Spain Captures First Men’s World Aquatics 4×4 Water Polo Title
Didac Garcia was the penalty shootout hero as Spain topped Russia for the gold medal at the first World Aquatics 4×4 Water Polo Championships.
Spain beat Russia, 3-2, in the first-to-3 format. Spain prevailed, 1-2, 4-3, 2-3, 5-4 before a 3-1 win in penalties. Spain lost to Serbia in penalties in the group stage, and Russia fell to Montenegro in penalties in the group stage (after beating the U.S. in the shootout to start the tournament).
Russia got revenge with a 3-0 sweep of Montenegro – 6-5, 8-1, 5-1 – in the quarterfinals, while Spain topped Georgia, 3-0. In the semis, Spain swept Serbia by scores of 4-1, 6-4, 6-5. Russia had to survive another shootout, besting Croatia, 3-2, 0-1, 6-4, 3-4, 2-1.
In the final. Roberto Valera scored seven times to lead Spain, firing home the winning penalty. Max Casabella and Albert Sabadell helped Spain go 3-for-3 in penalties.
Ivan Vasilev scored the golden goal to win the first set. Casabella’s bonus penalty shot gave Spain the second set. Casabella’s bid to tie the third set was denied in the final seconds. Sabadell scored twice in the final set, including a bonus penalty shot to win the fourth.
Garcia made nine saves in the final.
Croatia swept Serbia, 3-2, 3-1, 4-2, in the bronze-medal match behind four goals from Ivan Vukojevic.
The U.S. finished sixth overall, dropping the fifth-place match to Georgia.
The Americans went 2-2 in the group stage, falling to Russia and Croatia but beating Lithuania and Australia in 3-0 sweeps. They lost to Croatia, 3-2 (4-2, 1-2, 4-2, 5-6, 3-1 PSO) in the quarterfinals and then beat Montenegro, 3-1, in the classification round. Marko Vavic scored seven goals, Stefan Vavic had three and Chris Whitelegge had 11 saves in that one.
The fifth-place match went to penalties, Georgia winning in five sets by a mark of 3-2, 2-1, 3-4, 1-2, 6-5 PSO. Marko Vavic and AJ Rossman scored three goals each, and Whitelegge had 10 saves. Marko Vavic had the winner at the buzzer in the third set, and Rossman’s direct shot was the golden goal in the fourth. Beka Kapanadze came up with 11 saves for Georgia, including the only penalty shootout denial in the sixth round for the win.
Montenegro won the seventh-place match, 3-1, over Bulgaria.
Final Standings
- Spain
- Russia
- Croatia
- Serbia
- Georgia
- United States of America
- Montenegro
- Bulgaria
- Malta
- Australia
- Japan
- Hong Kong China I
- Lithuania
- Hong Kong China II
- Saudi Arabia
- Mongolia
Media All Star Team
- Didac Garcia, Spain (top goalkeeper)
- Roko Pelicaric, Croatia (MVP)
- Roberto Valera, Spain
- Roman Shepelev, Russia