‘Curse lifted' as Greece stun holders US to reach women's water polo final at World Aquatics C'ships
SINGAPORE – Defending champions the United States and Olympic gold medallists Spain were both bundled out of the women's water polo competition at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) on July 21, as Greece and Hungary reached the final.
For the Greeks, who stunned world No. 3 US 14-10 in the semi-finals at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, it felt like a 'curse' has been lifted.
'It was amazing today, we played really good. My team is ready for the final, ready for the gold,' said Greece captain Eleftheria Plevritou.
A fourth-quarter scoring spree – which saw Eleni Xenaki, Vasiliki Plevritou and Stefania Santa completing their hat-tricks – helped the world No. 5 side extend their 9-8 lead to dethrone the eight-time world champions.
US coach Adam Krikorian said: ' We gave it everything we had today. At the end of the day, that's just an incredible Greek team. They're much better than we are right now and our inexperience and inability to handle some physicality and disorganisation offensively led to some easy goals for them.'
This will be the Greeks' first WCH final since winning their only title in 2011.
'I think it was a curse. We've had great teams, great players throughout the years, but I think what was missing (was that) we didn't believe in ourselves, we didn't have the confidence that we needed,' Plevritou said of their inability to reach the final previously.
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'But after the gold medal in the World Cup a few months ago in China, I think we gained that confidence that helped us to come here stronger with a clear mind, that we know that we can do it.
'Of course, we have one more game, the most important one, but I'm sure that we will fight for the gold until the last seconds.'
They will be facing Hungary in the July 23 final, a rematch of the gold-medal match at the World Cup in April. The Hungarians had shocked top-ranked Spain 15-9 in the later semi-final on July 21.
While world No. 4 Hungary had beaten Greece 10-9 in a group-stage match on July 11, the WCH's opening day, their goalkeeper Boglarka Neszmely believes that counts for nothing.
'The Greeks are a really strong team. We always play a tough game against each other and it will be a different game from the group match, a final is always different,' said Neszmely, the Player of the Match in the semi-final win over Spain.
Spain captain Anni Espar was left to rue an uncharacteristically leaky backline.
She said: 'Our defence went wrong today. Yes, things weren't working in offence, but our defence was one of the strengths of this team, and we weren't able to perform.
'We have another opportunity to win a medal, and I think it's a young team and we want to keep learning and growing as a team.'
They will face the Americans in the third-place play-off on July 23.
In the earlier classification matches, Australia beat Japan 21-17, while the Netherlands defeated Italy 16-13.
Australia will face the Netherlands in the fifth-place play-off while Japan take on Italy for seventh place. Both matches will be played on July 23.
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