Greek women fall to Holland at European Water Polo Championship
WATER POLO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - GROUP STAGE
| Greece W | 7 - 8 | Holland W |
|---|---|---|
| (1 - 1) (2- 2) (5- 4) (7 - 8) |
A poor fourth period put paid to Greece’s chances of finishing in first place of Group A at the Women’s European Water Polo Championship, losing 7:8 to the Netherlands in a dramatic encounter.
Coming into the final group stage match, all that Greece needed was a single point to guarantee first position of Group A, but the Ethniki Omada failed to keep the Dutch at bay in a tense fourth frame in Barcelona.
In a predictably even contest, the teams went into the half time break level at 2:2, before Greece earned an important lead in the third period to boast a 5:4 advantage and sit in the box-seat.
The Greeks had managed to quieten the Dutch offense, but in the fourth frame, the match dramatically changed. Holland came roaring back into proceedings, scoring four goals to eventually tally a crucial 8:7 victory which gifts them top spot in the group. Christina Chrysoula Tsoukala and Alkistis Avramidou both registered two goals for Greece.
With four victories in five matches, Greece finished in second spot and will play against Russia in the quarter-finals on Monday.
Final Group A standings:
Netherlands, 13 points
Greece, 12 points
Italy, 10 points
France, 6 points
Croatia, 1 point
Israel, 1 point
