Day 5, Game 5, Group B
Italy vs. Romania
Italy remains undefeated and is top seed
Italy, the heavy favorite for the gold medal and defending Olympic Games and World Cup champion, defeated Romania, 10-9, in the fifth game of the preliminary water polo action at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. It was a battle from the very beginning. Neither team led by more than a goal throughout the game until Italy's Carlo SILIPO scored late in the third quarter to give his team an 8-6 lead.
Liviu TOTOLICI led a fourth quarter drive for the Romanian team as he scored all three of his goals in the final seven minutes.
Italy had three players with two goals, including Alberto GHIBELLINI, Alberto ANGELINI, Carlo SILIPO and Amedeo POMILIO. In addition to TOTOLICI'S three goals, Vlad HAGIU also had three scores.
Italy went 5-0 in preliminary play and will play Russia at 22:10 in a quarterfinal game on 26 July. Romania will play in the classification round as the number 5 seed and will take on the Netherlands at 12:40. Final Score: Italy 10, Romania 9
Croatia vs. United States
United States gets past Croatia
In the final preliminary game of the water polo tournament at the Centennial Olympic Games, the United States defeated Croatia, 9-7. The two teams entered the game tied for the second position in the bracket with the winner claiming the number 2 seed entering the 26 July quarterfinals.
Croatia put the first two goals on the board but the United States tallied two scores of its own before quarter's end. The two teams traded scores in the second quarter to enter the intermission deadlocked at four apiece.
The United States outscored Croatia 4-1 in the third, to take an 8-5 lead, and put up five goals to Croatia's one in a span that lasted over seven minutes. Chris HUMBERT started the streak with a score off a fast break at 5:13 in the third quarter. Jeremy LASTER pitched in with two goals in the quarter and Kyle KOPP and Wolf WIGO added scores in the final quarter.
Croatia was led by Dubravko SIMENC, who scored three goals in the game. Perica BUKIC, the team's leading scorer with nine goals in the tournament, pitched in with two consecutive goals less than a minute apart in the final stanza.
The United States finished bracket play with a record of 4-1, the loss being to undefeated Italy. The United States will play Spain at 6:20 on 26 July. Croatia is the third seed, 3-2, and will lay Yugoslavia, the second ranked team from the A bracket at 16:40. Final Score: United States 10, Croatia 7.
GRE vs. UKR
Greece Gets Fourth and Final Spot Entering Quarterfinals:
Georgios MAVROTAS scored a game-high three goals in leading Greece to a 9-6 victory over the Ukraine in the final preliminary water polo action at Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. Greece claimed the fourth and final spot for the quarterfinals in GroupB.
It took over 10 minutes for the game's first score. Greece's Georgios AFROUDAKIS broke the scoreless tie with 3:56 remaining in the first half. AFROUDAKIS and Georgios MAVROTAS each scored their second goals of the game in the third quarter as Greece outscored the Ukraine 4-1 in the stanza.
Greece had a five point margin with just 49 seconds remaining in the game as Theodoros LORANTOS fired in his second goal.
Ukrainian players Tolik SOLODUN and Andriy KOVALENKO scored with 31 and six seconds remaining, thus the final difference.
KOVALENKO led the Ukraine with two goals and AFROUDAKIS and LORANTOS were the other multiple goal scorers.
Greece's next game is against Hungary (5-0 in Group A) in the quarterfinals at 15:00 on 26 July. The Ukraine is awaiting the outcome of the Romania versus Italy game, which will take place at 18:20 today. Final Score: GRE 9, UKR 6
NED vs. GER
Germany Wins First Game of Tournament:
Germany closed out its preliminary round with its first win of the tournament with a 9-8 victory over the Netherlands. The win positioned Germany fifth and the Netherlands sixth in the bracket.
Germany jumped out to a 6-2 lead at halftime, sparked by Jorg DRESEL's and Davor ERJAVEC's two goals each in the second quarter. ERJAVEC put Germany on the board first, just 40 seconds into the game with his first of three goals in the half.
The Netherlands rallied in the second half, outscoring Germany 6-3. Marco KUNZ started the comeback with his second goal of the game just 29 seconds into the third quarter, but the real story was Arno HAVENGA, who scored three goals in the half, including two straight that eventually tied the game at 8-8 with 3:25 remaining in the final seven minutes.
Germany team captain Rene REIMANN answered with a score 13 seconds later that produced the game winning score.
Germany (1-4) and the Netherlands (0-5) will play the first two classification games on Friday, 26 July at 11:00 and 12:40, respectively. The opposition will be determined upon the conclusion of Group A's final two games. Final Score: GER 9, NED 8
HUN vs. YUG
Hungary Earns Top Seed in Group A:
Hungary's Tibor BENEDEK and Zsolt VARGA each fired in three goals, leading the team to a 13-8 victory over Yugoslavia in final preliminary round action in the water polo tournament at the Olympic Games. The victory clinched the top seed in Group A for Hungary, while Yugoslavia finished second. BENEDEK'S two goals in the first quarter gave Hungary a 4-2 advantage after one quarter. Hungary built upon that lead in the second, outscoring Yugoslavia 3-1 to take a 7-3 halftime lead.
Yugoslavia cut Hungary's four-point margin in half within 2 minutes of the third as Igor MILANOVIC and Aleksandar SAPIC scored to make the score 7-5. Hungary then proceeded to outscore Yugoslavia 4-1 in the last 3.5 minutes of the quarter and took an 11-6 lead entering the final 7 minutes.
The two teams played an even fourth quarter as both teams scored two goals. Hungary's Tamas KASAS and Yugoslavia's Veljko USKOKOVIC both scored their second goals of the game in the quarter. The Yugoslavian team was led by Mirko VICEVIC, USKOKOVIC and SAPIC, all with two goals.
Hungary (5-0) will play the No. 4 seed from Group B at 15:00 on 26 July followed by Yugoslavia (3-1-1) playing the third seed from Group B at 16:40. The opponents for the two teams will be determined in further preliminary competition today. Final Score: HUN 13, YUG 8.
RUS vs. ESP
Spain Clinched Third Spot:
Spain's Miguel OCA broke a 6-6 tie with 11 seconds in the third quarter to lead the Spanish team to an 8-6 triumph over Russia in the final preliminary round water polo action. Spain earned the number three seed entering Friday's quarterfinals and Russia finished fourth.
Pedro GARCIA (SPA) scored an insurance goal for his team with 1:35 in the fourth quarter, the only goal in the last seven minutes. Spain had a two goal margin (5-3) in the early going of the third quarter when Daniel BALLART fired in his second consecutive goal. In addition to BALLART'S two goals, Salvador GOMEZ scored two and OCA led the team with three.
Spain (3-2) will play its first quarterfinal game at 18:20 and Russia will follow at 22:10 on 26 July against opponents to be determined in other final preliminary round action. Final Score: ESP 8, RUS 6.
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| The Mother Nature was kind to Olympic athletes and spectators. The average high temperature during the Games was 89 degrees with an average low of 72 degrees. Highest temperature registered (20 July) - 99 degrees. Lowest high temperature registered is 79 degrees (28 July). |