Israel and New Zealand emerged as the
top contenders for berths at June’s World Aquatics Women’s Water Polo World Cup
finals with their third victories on day two of the Division II qualification
series in Berlin. Israel gathered a third big Group A win in downing Ukraine
26-2 and New Zealand topped Group B with a 15-8 margin over Kazakhstan. Israel
will play Kazakhstan in Thursday’s crossover for the first Long Beach berth and
the Kiwis will take on South Africa, who defeated Uzbekistan for second place 12-8.
Germany headed off Great Britain 15-12 in their Group B, third-place play-off.
Group A
Uzbekistan 8 South Africa 12
South Africa was never headed in a
relatively tight match with strong defence from both teams, as the statistics
reveal. The 2-0 start set the tone of the match and two Ruby Versfeld
centre-forward goals helped maintain a 4-2 advantage at the first break. With
Sokhibakhon Sayfiddinova on fire with a pair in the first quarter, she almost
single-handedly tried to take the match, scoring with a deep lob and a strike
from centre forward to level at four by the last minute of the period. It was
Chloe Meecham’s penalty goal that separated the teams 25 seconds from halftime.
South Africa had just gone more than eight minutes without a goal, such was
Uzbekistan’s defence.
The third period was Uzbekistan’s
downfall, not scoring as South Africa sent in three with long shots from
Meecham and veteran Kelsey White and an Amber Penney penalty goal. Nikhola
Akhmadkhanova drove for the first goal of the final quarter; South Africa went
to 10-5 thanks to Meecham and Versfeld. Both teams took timeouts and only
Uzbekistan reaped a goal, eventually, through Sayfiddinova, followed by another
from Akhmadkhanova.
White eased it out to 11-7 before
Amilya Gabzalilova sent in what was the fourth consecutive lob shot by 1:14.
Penney had a penalty shot saved and Versfeld closed the match with another
brilliant two-metre goal for what was a hard-fought 12-8 victory that gained it
a shot at a qualification berth.
Match heroes:
South Africa’s Meecham was versatile
with her four goals, including one penalty conversion. Versfeld came under a
lot of fire at two metres, however, she had the last laugh with four excellent
goals, twice when guarded by two players. White came alive with three goals —
her first of the tournament.
Turning point:
A clean sheet on defence in the third
period when South Africa moved from 5-4 to 8-4.
Stats don’t lie:
South Africa shot 26 times to
Uzbekistan’s 26, converted just one from three on extra-man attack to one from
four; made 10 steals to seven and converted two from three on the penalty line
to Uzbekistan’s one from one. These stats show just how close the match was.
Bottom line:
South Africa is improving with every
match and, with New Zealand the only hurdle to a finals berth, anything can
happen. That sudden trajectory will be needed if it hopes to progress.
Uzbekistan shows glimpses of good water polo, but needs more exposure,
something it will possibly get at this year’s Asian Games in China.
Ukraine 2 Israel 26
Israel went on the rampage against
Ukraine, showing respect to the opposition as it wants to maintain the momentum
ahead of the qualification finals. It was a third straight large-margin win for
Israel as it wants to show the top-ranked nations that it deserves a place at
the high altar of women’s water polo.
The quarters were rattled off — 9-0,
5-0, 8-2 and 4-0. There was no negotiation, just hard water polo played at the
highest speed possible. Israel drew penalties, scoring all five, scored eight
counter-attack goals and generally controlled every aspect of the match.
Ukraine missed a penalty attempt at
4-0 and scored its first goal through Sabina Danylina at 18-1 and followed up
through Oleksandra Belinska at 22-2, both from the right-hand-catch position.
Ukraine will now go to the seventh
and eighth play-off with Great Britain, which should prove a real equaliser now
that both teams have three matches of experience on the board.
Match heroes:
Shunit Strugo (above) belied her
years and produced a command performance with seven goals from seven attempts,
however, her second goal did need a VAR decision to get it across the line.
Three of her goals came from the penalty line in which she earned two of them,
while another two came on counter. She sits at the top of the scoring ladder
with an incredible 16 goals in three matches — and at the age of 36! Tahel
Levi, Noga Levinshtein and Alma Yaacobi all scored four goals in the rout.
Turning point:
The opening goal.
Stats don’t lie:
Israel shot 35 times to 25; converted
four from seven on extra to Ukraine’s none from two; converted the only five
penalties of the match and made 11 steals to three. Game over.
