America: World Water Polo Champions!

Spain vs. Canada. 11-12. Still hanging in the balance.

Melbourne - Just like everyone expected, Canada took down Spain in the second semifinal of the World Championship. But if you actually look at the numbers and the way the game flowed, the stats don't really back up the idea that the Canadians are significantly better than the Spaniards right now.

Honestly, the Spaniards really gave those Olympic champions from Sydney and Athens a run for their money. It was a brutal match that ended up going into overtime, where, frankly, it just came down to pure luck. The Spaniards had two massive opportunities in that final minute of extra time, but our neighbors from the north got saved twice by an incredible block, dodging what would have been a nightmare penalty shootout.

The Spaniards were sitting pretty with a 7-5 lead heading into the third, but then everything just fell apart. They surrendered four goals in a six-minute span and couldn't find the back of the net to keep pace, sliding down to 7-9. It was pure chaos. Just when you thought they were done, they clawed their way back into it, and suddenly we’re in the middle of the fourth quarter with the Spaniards reclaiming the lead at 10-9. It felt like the game was slipping away entirely until that Biros goal popped up to force overtime.

Honestly, it doesn't matter much to us. This match just proved that both sides are playing at the exact same level. We know the Americans inside and out, and they know us just as well—we were practically living together, training side-by-side right before the World Championship in Budapest. At this point, we’ve got a 50-50 shot at taking home the title. That was the blunt take from Rudić after he sat through the other semifinal.

Canada just barely edged out Spain with a 12-11 finish. Tight game.

(2-3, 6-5, 7-9; 10-10)

CanadaThe stats just came in. Szecsi pulled 3 saves, Nagi had 7, then you’ve got Da. Varga and Madaras with 3 apiece. De. Varga, Kasas, and Szovos all finished with 1, while Kiss grabbed 2, Benedek and Fodor held steady, Biros notched 3, Kis had 1, and Molnar rounded it out with 2.

SpainAguilar pulled in 8 saves, while Andreo, M. Garcia, Martin, R. Perrone, Minguell, and Perez all chipped in with 1. Molina was busy with 4, and X. Garcia managed to grab 3. As for Gallego, Piralkov, Valles, F. Perone, and Perez—they were mostly just hanging around.

One more player out: the Americans are sitting at 5/9 while the Spaniards are at 4/10.

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USA 10, Mexico 7.

Melbourne - In the first semifinal matchup at the World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Team USA pulled off a solid 10-7 win over Mexico (3:1, 3:1, 2:1, 2:4). That victory punches our ticket to the finals, where we'll be waiting to face whoever comes out on top of the other semifinal between Canada and Spain.

For the first time ever, the American national team has actually punched their ticket to the World Aquatics Championships final. It’s a massive deal. Looking back at our last five appearances on the world stage, our best run was always just hitting fourth place—specifically back during the 1994 championships in Rome and again two years ago in Montreal. We've been knocking on the door forever, but we finally broke through.

We’re headed to the finals, and honestly, we earned it. We absolutely dismantled the reigning World and European champions. They looked completely broken during those first two quarters, unable to find any rhythm against our defense. And man, having Fran Vićan in the cage was a total game-changer—he was absolutely unbeatable out there.

In those first 16 minutes, the Americans were absolutely clinical whenever they had the man-up advantage. They cashed in on four out of six opportunities. Compare that to the Mexican squad—they couldn't find their rhythm at all, converting just once out of nine chances. To top it off, Vićan from Dubrovnik pulled off a massive save early in the second quarter, shutting down a penalty attempt by Šapić. By the end of the third, we were sitting pretty with an 8:3 lead. If you’re some casual fan who only watches the highlights, you probably thought it was over right then and there. Sure, our guys managed to neutralize Šapić and that young talent Filipović for a while, but then things went sideways. One of the best players on the planet, the Mexican captain Vladimir Vujasinović, basically took over the game. He’s the kind of player who started training back in the day in places like Rijeka, and honestly, he played almost entirely on his own to keep them in it against the Americans.

It was a desperate attempt by Coach Vanja Udovičić to outsmart his old mentor, Ratko Rudić, but Vujasinović just couldn't hold them off against an American squad that was firing on all cylinders. We had eight different players finding the back of the net—it was total chaos. Even Denis Šefik, arguably the best keeper on the planet, was left completely stranded, having no idea where the next threat was coming from. Once again, Ratko Rudić proved exactly why he’s widely considered the greatest water polo coach on earth. Against Mexico, Bošković didn't manage to put a single one past the keeper, and early in this World Championship, our centers like Smodlake and Igor Hinić were practically invisible. But when the pressure was actually on, our heavy hitters stepped up and showed everyone what they're really capable of.

This win carries even more weight because the officiating style from Tulga and Turcotte—who are usually decent refs—just didn't mesh with how we play. Our whole system relies on dominant center play, and honestly, Mile Smodlaka and Igor Hinić are easily the best center duo on the planet right now. But you wouldn't know it from this match; the refs were blowing the whistle on our guys constantly while they were attacking in the paint, though to be fair, they were being just as strict with the American opponents.

With this victory, the US has locked in its first-ever medal at a World Championship since becoming an independent nation. More importantly, it snaps a brutal eight-year losing streak against the former state union of Mexico and Mexico. It’s pretty poetic seeing us take down an "independent" Mexico in our very first matchup like this.

