Tag Archives: water polo

Serbia Wins Bronze

12 Aug

But against Montenegro, a sad victory.  And Italy played like they did against Spain in the Euro final (or like they fought in WWII), so now we have to put up with the Croats’ gloating for an eternity.  See: “History has made lawyers of the Croats, soldiers and poets of the Serbs. It is an unhappy divergence.” — Rebecca West.

Serbia’s Filip Filipovic reacts after scoring on a penalty against Montenegro goalkeeper Milos Scepanovic, back, during the men’s water polo bronze medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

 

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“History has made lawyers of the Croats, soldiers and poets of the Serbs. It is an unhappy divergence.” — Rebecca West

10 Aug

This is a disaster…and infuriating!  “This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war,” said Mate Bacic, a Croatian fan in the nearby ancient Croatian city of Dubrovnik. “We are defeating them in peace.”

Croatia beat Montenegro in the Water Polo semi-finals, 7-5.  Italy beat Serbia 9-7.  Not staggering losses, but losses nonetheless, which means that Croatia will get the silver, possibly gold!  And the most infuriating thing is the Western medias repetition of the same lame cliches at the end of AP piece: Serbo-Montenegrins blamed, without examination, as the villains and the quote from the mean, whiney, vindictive Croat: “This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war…” — playing the role of peace-loving victim, getting away scott-free with his own crimes, which include starting the war itself.

No Serb, even Montenegrin, would have made a statement to a journalist so smugly vengeful and niggardly and bitter.  He may have smashed a few things or pulled a knife or punched somebody out, but never copped that hypocritical  “wasn’t-me” pose of innocence.

And now we have to watch what would always have been the painful game between Serbia and Montenegro tomorrow for only the bronze.

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Published August 10, 2012

Associated Press

KOTOR, Montenegro –  When the Red Sharks lose, Montenegro mourns.

The water polo team of this tiny Adriatic Sea country, the pride of Montenegrin sports, lost 7-5 to Croatia, its wartime Balkan adversary, in the Olympic semifinals Friday, triggering despair in the ancient walled city of Kotor.

“This is a disaster,” Mladen Martac said as he watched the game at the Vardar cafe in the city center. “If it was football, basketball, or some other sports, it would hurt … but this is water polo, our beloved game.”

Montenegro reached the semifinals at the London Olympics along with Italy and two other former Yugoslav republics, Serbia and Croatia. Serbia faced Italy in the other Olympic semifinal later Friday.

The quarterfinals demonstrated the region’s power in water polo. Montenegro, population 625,000, beat Spain, population 47.2 million. Croatia, 4.7 million, beat the U.S, 312 million. Serbia, 7.3 million, beat Australia, 22.6 million.

Many doubted that after the bloody 1990s breakup of Yugoslavia, which won three Olympic water polo titles, the states that emerged could carry on the glory of the old communist country.

But many were wrong. Serbia has won three world and European championships since 1991. Croatia has captured one world and one European title in that time. Montenegro won the 2008 European crown.

The phenomenon of water polo dominance is nowhere more striking than in Montenegro, a picturesque southern European country nestled between pristine rocky mountains and the turquoise of the Adriatic.

Out of 13 Montenegro players on the Olympic roster, 12 come from two small coastal towns, Kotor and the summer resort of Herceg Novi, on the border with Croatia, where water polo grounds are cordoned off in the waters that dot nearly all villages.

On Friday, old wooden goalposts and plastic line markers swayed in the hot breeze and the waves of the Adriatic.

“It’s real rarity that so many world-class players come from such a small area inhabited only by some 60,000 people,” said Dusan Davidovic, a former player for Primorac Kotor, the 2009 European club champion.

He attributed the success to the “old Yugoslav water polo school.”

“That’s the school of improvisation, fitness and discipline,” he said, adding that the tradition of tall and muscly Balkan men has something to do with it.

“The ex-Yugo teams play with a lot of contact,” he said, describing a sport that often includes brutal underwater wrestling unseen above the surface of the water, and to referees.

War broke out in Croatia after it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and 10,000 people died in the conflict. Montenegrin troops took part in the fighting around the walled city of Dubrovnik.

Lingering rivalry among the former Yugoslav republics is perhaps best seen in water polo, which triggers national pride and emotion.

“This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war,” said Mate Bacic, a Croatian fan in the nearby ancient Croatian city of Dubrovnik. “We are defeating them in peace.”

 

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Montenegro and Serbia advance to semis!!!

8 Aug

And the closer each team gets to medals, the more I dread the emotion of the game between them…

Montenegro’s Drasko Brguljan (R) and the bench celebrate a goal against Spain during their Men’s Quarterfinal water polo match during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 8, 2012. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

(From Reuters)

By Sarah Young

Aug 8 (Reuters) – Gold-medal favourites Serbia joined their Balkan neighbours Montenegro in the semi-finals of the Olympic water polo tournament on Wednesday, after staging a decisive turnaround in the second half of their match against Australia.

Serbia, who won their group and were playing the lowest seed from the opposite pool narrowly avoided a huge upset. They trailed Australia right until the final four minutes of the match, before winning 11-8.

Montenegro beat Spain 11-9 in an earlier quarter final clash to book into the semis, giving the country a shot at winning its first Olympic medal as an independent nation.

“I was afraid,” admitted Serbia’s Filip Filipovic said of how he felt when they were behind, but he said he took confidence from the team’s ability to turn the match around.

“I think that this team showed spirit. When we play badly like in the first two quarters, we can rise up again, and we can play the most beautiful water polo.”

The team roared back to life in the second half of the match with a torrent of goals from their three top scorers, Andrija Prlainovic, Filipovic and captain Vanja Udovicic, in a display which saw Serbia’s famed defence recover to put a stop to Australia’s run.

