WATER POLO: Coach Greg McFadden and the Aussie Stingers have continued their merry dance at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona defeating Russia 9-6 in their semi-final
WATER POLO: Coach Greg McFadden and the Aussie Stingers have continued their merry dance at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona defeating Russia 9-6 in their semi-final to progress to the gold medal match where they will take on hosts Spain.
Despite a slow start the Stingers assumed control in the second term to lead 4-3 at half time and never looked back as they thwarted Russia’s counter attack to qualify for their first world championship decider since Melbourne in 2007.
The victory brings back memories of the 2007 semi-final where the Greg McFadden led Stingers defeated Russia 12-9 en route to their silver medal finish behind the USA.
The gold medal final now pits the bronze and silver medallists from the 2012 London Olympics, with Spain sure to prove a tough test for the Australians having bundled out Olympic champions the USA in the quarter-finals.
An ecstatic McFadden was pleased with his team’s overall performance praising their ability to shut down Russia’s free flowing game and said he was excited by the challenge of facing Spain in the final.
“Russia are a very counter attacking team and we knew if we got into a swimming contest with them we would come off second best so we played a very controlled gamed which we did very well in the second, third and fourth quarters,” McFadden said.
“We talked about concentrating on quick movements on the attack and that let us to score three backhand goals.
“We are in the gold medal match now and it's been a great journey and it would be awesome to beat Spain in front of their home crowd as it would be a tremendous atmosphere.”
Russia controlled the opening quarter through goals to Evgeniya Ivanova and Ekaterina Prokofyeva, split only by a Nicola Zagame goal at centre forward for Australia’s first.
The Stingers rebounded in the second with a goal to Zoe Arancini, followed by a second to Zagame in extra man before a counter attack conversion by Hannah Buckling saw the Stingers advance 4-3 at half time.
The Russians struck the first blow of the second half with Olga Beliaeva converting off a cross pass from four metres to level at 4-4, only for the Aussies to execute two superb backhanders from Rowie Webster and Zagame to steal the advantage at 6-4.
Russian skipper Ivanova converted on extra for 6-5 to keep her team in the contest, but when Webster lobbed keeper Anna Kanakh and Holly-Lincoln-Smith chimed in with her backhander the Stingers were on the charge.
Olga Belova made it 8-6 at 2:58 to keep the crowd enthused, but it was no more than a consolation as Webster popped the ball for Ashleigh Southern who slipped across the two metres to take it on her left a fire it home for the winner.
Zagame finished the game with three goals, and Webster with two, with Arancini, Buckling, Lincoln-Smith and Southern all bagging singles. Keeper Kelsey Wakefield was relentless down back playing her best game of the tournament.
Southern said it was a great feeling to win the semi-final after last year’s heartbreak against the USA and emphasised the Stingers great play to deny the Russian’s their opportunities.
“It’s an amazing feeling being in the final, because we lost in the semi-finals last year to the USA at the Olympics, so we really wanted to come out here and play for the world championship. Today we tried to stop their counter attack, taking player by player, so it was very hard but it was great to get the result.”
The Stingers gold medal final against Spain will be at 615am on Saturday morning AEST, with the Australian men, the Aussie Sharks playing their 5th to 8th playoff against Greece at 11.30pm AEST tonight.
Water Polo Australia
