Spain edges out world champion Croatia in shootout, Montenegro downs Hungary
Montenegro and the USA are the only two sides in the field standing with a clean sheet. The Montenegrins had a big win over host Hungary, coming from 7-9 down to clinch the match with 12-9 while the Americans beat Kazakhstan with ease. Spain recovered from the opening day's defeat against the US and managed to beat world champions Croatia in a penalty shootout. Australia did a splendid job against Japan, thanks to the outstanding efforts of Aaron Younger who netted 6 goals.
In the first game the Aussies beat Japan with ease, Aaron Younger was amazing as he scored 6 goals in the match, almost as many as their rivals. Australia took a 4-1 lead in the opening period – with a hat-trick from Younger - and managed to maintain a 3-4 goals lead throughout the game, Japan never had the chance to earn any point this afternoon.
Aaron Younger (white cap): Mr Unstoppable - Credit: LOC / Jozsef Szaka
The second game brought the first penalty shootout of the tourney as Croatia managed to force the game into a shootout after a late equaliser. With a great spell in the second period Spain rushed ahead and maintained its lead for most of the game but were unable to score in the last period and that cost them one point - but at least they won in the shootout as their goalie Dani Lopez had two stops.
Montenegro and Hungary played a magnificent match which was really entertaining for three periods, at least for the home fans – but the fourth period saw only Montenegrin goals while the Hungarian ran out of ideas. They led 7-9 with 2:54 to go in the third – but they were unable to score any more in the game while their rivals produced a 5-0 rush, won the match and is set to win the group.
Montenegro did a fine job in defence and in offence as well
The closing match of the day brought less excitements: apart from a weaker spell early in the second period, the US side took the game under firm control against Kazakhstan and decided the outcome by the end of the third period as they netted three goals in 1:43 minutes to go 8-2 up.
Caps disappeared sometimes as the US and the Kazakh teams were entangled into a tough contest
By clicking on the games below you can find detailed stats and play-by-play description.
15.15 Group A: Australia v Japan 11-7
16:45 Group B: Croatia v Spain 9-9, pen: 1-4
18.15 Group A: Montenegro v Hungary 12-9
19.45 Group B: United States v Kazakhstan 11-4
Standings
Group A
1. Montenegro 6, 2. Hungary 3, 3. Australia 3, 4. Japan 0
Group B
1. United States 6, 2. Croatia 4, 3. Spain 2, 3. Kazakhstan 0
Match reports
Game 1, 15.15 – Group A: Australia v Japan 11-7
Quarters: 4-1 , 2-2 , 2-1 , 3-3
Referees: Alex Stankevich (USA), Damir Temyrkhanov (KAZ)
AUSTRALIA
Anthony Hrysanthos (15 saves/22 shots, 68%), Nicholas Porter (GK2, not entered) – Richard Campbell (0 goals/1 shot), Blake Edward (1/4), Joseph Kayes (2/6), Nathan Power (2/3), Nickolas Elphick (0/0), Aidan Roach (0/1), Aaron Younger (6/8), Andrew Ford (0/1), Timothy Putt (0/1), Lachlan Hollis (0/0), Nicholas Brooks (0/0). Head coach: Elvis Fatovic
JAPAN
Tanamura Katsuyuki (8/19, 42%), Fukushima Tomoyoshi (GK2, not entered) – Adachi Seiya (2/5), Koppu Harukiirario (1/2), Shiga Mitsuaki (0/2), Yoshida Takuma (0/1), Suzuki Toi (0/1), Miyazawa Takumu (0/0) Takata Mitsuru (0/4), Arai Atsushi (0/1), Inaba Yusuke (3/5). Okawa Keigo (1/3), Araki Kenta (0/2). Head coach: Omoto Yoji
Goals/Shots
AUS: 11/26
JPN: 7/29
Extramen
AUS: 2/3
JPN: 2/7
Penalties
none
Best player of the game
Aaron Younger (AUS)
While the Hungarians were able to mark the Aussie super-player Aaron Younger quite effectively on Day 1 (they had the advantage to get to know him in the last eight years as he had been playing in Hungary since 2010), the Japanese couldn’t stop him for a single moment. Younger has become one of the most versatile players with outstanding swimming speed, brilliant skills and great muscle power – and he just gave some appetizer from his outstanding knowledge. Well, it was more than just an appetizer, as a starter he ‘served’ three goals in the first period, all from action, from different situations but he just outpowered his defender on each occasion. He was the difference in the first eight minutes as the Aussies took a commanding 4-1 lead.
