WATER POLO: The Australian men’s water polo team have gone down to tournament favourites Serbia 12-8 in their third and final group stage game of the FINA World League Super Finals in Bergamo, Italy.
The loss sees the Aussie Sharks finish third in their group after an earlier two-goal loss to Italy was followed by a one goal win over the USA.
The Australians were then forced to wait through two more games to learn their opponent for tomorrow night’s (midnight Friday AEST) sudden-death quarter-final with European powerhouses Hungary and Croatia, or tournament surprise packet Brazil, all possibilities.
For almost the entire the first half and even part of the second, the Sharks matched it goal for goal with the Serbs who have won the last two World League Super Finals and have a host of stars including FINA’s 2014 world player of the year, the 197cm and 100 kilogram plus, Filip Filipovic.
Whilst they were soundly beaten in the end, the Australians and head coach Elvis Fatovic will take away plenty of positives from the match, especially ahead of a crucial rematch between the two sides in the group stage at next month’s FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
For the third game on the trot the Australians started well and scored first, captain Rhys Howden drilling a bounce shot from five metres out on the right. Serbia then converted on extra man and the fast break before Aaron Younger equalised on Australia’s own counter-attack to leave the scores at 2-all at quarter time.
The teams traded goals throughout the second term, Australia’s coming via Johnno Cotterill, Jarrod Gilchrist and an absolute rocket from two-time Olympian Richie Campbell, with the Sharks entering the long break trailing by just one at 5-6.
Billy Miller, Australia’s top scorer at the London Olympics, got his first of the tournament to post Australia’s only goal in the third period as Serbia edged ahead 9-6 on the weight of quality possession and well taken shots.
Howden took a leaf out of his opposition’s book early in the final quarter, drilling a laser from way outside before scoring his team’s only other goal towards the end of the match as Serbia ran away with it.
Australia: Joel Dennerley (GK) (NSW), Richard Campbell (NSW), George Ford (WA), Johnno Cotterill (NSW), Nathan Power (NSW), Jarrod Gilchrist (NSW), Aidan Roach (NSW), Aaron Younger (WA), Joel Swift (WA), Tyler Martin (NSW), Rhys Howden (QLD), Billy Miller (QLD), James Clark (GK) (NSW)
Result: Australia 8 lost to Serbia 12
Quarters: 2-2, 3-4, 1-3, 2-3
AUS scorers: R Howden 3, A Younger, J Cotterill, J Gilchrist, R Campbell, B Miller
WATER POLO AUSTRALIA