Bottom line:
Israel looks the goods and produces
when needed. It will be a hard ask for any team in Berlin to beat it, let alone
qualification opponent Kazakhstan. The speed of play, quality of ball control
and match knowledge makes it a team worthy of finals inclusion. Ukraine looked
stunned and now needs to regroup ahead of what could be a good encounter with
Great Britain, especially if it reproduces the form it had on day one, losing
by a single goal to Uzbekistan.
Group B
Kazakhstan 8 New Zealand 15
New Zealand emerged from the group
with a perfect record, but had to come from 2-1 and 3-2 down to secure the
victory. Kazakhstan was not going to lay over and die as it took the lead three
times. It was 2-2 at the quarter break and Ukrainian Darya Pochinok scored twice from very deep
right, catching the goalkeeper unawares. When Morgan McDowall went on counter
to equalise at three — her second goal — it opened the floodgates and a further
three goals came, including McDowall’s third, for a 6-3 lead. Valeriya Assonova
tipped in a long-range pass for 6-4, 2:43 from halftime.
Four unanswered goals gave the Kiwis
a handsome 10-4 advantage, despite having a penalty attempt saved. Anastassiya
Mirshina (27) muscled in a centre-forward goal to close the quarter at 10-5.
McDowall (above) backhanded a
centre-forward goal to open the final period and two Kazakhstan goals gave some
hope with four minutes remaining. However, a three-goal spurt by New Zealand,
including two Bernadette Doyle strikes on extra-man attack, lifted the margin
to seven.
Mirshina scored on extra and soon
after was ejected on a major foul. She remonstrated with the referee and was
red-carded, gifting a penalty to New Zealand for the 15-8 victory, 37 seconds
from time.
Match heroes:
McDowall, with her five goals, was
easily the best in pool with Emily Nicholson netting a further three and
goalkeeper Jessica Milicich made a fine nine saves.
Turning point:
The four goals in the second quarter
that changed the face of the match, going from one down to three ahead. The
four consecutive goals in the third quarter helped seal victory.
Stats don’t lie:
Both teams had a high conversion rate
on extra-man attack, but New Zealand was best at five from seven. Kazakhstan
scored five from 10. New Zealand converted two from three on penalty and made
15 steals to nine.
Bottom line:
New Zealand deservedly won the match
and the right to play for one of the two qualification tickets and has the
all-round play to beat South Africa on Thursday. Kazakhstan took out second place
and now has the unimaginable task of defeating high-flying Israel in the first
qualification final.
Germany 15 Great Britain 12
This was the battle for third place
in the group and Great Britain was desperate to beat Germany until the final
whistle. Great Britain led 1-0 and 3-2 until Germany levelled at three by
quarter time. Then it was all about catch-up for the Britons as Germany took a
grip on the match.
Great Britain levelled at four, seven
and eight in the next two quarters as Germany led 7-6 at the turn and 10-8 at
the final break. From that 8-8 when Kathy Rogers scored from the penalty line,
Germany jumped out to 11-8 two minutes into the final period. Goals were traded
until 14-11 when Gesa Deike sent in her fourth goal at 2:15, almost eliminating
Great Britain.
Both teams called a timeout with no
score, but Germany shut down the result with a Jamie Haas score at 0:31.
Defiantly, Rebecca Mulchay scored from deep left for 15-12, but by then it was
too late.
Match heroes:
Deike may have gained the kudos as
player of the match, but it was Anya Clapperton who was in striking form,
scoring six goals for Great Britain, scoring two from centre forward, one on
counter, another from eight metres, a penalty goal and one on extra-man attack.
Turning point:
The three goals straddling the final
break that boosted the score from 9-8 to 11-8.
Stats don’t lie:
Germany won the shooting contest with
33 to 27; scored an impeccable five from five on extra to Great Britain’s two
from three. Germany made nine steals to four, but allowed Great Britain to
convert two from three on penalty.
Bottom line:
Both teams showed excellent prowess
in the pool and Germany should be lauded for the win and its chance to wrap up fifth place against
Uzbekistan on Thursday. Great Britain has the skills to surpass Ukraine for
seventh.
Final Points
Group A: Israel 9, South Africa 6,
Uzbekistan 3, Ukraine 0.
Group B: New Zealand 9, Kazakhstan 6,
Germany 3, Great Britain 0.
Day 3 programme
14:00, Great Britain v Ukraine
(Classification 7-8)
15:45, Israel v Kazakhstan
(Qualification final)
17:30, Germany v Uzbekistan
(Classification 5-6)
19:15, New Zealand v South Africa
(Qualification final)
Written by World Aquatics Water Polo
Correspondent Russell McKinnon
All photos courtesy of: Jo
Kleindl/DSV/World Aquatics
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