Soon the ‘main dish’ arrived as well as Younger came up with three more goals till the end of the third period. At the same time Japan struggled a bit to find the ways of scoring – the Aussies, especially Younger, could create opportunities more easily. Even though they had more shots on target (19-22), but most of those shots weren’t as powerful as their rivals’ ones. So the side from Down Under kept a safe distance after the first period, the Asians couldn’t get any closer than three goals. They were 10-4 down early in the fourth, then netted three in succession but that didn’t change the face of the match – Australia made its first win while Japan is yet to earn a point and facing Hungary on the following day they seem to be set to finish on the bottom place of the group.
Game 2, 16.45 – Group B: Croatia v Spain 9-9, pen: 1-4
Quarters: 4-3, 1-4, 3-2, 0-1
Referees: Dejan Adzic (MNE), Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU)
CROATIA
Marco Bijac (10/19, 53%), Ivan Marcelic (GK2, not entered) – Hrvoje Benic (0/3), Loren Fatovic (1/3), Ivan Krapic (1/2), Lovre Milos (0/1), Ivan Buljubasic (0/1), Ante Vukicevic (3/3), Andro Buslje (1/3), Andrija Basic (0/0), Josip Vrlic (0/0), Andelo Setka (0/3), Javier Garcia (3/6). Head coach: Ivica Tucak
SPAIN
Daniel López (16/25, 64%), Eduardo Lorrio (GK2, not entered) – Alberto Munarriz (0/4), Alvaro Granados (1/3), Miguel Del (0/0), Sergi Cabanas (0/1), Marc Larumbe (0/0), Francisco Fernandez (2/2), Albert Espanol (1/3), Roger Tahull (1/3), Felipe Perrone (2/3), Blai Mallarach (2/4), Alejandro Bustos (0/2). Head coach: Daniel Martin
Goals/Shots
CRO: 9/33
ESP: 9/25
Extramen
CRO: 2/8
ESP: 3/6
Penalties
CRO: 3/3
ESP: 1/1
Best player of the game
Dani Lopez (ESP)
Fans couldn’t complain on the opening period as it was really packed with action: seven goals were netted, the Croats had the better start and took a 4-3 lead. Then came a blackout from the world champions in the second, Spain scored three straight goals in a span of 2:09 minutes for a 4-6 lead, Croatia could add one after a ‘silence’ lasting 7:30 minutes. However, a fine extramen shot from Roger Tahull gave Spain a two-goal lead by halftime.
Xavi Garcia converted a second penalty against his former country but the other leftie, Blai Mallarach buried a 6 on 5 to maintain the two-goal gap. The scenario was repeated a bit later, this time Felipe Perrone scored from a brilliant counter, and it was also scored by his left, all credits went to home as he is right-handed. But the ‘normal’ leftie, Garcia halved the Croatian deficit before the last break (8-9).
Spain slowed down the pace for the last period, they were waiting for the opportunities or the Croatians’ mistakes but none of those came – they missed a man-up early in the fourth, just as their opponent a bit later. Then, with just 1:07 remaining on the clock, the Croats managed to set up a fine 6 on 5 and Andro Buslje made a kind of slam-dunk shot from centimetres and that was enough to force the shootout. However, they earned just one point as Dani Lopez made two catches, as first he stopped Garcia’s shot – during the game the former Spanish netted two penalties, this time he missed, just as Ante Vukicevic while the Spanish converted all four and earned two points, a fine recovery after their defeat against the US on the opening day.
Game 3, 18.15 – Group A: Montenegro v Hungary 12-9
Quarters: 3-2, 3-5, 3-2, 3-0
Referees: Arkadiy Voevodin (RUS), German Moller (ARG)
MONTENEGRO
Dejan Lazovic (11/20, 55%), Slaven Kandic (GK2, not entered) – Drasko Brguljan (1/4), Bojan Banicevic (0/0), Marko Petkovic (1/1), Stefan Vidovic (1/1), Duro Radovic (2/2), Mladan Janovic (3/3), Bogdan Durdic (1/2), Aleksandar Ivovic (1/8), Sasa Misic (1/1), Dragan Draskovic (0/0), Vladan Spaic (1/2). Head coach: Vladimir Gojkovic
HUNGARY
Viktor Nagy (6/18, 33%), Istvan Kardos (GK2, not entered) – Daniel Angyal (2/3), Krisztián Manhercz (1/3), Gergo Zalánki (3/9), Marton Vamos (2/5), Tamas Mezei (1/2), David Jansik (0/2), Gergo Kovacs (0/1), Balazs Erdelyi (0/2), Bence Batori (0/1), Krisztián Bedő (0/0), Zoltán Pohl (0/2). Head coach: Tamas Marcz
Goals/Shots
MNE: 12/25
HUN: 9/33
Extramen
MNE: 7/12
HUN: 3/11
Penalties
MNE: none
HUN: 1/1
Best player of the game
Aleksandar Ivovic (MNE)
The two sides produced a great match with a lot of great goals, twists and excitements in front of 3,000 enthusiastic spectators but the local fans left the Duna Arena without smiles on their faces as the Montenegrins upended the host side with a fine finish.
