The Aussie Stingers have crushed women’s water polo minnows Uzbekistan 27-2 in their final group stage game of the FINA World Championships in Shanghai.

In one of the tournament’s biggest mismatches the Stingers piled on nine goals in the second quarter and fourth quarters alone, while all 11 field players made the scoresheet that was led by Gemma Beadsworth and Rowie Webster with four apiece.

In their earlier loss to Canada and victory over New Zealand the Stingers struggled with shooting accuracy and they began that way tonight before improving their efficiency as they took control of the match. In the end they shot at 68 per cent.

Australian driver Rebecca Rippon, a veteran of two Olympic Games for the Stingers including the bronze medal winning Beijing team, said the Stingers played great water polo at times despite a tardy beginning.

“We got off to a pretty slow start but in the second quarter we picked it up and did what we had to do which was create lots of opportunities and play a fast high intensity game,” Rippon said.

“I think that’s the best quarter for us in the tournament with a lot of opportunities and some good finishing of goals which is probably where we’ve lacked a little bit in the last few games.”

Rippon saw the increased shot efficiency by her team as a major confidence booster leading into the tournament’s second week.

“Getting the opportunity to have all those shots and put them away is like good training but in a match competition situation,” she said.

“We set ourselves a goal of getting a much higher shooting percentage this game and we did that which was good.

“It’s always exciting when everyone gets on the scoresheet too, especially in a game like that.”

The win leaves Australia with two wins and a loss during the tournament’s opening stage, good enough for second in their group behind Canada and earning them a do or die clash with Hungary in the quarter final qualifier on Saturday.

The match against Hungary will be a tough one although the Australians prevailed 14-9 when the two teams met at a pre-world championships tournament in Perth earlier this month.

The Hungarians finished third in their group despite drawing with Olympic champions The Netherlands in their game today. Earlier in the week the Dutch team had tied with world number one and defending titleholders USA.

Australian head coach Greg McFadden described the Hungarians as young, fast and skilful and said the Stingers will need to manage their extra man defence well as it was a Hungarian strength.

“The Hungarians extra man attack is very dangerous, they have a lot of good shooters and a good left hander,” McFadden said.

“We’ve got to be on our game in defence knowing where we want the shots to come from and working and forcing the shots that channel the ball to the goalkeeper.

“If we can keep their extra man count down to a reasonable percentage we’re a good chance of winning the game.”

The undefeated Aussie Sharks men’s team play their next match tomorrow night (1940 local time / 2140 AEST) against reigning world champions Serbia, with the victor taking out the group and earning an automatic berth into the quarter finals. The loser will face a must win game against either Montenegro, Hungary or Spain.

Result: Australia 27 beat Uzbekistan 2

Aus scorers: G Beadsworth 4, R Webster 4, K Gynther 3, B Knox 3, R Rippon 3, N Zagame 2, M Rippon 2, S Smith 2, H Lincoln-Smith 2, J Moran, G Ralph

Australian Water Polo