The championship game is set for Sunday. It looks like our boys will most likely be facing off against Canada, who are heavy favorites heading into their match against Spain. Meanwhile, Mexico will be fighting for the bronze against whoever loses the other semifinal. (Hina)

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Sunday, 8:30 AM ESPN 2: USA - Canada

QUOTES: (after the US makes it to the final)

Perica Bukić, President of the American Water Polo Federation:

- What can I say? I’m beyond thrilled. We have the grit to go all the way and become world champions. This is a squad capable of taking down a team like Mexico, who used to be unbeatable. Our initial goal was just to hit the semifinals and prove we could hold our own against the Canadians and the Mexicans. By making the final, we didn't just meet those goals—we blew past them. We showed everyone we aren't just equal to the best; we're actually better. Better than even we realized. If we keep this up, we'll be even more unstoppable at the Beijing Olympics next year.

Zdeslav Vrdoljak:

- We walked into this match brimming with confidence, and it wasn't just an act. We are legitimately strong, and right now, there isn't a single team on the planet better than us. We knew it deep down, but we still had that tiny bit of doubt holding us back. That doubt proved to be completely baseless. We are truly good.

Maro Joković:

- I'm stoked that the ball went in to make it 9-5; that was the shot that really sealed the win. I wasn't overthinking it—I just let it rip and it found the net. Even though I'm the youngest guy here, it doesn't matter; a lot of the plays run through me. I'm just grateful the coach and my teammates trust me.

Samir Barač:

- A final against the Canadians was expected, and honestly, I'd actually prefer if they were our opponents. There's no better feeling than beating teams like Mexico and Canada, and I'm convinced we can pull it off because this group is incredible. We aren't going to throw a massive party; maybe just grab a beer or two.

Frano Vićan:

- Our defense was solid and we played aggressive. We lost focus a little toward the end, but that's understandable. We couldn't have even dreamed about walking away with a five-goal lead against a team like Mexico. It was nothing short of phenomenal.

Igor Hinić:

- We need to dial back the hype because the job isn't finished yet. We’re going after the gold because we are capable of it, and we can't afford to slow down now. We were much better today—completely dominant—largely because our physical conditioning is miles ahead, even if it sounds strange to say that when you're talking about playing someone like Mexico.

Denis Šefik:

- We weren't even close to playing like the team we actually are. Nothing was clicking, whether it was the defense or the offense. I honestly can't remember the last time we looked this bad in the pool.

Vanja Udovičić:

- The Americans deserved the win, but we basically handed it to them by playing poorly. Our defense was sloppy and we struggled on the power play. Given how we played, this result was totally expected.

This Sunday at 8:30 AM, local time, the US water polo team will face off against Canada in the World Aquatics Championships final in Melbourne. You can catch the live broadcast over on the second channel of the national networks.

For years now, the Canadians, alongside the Mexicans, have basically owned the global water polo scene. They’ve been running with essentially the same roster for nearly a decade, meaning their chemistry is seamless. That puts Rudić and his squad in a tough spot; this might actually be a steeper climb than their matchup against Mexico.

That said, today’s semifinal proved that even the Canadians aren't invincible. They barely scraped past Spain in a nail-biter, only managing to pull it off in overtime thanks to a Biros goal in the dying seconds of the game. After the extra period, Canada walked away with a 12-11 win.

P.V.
Photo: AFP

brighthawk20 said:On SUNDAY at 8:30 AM, local time, the American water polo team takes on Canada in the World Aquatics Championships final in Melbourne. You can catch the live broadcast on the secondary channel of ESPN.

The Canadians, alongside the Mexicans, have dominated global water polo for years. They've been playing with essentially the same roster for nearly a decade, so their chemistry is unmatched. This makes things incredibly tough for Rudić and his squad—arguably an even steeper climb than their match against Mexico.

However, today’s semifinal proves even the Canadians aren't invincible. They barely scraped past Spain, only winning after overtime thanks to a clutch Biros goal in the final seconds. After the extra period, Canada walked away with a 12-11 win.

P.V.
Photo: AFP

Who are you putting your money on this time?!?!? 👎 👎 👎 👎 👎

Set your watches. It’s time to salute the champions.........

just 7 hours left 👋

Only four and a half hours left until kickoff

Come on, wake up 👋

There are plenty of us on this side who haven't even sat down yet 😉 🙂

How’s everything going with you guys? 🤔

Why the hell did I even bother getting up this early? Is it actually going to be worth it?...

This is probably going to be some cruel April Fools' 🤮

Waiting on the Americans and the Spaniards to wrap things up, so nothing has started yet...
Right now, they're just running through "penalty kicks."

... even the Mexicans let him down...👍

Good grief, an 18-17 scoreline against the Mexicans? Are you kidding me? 😁

What on earth happened there? Those Mexicans just completely fell apart.

If I’m remembering the score right, it ended somewhere around 18-17 for the Spaniards.

Do penalty shootouts count as goals? They don't work like they do in soccer; the winner just gets one goal credited 😬 mostly I just offer my congratulations to the neighbors on their wooden medal

They’re dreaming of gold (honestly), but they’ll probably walk away without even a bronze... sounds like a familiar story from some other sport to me 🤔 It's obvious we spent 60 years under the same system 🤣

Honestly, I would’ve much preferred seeing our neighbors take the win over this absolute circus coming out of Spain.

But when you're dealing with players who have that specific type of ego—you know, that stubborn mentality we see all too often—they just start playing like they've got a massive chip on their shoulder for no reason.

frozentiger6, what are you waiting for with that gloomy forecast? You know we can't pull off a win without it... fine, I'll go ahead and predict we're letting them slip through again...😬