The Hungarian team played against the Americans as it was expected. Madaras scoring two goals early in the match as a result of the American havoc made Udovicic to call for an early timeout. According to the new rules each team has got one timeout calling possibility per quarter, and generally every team uses it near the end of the given quarter. Udovicic reacted brilliantly to the players’ confusion and could rearrange them to play in a more organised fashion, though it was not enough for stopping the Hungarians who eventually won 16-7.

Beating the Americans granted the group’s first place for Hungary and paved the way for the team to play in the playoffs.

Tomorrow the team is playing against China, which is crucial as the beaten team is forced to leave the competition.

Hungary’s head coach Tibor Benedek said, that his feelings regarding the upcoming match are twofold. Unlike to past customs of playing a two round playoff (semi-finals and final), now the teams have to play three rounds. The extra match, the quarter final, is played between a group’s first and another group’s last (fourth) team. Benedek said that unless China is difficult to beat so that the teams can learn from the match, it was an unnecessary round leaving no rest day for the teams.

Following possible victory over China, Benedek added that the semi-final would possibly be held between Montenegro and Hungary, with the head coach’s speculation of Montenegro “beating us [Hungarians] good”.

Balázs Hárai, the centre (or hole) of the Hungarian team commented on the changing trend in referee decisions. As an effect of ever rising revolutionary ideas for making water polo more spectacular, referees were instructed to interrupt the game flow less which inevitably led to more wrestling in the water. Hárai said that this new ideology makes the centres job almost impossible to do as no judgements are made when the ball gets to them.

Words by Christian Keszthelyi for XpatLoop.com