WATER POLO: The Australian women’s water polo team has thumped South Africa 19-1 in their second group stage game at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
The Aussie Stingers came into the game hot favourites having registered a 20-2 scoreline against the South African’s during last year’s FINA World Cup and they didn’t disappoint, proving way too strong in attack and far too ruthless in defence, to keep the scoreboard operator on overdrive.
The win was Australia’s second of the tournament following their opening day come from behind 8-7 victory over Greece.
They now face an inform Netherlands team, who also remain unbeaten, at 8.10pm local time on Thursday (310am, Friday) AEST to decide the winner of the group. The reward for the victor of that match will be a day off on Saturday and a guaranteed quarterfinal spot.
The Stingers got off to a blistering start, scoring twice inside the opening 47 seconds courtesy of Hannah Buckling and Rowie Webster, and by the end of the first term they had a 6-0 advantage.
The South African’s stemmed the tide for a part of the second quarter and scored their only goal of the game with less than two minutes to go in the half, as Australia went to the main break up 9-1.
The third period was another cakewalk for Australia with the Stingers netting seven unanswered goals, before grabbing another three to close out the game.
The chasm between the two teams was never more evident than late in the first quarter when the South African goalkeeper threw a pass up to midfield that landed right between the intended receiver and Australian sharpshooter Ash Southern who calmly picked up the ball and drilled a half pool shot onto the underside of the crossbar that bounced in for the Stingers’ fourth goal.
Southern ended up with five for the match and said that after a sluggish start against the Greeks in their tournament opener, the team had looked to get the little things right against the Africans.
“It was fun, it was nice to come out and try to build each game because we started a bit slow against the Greeks and I think we had a bit of a point to prove today,” Southern said.
“We now have to keep building for the next game against the Dutch.
“We went back to basics. We needed to sharpen up our passing, we needed to put our shots away and all of that individual stuff that needs to be good. I think we did that.”
On a personal note, Southern revealed she came into the game keen to get her tournament rolling.
“I actually took it as a game that I wanted to perform in and get a bit of confidence up for the next game,” the striker from Cardwell in North Queensland said.
Australia’s attention now turns to the men’s team, the Aussie Sharks, as they take on European heavyweights Montenegro in their second game of the tournament on Wednesday. The winner of that match, at 130pm local (830pm AEST), will likely finish in the top two of the group.
Aussie Stingers: Lea Yanitsas (NSW), Gemma Beadsworth (WA), Hannah Buckling (NSW), Holly Lincoln-smith (NSW), Keesja Gofers (NSW), Bronwen Knox (QLD), Rowie Webster (VIC), Glencora McGhie (WA), Zoe Arancini (WA), Ash Southern (QLD), Bronte Halligan (NSW), Nicola Zagame (NSW), Kelsey Wakefield (QLD)
Result: Australia 19 bt South Africa 1
Quarters: 6-0, 3-1, 7-0, 3-0
AUS Scorers: A Southern 5, H Lincoln-Smith 3, K Gofers 3, H Buckling 2, G Beadsworth 2, R Webster, Z Arancini, N Zagame, G McGhie
WATER POLO AUSTRALIA