Hungary took the lead twice in the opening period but the Montenegrins hit back and earned a 3-2 advantage by the end of this quarter. The second offered everything water polo is loved for, a series of magnificent shots, nicely played man-ups, huge blasts. Montenegro held on until 5-4 but then the Magyars enjoyed a better spell and with two fine action goals in 35 seconds – especially Tamas Mezei’s effort from the centre stood out as he beat the defender and the goalie while sending the ball to the empty net – put the hosts ahead. And they kept that until the middle break as Mladan Janovic’s rocket from a 5m shot was followed by Tamas Vamos’ penalty 41 seconds from time (6-7).
Gergo Zalanki was on target early in the third to double Hungary’s lead but Drasko Brguljan buried an extra nicely. Krisztian Manhercz converted a 6 on 4 for 7-9 – the fans loved what they saw, none of them would have though that this was the last goal of their beloved ones.
It happened: Montenegro netted back-to-back man-ups in a span 1:40 minutes, the last one came just 0:09sec from time so the last period started from 9-9. And it was all about the Montenegrins who scored from another man-up – they netted 7, quite a feat – while the Magyars were unable to send the ball behind Dejan Lazovic. Indeed, they seemed to run out of gas a bit, something unusual from a Hungarian side, their shots lacked precision while Mladan Janovic even scored from a 5m shot when Montenegro attacked 5 on 6 as Aleksandar Ivovic stayed in the back to look for some oxygen amidst the huge battle. It was him, however, who sealed Montenegro’s win with a shot from the distance which luckily bounced from a blocking hand – Hungary missed its third man-up in the last period so they remained scoreless in the last 10:54 minutes of the match – during that phase their rivals came up with a 5-0 rush which won them the match.
Game 4, 19.45 – Group B: United States v Kazakhstan 11-4
Quarters: 2-0, 3-2, 3-0, 3-2
Referees: Ivan Rakovic (SRB), Yosuke Kajiwara (JPN)
UNITED STATES
McQuin Baron (10/12, 83%), Alexander Wolf (3/5, 60%) – Johnathan Hooper (1/3), Marko Vavic (1/2), Alexander Obert (0/0), Benjamin Hallock (1/1), Luca Cupido (1/4), Hannes Daube (3/4) Alex Roelse (2/3), Alexander Bowen (1/5), Chancellor Ramirez (0/0), Jesse Smith (0/0), Maxwell Irving (0/4). Head coach: Dejan Udovicic
KAZAKHSTAN
Valeriy Shlemoy (3/14, 21%), Pavel Lipilin (GK2, not entered) – Yevgeniy Medvedev (0/5), Ruslan Akhmetov (0/1), Roman Pilipenko (n.e.), Miras Aubakirov (0/3), Alexey Shmider (0/2), Murat Shakenov (1/5), Alexandr Godoyanyuk (0/1), Rustam Ukumanov (2/3), Mikhail Ruday (1/2), Ravil Manafov (0/0), Yulian Verdesh (0/1). Head coach:
Goals/Shots
USA: 11/26
KAZ: 4/26
Extramen
USA: 6/18
KAZ: 0/11
Penalties
none
Best player of the game
Hannes Daube (USA)
After five minutes of battling the US could finally open the scoring, converting their third man-up and soon added another one, again from a 6 on 5 for 2-0. The Kazakhs missed their only extra soon and needed 12:04 minutes to get on the score-board. By then the US were 3-0 up but the Asians found some rhythm and soon it stood 3-2 and had a chance to go even but a steal Luca Cupido ended it and Benjamin Hallock’s fine action goal put the Americans back on track. Alex Roelse put away a man-up 46 seconds before the big break, comforting his team by halftime (5-2).
For a while the result was frozen in the third, missed man-ups, including a 6 on 4s apiece, followed in succession, then the US stroke again. They netted three late in this quarter in a span of 1:43 minutes and going 8-2 up virtually decided the outcome. The last period brought some unnecessary tensions and toughness especially from the Kazakhs' side, this time they finished the game with 19 major fouls, one less than on Day 1, but it didn’t prevent the Americans from winning with ease and claiming their second win in as many matches.