The national men’s water polo team experienced a painful 8-7 defeat by Montenegro, in its last game for the second qualifying group of the World Cup, which was hosted in Podgorica. Under normal circumstances, this result would have been equivalent to the elimination of the Greek team from the final phase, but the shock defeat that Serbia experienced earlier against Georgia (23-22 on penalties), brought the “blue and white” to finish second, favored in a three-way tie with the “plavi” (whom he had beaten 16-14) and the home team, thus getting the ticket to Los Angeles.

The Greek team, lined up with the 13-man squad for the opening match against Spain (that is, without Gillas and Solanakis), found in front of them a combative and determined opponent, as the hosts of the group played their last card to qualify for the finals. The two teams kept pace with the score and took turns in the vanguard, with Montenegro taking advantage of some hurried Greek choices, but also the good day of the goalkeeper Petar Tesanovic, and playing in the match on equal terms.

The half ended in a 5-5 draw, with the defenses then “tightening” and both teams spoiling their relatively good first-half percentages on the player above. The national team led 6-5 with a penalty by Fundulis, but then lost three attacks with a numerical advantage (one with two players more) and Montenegro, with goals from Vasilije Radovic in the above and Matkovic in the counter, overtook 7-6. At the end of the third period, in fact, the representative group could be at -2, but Zerdevas made a great save on Averka’s shot on a player above.

What didn’t happen at the end of the third eight minutes, happened at the beginning of the fourth, with Matsic taking advantage of the inertia of the Greek defense and “writing” from close range 8-6. The national team missed another – double – chance with two more players and in total remained 11.5 minutes without a goal, before Genidounias provided the solution in a counter attack, 2΄21΄΄ before the end. The national team had a chance to equalize afterwards, but Tesanovic made a new intervention on a player above, on a shot by Fundoulis, while Papanastasiou missed in the development of the phase. Montenegro looked for the qualification goal in their last attack, but the internationals stole the ball and secured, albeit with a loss, qualification for the final stage.

Eight minutes (with Montenegro first): 3-3, 2-2, 2-1, 1-1

Referees: Alexandrescu (Romania), Kovacs-Czatlos (Hungary)

The compositions:

MONTENEGRO (Vladimir Gojkovic): Djurovic, Mrcic 1, Macic 1, Averka 1, Cuchkovic, Popadic 1, J. Radovic, Ukropina, Perkovic, Spaits 1, Matkovic 1, V. Radovic 2, Tesanovic

HELLAS (Thodoris Vlachos): Zerdevas, Genidounias 2, Skoubakis, Kalogeropoulos, Foundoulis 3, Papanastasiou, Dervisis, Argyropoulos, Nikolaidis, Kakaris 1, Alafragis, Vlachopoulos 1, Tjortzatos

** There was a huge upset in today’s other group game, where Georgia beat Serbia 23-22 on penalties. The regular match was tied 11-11, with Panioni striker Andria Bitatze equalizing with about a minute to go. A total of 26 penalties ensued (both teams had one lost in the top five), until Razmadze saved Vucinic’s execution and Imnaishvili gave the Georgians a huge – if prestigious – victory.

Despite their defeat, the “plavi” came third in the three-way tie, after beating Montenegro by two goals, while losing to the national team. The final score of Group B was as follows: Spain 13, Greece 9, Serbia 9, Montenegro 9, Georgia 5, Australia 0.