The final didn’t work, the national water polo team lost to world champions Croatia – we can play for bronze on Sunday

The Croatians took the ball to the ball and started immediately with a bomb goal, Maro Jokovic shooting under the crossbar. The answer came immediately, the captain Jansik sold the fort from the wall. At a disadvantage, Zalánki won the ball beautifully, and Vámos attacked the free throw with elemental force from the opposition. The left-back returning to Ferencváros received the ball beautifully, and Fekete completed the jump from the turn.

Another goal from Croatia was missed, but Loren Fatovic did not miss the advantage of the next one. One minute before the end of the quarter, Fatovic equalized from action, on the other side, Fekete turned his man in, but he was already too close to the goalkeeper, so he missed the goal.

At the end of the Hungarian deficit, Vogel’s save ended the half (3-3).

Almost two minutes of the second half passed without a goal, when Nagy took a five-meter penalty, Marko Bijac, a world-class player of Olympiakos, saved the shot of his former teammate Vámos, but in a rare way in water polo , the ball returned to his hands and he made no mistake from close range. After Manhercz won the ball, Hárai “passed”, but Bijac intercepted the cross pass. During the return swim, Jansik was suspended, and the Croatians were able to get five points, the Hungarian goalkeeper was unable to overcome the mind of Fatovic.

The advantage of the Hungarian continued, and the Olympic champion Dénes Varga put out his kind, after a few moves, he entered the net with a delicate fall that looked more like a pass.

Croatia’s response came quickly, Fatovic already scored his fourth goal, then Vogel saved a jump shot. Hárai counter-attacked twice in a row, and Marko Zuvela gave the opposition the advantage with a beautiful goal. Half a minute before the break, Jansik got his second break, the Croatian captain asked for time, and Fatovic finished the game again (5-7).

The third quarter started with Vogel’s defense, followed by a goal that was played to the extreme and sold by Angyal at the last minute, but the Croatians carried their own through nicely. Before playing the next Hungarian victory, Zsolt Varga asked for time, but Bijac blocked first Manhercz’s shot and then Zalánki’s shot. Fekete collected the latter’s rebound and made it five points, but fired the penalty past Manhercz. Jansik brought the team closer with a good shot, but on the other side he missed Luka Bukic, who restored the difference with a similar move. In Fór, Jansik scored five points, but Vámos’ second penalty was also saved by Bijac. The Croatians were able to successfully make their last attack in the quarter, Vogel’s trick did not allow the difference to grow further (7-9).

Croatia’s Gergő Fekete (l) and Loren Fatovic play in the final of the men’s water polo tournament at the Paris Summer Olympics during the Hungary-Croatia match, at the Paris La Défense Arena, on August 9, 2024. (Photo : MTI/Tamas Kovács)

At the beginning of the last quarter, after a double and single penalty, the Croatians could attack five on four for the three-goal advantage, but the Hungarian block was in place. Time just passed without a goal, which was in favor of the Croatians, who played every attack until the last second. Zalánki took the lead after an individual move, and Nagy broke the deadlock four and a half minutes before the end (8-9). In Fór, Nagy tried again, but this time it was Bijac, but Croatia’s shots did not find the goal, so the Hungarian team could attack for the third time in a row to equalize. After the debate, Dénes Varga finally shot, while Bijac saved the shot to the bottom right corner as one of the best of the game.

With 1:26 to go, the Croatians could have been headed for the win, but the ball hit the post, 50 seconds remained when they got another chance, Vogel made a save, but the long rebound, no. equal opportunity.

So the Hungarian team can fight for the bronze medal on the last day of the Olympics, just like three years ago in Tokyo, their opponent will be the United States national team.

Result – men’s water polo semi-final:

Croatia-Hungary 9-8 (3-3, 4-2, 2-2, 0-1)

scorers: Fatovic 5, Bukic 2, Jokovic, Zuvela 1-1, and Jansik, Vámos 2-2, Fekete, Varga, Angyal, Nagy 1-1

Hungary: Vogel Soma – Gergő Zalánki, Dániel Angyal, Szilárd Jansik, Dénes Varga, Krisztián Manhercz, Erik Molnár – substitutes: Márton Vámos, Ádám Nagy, Vince Vigvári, Gergő Fekete, Balázs Hárai

Previously:

Serbia – United States 10–6 (2–2, 4–2, 2–2, 2–0)

Featured image: Gergő Fekete (l) and Loren Fatovic of Croatia during the semi-final match between Hungary and Croatia at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics men’s water polo tournament at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, near Paris, on 9 August 2024. (Photo: MTI/Tamas Kovács)