Filip Filipovic — scored three goals to pull Serbia ahead over Australia, and into the semifinals

Serbia, who won bronze in Beijing, have spent the past four years on a roll, winning every major title on offer and are favourites to win the tournament after an unbeaten run so far.

MEDAL QUEST

Montenegro cruised through the middle periods of the game before letting a four-goal lead slip in a tense fourth quarter as Spain capitalised on their extra-player situations.

Montenegro narrowly lost out on the bronze to take fourth place in Beijing, when it competed in its first Olympics as an independent country since it separated from Serbia in 2006.

“I don’t want to be one more time fourth, I want to take a medal. It’s very important for us to take a medal,” Montenegrin captain Nikola Janovic said after the win.

The team was cheered on in the stands by Prime Minister Igor Luksic earlier on in the tournament, who spent his holiday in London watching the country’s teams compete in water polo and handball, such is his desire for a medal for Montenegro.

“We must be a little crazy. It’s the moment. It’s one moment (of) inspiration,” said Janovic when asked how his team will win their next match and guarantee a shot at the gold medal.

Nikola Janovic of Montenegro

Montenegro will play either Croatia or the U.S., who meet in a quarter final match later on Wednesday, in the semi-finals scheduled for Friday, while Serbia will meet either Hungary or Italy.

The Serbians have already overcome defending champions Hungary, looking to win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold, in the group stages.

“Doesn’t matter. Semi-final, tough game, everybody comes here to win,” Serbian coach Dejan Udovicic said when asked which team he would rather meet in the semis.

The former Yugoslav nations of Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia all play a similar style of water polo, which has to date help them dominate at this year’s Games.

For Spain, who last got a medal in the water polo in 1996 when they took home gold, the loss was a painful repeat of 2008, when they were also defeated in the quarter-finals. (Editing by Alison Williams)

 

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Da! Da! Da!: Serbia beats U.S. 11 – 6

4 Aug

(Getty Images)

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Montenegro wins over Hungary too — and Montenegro (vs.) Serbia: “Every game against Montenegro is very stressful and very emotional.”

2 Aug

How did I never notice what a wildly cool game Water Polo was?  I thought it was like underwater soccer or basketball where you can’t really grab or certainly not tackle an opponent.  Turns out it’s more like a kind of underwater rubgy…it’s become one of my favorite events.

Adam Steinmetz, left, of Hungary is pulled down by Antonio Petrovic of Montenegro during a preliminary men’s water polo match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Peter Biros, right, of Hungary defends against Mladan Janovic of Montenegro during a preliminary men’s water polo match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

“Hungary Facing Rare Trouble in Olympic Water Pol0“

And Serbia vs. Montenegro was painful; poetry and beauty in that they tied though, but in the end…whatever it is, it’ll be a great match, like this was:

Montenegro’s Nikola Janovic (behind) and Serbia’s Andrija Prlainovic react during their men’s preliminary round Group B water polo match at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Water Polo Arena August 2, 2012.

By Sarah Young

LONDON | Thu Aug 2, 2012 12:20pm EDT

(Reuters) – Water polo teams from Serbia and Montenegro said it remains emotionally difficult to face each other six years after the two countries separated following an 11-11 group stage draw between the two powerhouses of the sport.

“Since we separated, every time when we play against Montenegro it’s one of the most emotional games,” 25-year-old Filip Filipovic, who scored two goals for Serbia, said after the match.

“Because we were until yesterday, if I can say it, in the same room, and now we need to compete for who is going to be better, and there is very big loyalty between us. Every game against Montenegro is very stressful and very emotional.”

Both teams are medal contenders with Serbia edging Montenegro for the favorite spot, having beaten their former countrymen in the European championships final in January to take the title.

Montenegro’s captain Nikola Janovic agreed that playing Serbia caused heartache.

“We are from the same school. We know each other. It’s very difficult to play against Serbia,” he said.

Serbia failed to hold on to a two-goal lead in the final quarter, with Montenegro, cheered on by their Prime Minister Igor Luksic, catching up in the last two minutes of the grueling tussle.

Filipovic praised a stunning five-goal haul by Serbia’s Andrija Prlainovic.

“We don’t need to spend words. He’s one of the best players all the time,” he said.

Serbia, who took bronze in Beijing in 2008, are chasing their first Olympic gold after four years of winning every other big water polo title.

An Olympic medal for Montenegro would be the country’s first in any discipline.

Serbia now top Group B, the so-called “group of death” as it features the best four teams from Beijing while Montenegro are third.

There are two groups of six teams in men’s water polo with the top four in each advancing to the knockout stages.

 

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Serbia crushes Hungary! 14 – 0

29 Jul

Serbia beats Hungary 14-10 in a great water polo match.  The Hungarian team hadn’t lost a match in twelve years.

Hungarian goalkeeper Zoltan Szecsi

LONDON | Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:14pm EDT

(Reuters) – Serbia upset defending champions Hungary in a thrilling early water polo group match on Sunday, powering to a 14-10 victory and signaling to the Hungarians that they a have a huge battle on their hands to win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

In a match fought out with the intensity of a final, the two favorites matched each other goal-for-goal in the first half, before European champions Serbia took command with a prolific third-quarter performance.

The defeat ended water polo super power Hungary’s unbeaten run of 17 games at the Olympics. They last lost a match 12 years ago in the group stages in Sydney.

The high-scoring match, full of the aggression and physicality for which the sport has been renowned since the 1956 “blood in the water” match, thrilled a stadium packed with 5,000 fans and each Hungarian goal prompted roars and chanting from a crowd awash with Hungarian flags.

The match was the first in Group B, the so-called “group of death” which features the top four-placed nations from the Beijing Games.

 

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