Women's Water Polo Tournament at the Aquatics WA World Championships 2024 Road to Paris 2024

[Josh 5,717]

On 2/14/2024 at 4:59 AM, phelps said:

may I write that I'm truly disgusted and I hope this bunch of losers tomorrow is going to be thrashed out of the Olympics?

 

they don't really deserve the qualification nor all the attention they get on our media 

 

they're just a waste of time   

You beat Canada (not a medal contender but still a very solid team) in round robin. Canada hasn’t beat a single quality opponent all tournament long, and almost lost to New Zealand (mind you we were up 10-5 in the third period, subbed our main goalkeeper Gaudreault for Vulpisi, and then she went 1/8)
 

Italy beat United States last year, you deserve it more than we do. Canada will almost certainly qualify for LA 2028 anyways, we’re the clear number two nation in Pan American water polo at the moment only behind the United States (as hosts it’ll give Canada a clear path at the Pan Am Games)

 

I wouldn’t be mad if Italy wins, frankly they deserve it more than Canada does. 

Edited February 16 by Josh

[Henry_Leon 1,235]

It won't be easy but can't fail

 

Friday

 

vs

[JoshMartini007 2,214]

Even though I don't expect to win, at least the quota will be decided in a direct match.

[lapaj 309]

In the first semi:

 

11-9

 

[lapaj 309]

Penalties in the second semi!

[lapaj 309]

In the second semi (after penalities):

 

13-11

 

 

Edited February 14 by lapaj

[Makedonas 1,584]

Well this is very disappointing! We wasted multiple leads and then towards the end of the game we could not take our chances with the exclusions and in the end Hungary equalised.

 

I knew it was over at that point. You can always count on our girls to lose if it is decided by penalties. The last time we won with penalties was in 2018 against Russia at the European Championships. Outside of the European Championships, we have not won since 2015. Since then, we have lost all 5 of our penalty shootouts in World Championships, and 1 in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament as well.

 

 

I think part of the problem is that we have two good goalkeepers (Diamantopoulou and Stamatopoulou) but neither is really the "main" player on our team, and they both kind of swap with each other. For example, Diamantopoulou played the full game today, but Stamatopoulou came in for the penalties only, after not playing a single second of the game. So of course she didn't save any as she was "cold." But in the quarterfinals, Stamatopoulou played the whole game and Diamantopoulou didn't play at all, yet she gets to play the entire semifinal. I get that we want to use both girls since we have them, and give the other one rest, but we really need one to be the priority keeper.

 

Also it's great to see Ninou living up to her potential. She is 21 yo now, has been always with the senior national team since age 16, little by little she became more of an important player. Now she's been our top scorer for all games here except against France where she had "only" 2 goals. 2 against Spain (tied with E.Plevritou and Xenaki), 4 against China, 4 against Kazakhstan, 5 against Italy, and 4 against Hungary 

 

I must add that it is disappointing losing when it's so close, but especially against this Hungarian team which has several naturalised players who are not Hungarian, knowing that without them we would've 99% had the win and be in the final against USA , but I'm proud that we have an authentic team!

 

[Josh 5,717]

Bianconi will be tough to stop. 

[Josh 5,717]

 up 3-1 over  early on in the first period… 

[Josh 5,717]

Looking like this one will be a blowout. Well this was a complete waste of my time.