What didn’t you like?
Great game between Hungary and Spain goes to a shoot out on a last second goal by Spain. It’s a real shame they don’t play these games out in OT.
Hungary wins in the shoot out. I believe their goalie made 4 saves on penalty shots–two in the game, and two in the shoot out.
Agree , Granados couldn’t buy a goal
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Or stop shooting and pass. An awful lot of Spanish possession in Q4 ended in pretty low-quality shots with time left on the shot clock. I think they were trying to get off shots early before the defense set up, but the Hungarian defense did a good job getting them covered early.
Italy vs Croatia tied heading into 4th → Mediacard - Aquatics | EVS_260121_20260110LENBelgrade_23_event | Eurovision Sport
Winner gets to semis vs Greece I believe, good polo! Goalies so good
thanks, has not been one possession without a kickout or penalty since i turned it on.
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Well, it is Italy and Croatia . . . . Not exactly two proponents of the water polo version of “the beautiful game.” 
Did everyone else just lose the game feed? Italy was up by 1 with about 1:30 to play and the stream just ended for me.
Were you on your 5 minutes without signing up? It’s free.
Nope, I am registered. Restarted my browser and it’s back up but game is over. Italy 13-10.
not a fan of that VAR review in this one. Italy was stopped in front of the cage with what looked like slight contact. Croatia went down the pool and scored on a great inside look, only to have the previous play reviewed and a 5 meter rewarded to Italy and Croatia’s goal erased. 2 goal swing!
It doesn’t matter if the contact was slight. Any contact (except with the ball only) that is (1) inside 6M; (2) from behind; and (3) on a player facing the goal and attempting to shoot MUST be called as a penalty. I don’t know when that rule change came in the FINA rules, but it’s within the last ~3 years in the NCAA rule book, and have been a point of emphasis in multiple trainings. It’s a big change from the way those fouls used to be called. Here’s the rule from the FINA rule book: “For a defending player to impede an attacking player from behind within the 6 metre area when the attacking player is facing the goal and making a shooting action, unless the defending player makes contact only with the ball. If the defending player’s foul, described in this Rule, prevents the attacking player from scoring, a penalty must also be called. The referee must delay the call of penalty until the shot or attempted shot is completed and must award a penalty unless the attacking player scores.”
However, I was not aware that these calls–essentially judgement calls by the referee–could be appealed via VAR. And I completely agree with you that the delayed nature of this one was a bad look.
It didn’t just happen one time in this game; it happened three separate times. Moreover, each instance had a sequence where the teams were within a goal of each other and a coach threw a challenge on a missed penalty call and the other team scored on the subsequent play before any stoppage and then had their goal disallowed and time added back after the VAR review.
I’m a proponent of VAR and the officials getting it right but those sequences seemed very out of sync with the viewing experience in other sports. I think this is something that needs to be looked into as it relates to the coach challenge and how it triggers the review.
Agreed. But that’s a matter of what situations allow VAR, and the timing when that’s allowed–not whether this particular call was correct. The delay is annoying–especially if it takes away one of the most exciting ways a goal can be scored in our sport. Just don’t blame referees for calling the rules as written. PLEASE blame the FINA rule writers!
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Agreed! The referees applied the rules properly in these instances. The issue is with VAR and the coach challenge.
Although I do think there is something to be said about at least two of the calls being missed in the initial action and needing the challenge.
Yes, i understand the rule and that the call should have been penalty. In football if you start the next play you cant challenge the previous play. however in WP we have a running clock so a turnover that should have been called a penalty, being reviewed after the other team scores makes it hard to watch.
Yup. This is the second FINA tournament I’ve watched with the VAR rule. I think they need to dial back the situations where VAR is allowed. Goal/no goal, and fighting/brutality/misconduct seem appropriate to me. Not sure about creating opportunities to question judgement calls/no calls on exclusions and penalty fouls. I feel the same way watching NBA games, but at least there a 2-4 point swing is less likely to change the game outcome.
The stage is set. Amazing 5th place game today - Spain vs Croatia - could have been the final. And the two semi finals are tomorrow.
Spain vs Croatia 5th place today
Greece vs Hungary Semi 1 tomorrow
Serbia vs Italy Semi 2 tomorrow
My predictions - Spain 5th. Hungary defeating Greece and Serbia defeating Italy for a rematch in final. Hungary vs Serbia with Hungary winning this time. And Greece taking bronze over Italy.
Also of note, Alex Gheorghe from Stanford playing currently for Romania for 7-8th places.. He will be a serious handful next year in NCAA - Mediacard - Aquatics | EVS_260122_20260110LENBelgrade_27_event | Eurovision Sport
Spain pretty well dominated the 1st quarter, now up 3-1 in the second. Another review on a penalty against Spain that was overturned. This place was very close, and was overturned. I probably would have a called it the other way, but the offensive player was arguably not facing the call, the contact was slight and maybe only on the hand. This one did not delay play, as Spain called it before Croatia lined up for the penalty shot.