Croatia Wins Water Polo Gold

Croatia made their first water polo medal in FINA world championship history a golden one, pulling off an upset overtime defeat of Hungary on a dramatic final day of the tournament in Melbourne today. Croatia’s Pavo Markovic scored his side’s two goals in extra time to seal the 9-8 win and delight a vocal and mostly pro-Croatian crowd, after the score had been 7-7 at the end of regulation time. But goalkeeper Frano Vican was the true hero, pulling off some stunning saves, including a blinder late in the final term which helped Croatia push the match into extra time.

The gold medal play-off was the third match in succession to go into extra time, with the bronze medal play-off and the battle for fifth spot both ending in penalty shoot-outs.
Spain took the bronze medal, prevailing in a marathon penalty shootout against Serbia, after Italy had earlier earned fifth place with their shootout win over Greece.
Hungary, a traditional powerhouse of the sport and the winner of the past two Olympic gold medals, had looked to be headed for another gold medal late in the final.
Star player Gergely Kiss put them up 7-5 with a long-range goal with five-and-a-half minutes to play.
It was the first time in the match either side had led by more than one goal.

Croatia’s Teo Dogas quickly replied to again make it a one-goal game, but with two minutes 40 seconds left in the game, Hungary’s Marton Szivos looked certain to again give his side a two-goal buffer. A mid-pool turnover allowed him to get free on the fast break, giving him as much time as he liked to take a shot from point-blank range, with only Vican to beat.A goal would most likely have sealed the game, but Vican produced an incredible reflex save and the ball was rushed to the other end where Croatia’s Maro Jokovic scored the goal that sent the match into extra time. Markovic and Kiss each scored in the first period of extra time, before Markovic scored the winner midway through the second period.