to bid a fitting farewell to the pool where the previous generations won back-to-back titles in the previous two editions, while the Hungarians’ main target was to stay on equal terms with a physically stronger opponent which scored 9+ goals in all but one matches (that one cost them the medal round when they lost 4-3 to Greece).
In that regard, both sides left the pool somewhat satisfied: Hungary stayed close but didn’t seem to be able to pose a real threat to the Americans. The US struggled to break the Hungarian defence which did an outstanding job but that consumed all their reserves, leaving no power for the attacks.
This made the match somewhat strange: Hungary took a 2-1 lead in the first eight minutes, mainly thank to its goalkeeper who even stopped a penalty. While Lekrinszki went on producing outstanding saves, and their team-mates did their utmost in the rear, the Hungarians remained scoreless in the last three periods – more precisely for 26:05 minutes.
But they avoided a big defeat as they killed all seven US man-ups and barely missed the marking of the rival attackers. Still, it was just a matter of time to see the Americans retaking the lead. It happened in the third quarter, Ryann Neushull finished a counter nicely, then Liebowitz could drive to 2m and pushed the ball through the defenders’ arms. Leading 4-2, the US players stopped taking too much risk as they were aware that the Magyars’ only real chance would be scoring from counter-attacks. Slowing them down and forcing attacking them six on six kept their lead in safe but also resulted a scoreless final period.
Game 45, 11.00 – For places 7/8: Canada v Italy 4-7
Quarters: 1-2, 0-1, 1-3, 2-1
Referees: Danielle Dabbaghian (USA), Ivanka Rakovic-Krstonosic (SRB)
CANADA
VULPISI Clara, ALLIN Peggy Jean, CREVIER Axelle, LIZOTTE Myriam 1, CEKLIC Nina, AIKEMA Emilly, MIMIDES Maria, CHRISTMAS Kyra 2, MCDOWELL Blaire, FRASER Emma, NACOUZI Joelle 1, UTAS Brianna, JAFFE Rachel. Head coach: ROBINSON Andrew
ITALY
BANCHELLI Caterina, CITINO Giusy 1, PRESTA Claudia, AVEGNO Silvia 1, RANALLI Chiara 1, MILLO Giulia, PICOZZI Domitilla, DI CLAUDIO Luna 1, COCCHIERE Agnese 2, FORESTA Chiara, ALTAMURA Elena, CUZZUPE Giulia 1, MALARA Carlotta. Head coach: ZIZZA Paolo
Extramen: 3/10 and 1/9
Penalties: 0/1 and 1/1
This was their second clash here in Volos – and the outcome was very much the same, a three-goal win for Italy. Though this match was a bit different: while the group game saw seven goals in the first period and six in the remaining three and Italy could secure its win only in the closing period after scoring twice in the after 6-5, this time the Europeans kept the contest under firm control right from the beginning.
Italy struggled in offense in the previous two matches, which they lost to Russia (4-5) and to Hungary (3-4). For this last encounter they managed to bring their fine defence to the pool once more but improved in front. After three periods they already netted six goals and conceded only two. They took a 3-1 lead by halftime, Canada pulled one back at the beginning of the third but the Italians replied with three connecting goals, which proved to be decisive. They shut out the North Americans for 12:08 minutes, when Canada scored for 3-6 only 3:07 minutes remained from the game so there was no way back: Italy maintained the safe gap until the end.
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