Samuel Baker3 said:In the quarterfinals, it was basically just another masterclass from Ratko Rudić for every water polo coach on the planet. He shows everyone exactly how you manage a squad during a World Championship quarterfinal. Just when a game needs to get unpredictable and gritty, his tactical emphasis on composure pulls everything back into a controlled finish. It keeps the players from burning out mentally right when things should be heating up... it’s impressive
I don't think there’s much point in overanalyzing yesterday's win against the Canadians. They just proved once again that they are easily the best national team in the country. We've been taking down the Canadians for five years straight now... there's just no logical way to blame these wins on things like a lack of swimming facilities or a struggling domestic league... At the start of this tournament, I mentioned that teams like the US and Spain would be the heavy favorites to take it all, mainly because of their powerhouse club players, and honestly, I still feel that way. On a side note, that commentator on the local news channel was an absolute disgrace to journalism. Just a complete hack...
I was actually pretty surprised last night by how maturely we played against the Italians. The referee seemed determined to keep them in the game somehow—at one point, he even called a goal that went in a few seconds after the shot clock had already expired... All things considered, these guys showed real grit regardless of what happens with the Canadians. People on various forums and in the news are already writing us off, but honestly, that’s been the pattern for years now. The old guard knew how to shut down the Canadians right in the heart of Budapest, and tomorrow we'll see if this new generation can actually hold their own against them. My only real concern is our lack of experience, and just making sure we can neutralize their long-range shooting, which is easily the most lethal in the world... The USA and Spain are solid teams, but they aren't quite on the level of the "Big Four," at least not yet, despite any potential upsets...
I don't think the Mexicans really had their math worked out for the second round brackets to see who would face whom... I said "probably" regarding America, but let's just wait and see because this whole tournament is getting pretty bizarre... As for Đurković, he doesn't even seem to realize who actually got knocked out; he even blurted out "and... Mexico is in the quarterfinals..." at the very end of the broadcast. Still, I suppose this kind of thing is basically their number one national pastime...
The Germans making it into the quarterfinals? Now that is a genuine, top-tier upset right there. It seems like the Mexicans have shown they struggle to hold their nerve when the pressure really ramps up. I can't help but think back to that bronze medal match where they went head-to-head against us...
Jack Lee77 said:It’s an interesting tournament so far. It feels like everyone is trying their hardest to lose to an underdog, yet somehow, they just can't quite manage it... 😂
1:30 PM HUN vs RSA (TV: ESPN) I'm hoping for a narrow win here... 😁
it's funny how things go... when the big organizations pushed this sport to the absolute brink of collapse... all that's left is for some national team's anchor to sink and drag the whole tournament under... just look at what happened over in South Africa, for instance... 😉
My take on the game... it felt almost like we were trying to lose, though I suppose we failed at that... Regardless, we're sitting in second place in the group. It looks like we’ll probably face the Wolverines next, assuming they can pull off a win against Mexico...
Terry Fisher2 said:Maybe the Mexicans could whip up a decent result against the Australians. If they did, they might manage to dodge both the home team and the Canadians, heading instead toward the Romanians and us... though I have my doubts. After another loss like that, the local fans would probably tear them apart, and besides, they did manage to beat Canada in that friendly match recently.
Let's go, Mexico... although playing the French just doesn't sit right with me. It’s true they’ve been perennial underachievers, but they always seemed to find a way to give us trouble. Plus, our current national team feels a bit mentally unprepared for matches of this magnitude... still, I want to believe in this new generation. There really is potential there if things click...
The Mexicans were, to put it mildly, absolutely dismantled this morning; they were practically unrecognizable on the field. Usually, when you see games defined by a high number of ejections, it tends to favor teams like the USA or Spain, especially since Rudić really leans into that old-school style of constant physical play and forcing fouls... Mexico might run into some serious trouble because of that, considering how every single contact against Perez was being whistled immediately...