The Americans won the bronze in water polo with five meters

Olympics, men’s water polo, for 3rd place:
United States-Hungary 11-8 (3-2, 1-1, 2-2, 2-3, 3-0) – with five meters
scorers: Hallock 2, Hooper, Dodd, Cupido, Irving, Bowen, Daube 1-1, and Zalánki, Varga Dé. 2-2, Manhercz, Vigvári Vi., Nagy, Angyal 1-1

Hungary: Soma Vogel – Gergő Zalánki, Dániel Angyal, Szilárd Jansik, Dénes Varga, Krisztián Manhercz, Erik Molnár – substitutions: Márton Vámos, Ádám Nagy, Vince Vigvári, Gergő Fekete, Balázs Hárai

The Americans scored the first goal, and after two minutes, Johnny Hooper’s shot from the man advantage went off the crossbar and behind the imaginary goal line. The Hungarians equalized immediately in their first half, Zalánki easily shot over the block. The rival regained the advantage after the ball was fortunately returned to the American center after an almost saved ball. The goalkeepers played the main role for several minutes, then the Olympic champion Dénes Varga, who was playing the last national team match of his career, sold an advantage in lightning speed. However, the Americans won the first quarter, selling an advantage from the wall at the last moment before the break (2-3).

At the beginning of the second quarter, the Hungarian shooters staged fireworks within a single attack, but twice the goalkeeper, and once each the block and the goal post stood in the way of the ball. The opponent doubled his advantage by selling another goal, and then the difference could easily have been three, but this time the goal post helped Vogel. Manhercz scored a great goal from the counterattack. 40 seconds before the break, Zalánki made a five-meter shot, but Dénes Varga hit the crossbar – taking into account the semi-final against the Croatians, the team had four missed five-pointers in a row (3-4).

We couldn’t find the thread in attack

After the turn, the Hungarian equalizer came immediately, Varga poked Zalánki’s fine pass into the net in the man advantage. After the defensive disadvantage, Hárai took the lead, but Manhercz’s and Zalánki’s shots did not yield results either. After the counter, the Hungarian team was able to attack again for the lead, and in addition, it was a goal, which Vigvári sold. The Americans scored again after a long time, Ben Hallock, the world-class center of Pro Recco, twisted into the net with Fekete hanging on his neck and his head practically under water.

The rival quickly reversed, Max Irving beat Vogel with a beautiful snap. In the last minute of the quarter, the difference remained thanks to the Hungarian goalkeeper of the world and European champion.

The Hungarians’ last eight minutes in Paris were led by Nagy’s nice drop, followed by Vogel’s saves, once he even “shouted” Hallock’s head after reading the center’s thoughts. In the man advantage, Zalánki found the way into the net in the forest of blocking hands, thus the Hungarians had the advantage again.

For the two-goal difference, the Hungarians were able to attack with the man advantage, Zalánki appeared again in the role of the preparer, Angyal pulled his perfect shot from the wall. After their timeout, the Americans got the advantage almost immediately, Vogel could only get in Alex Bowen’s shot. After a counter ruling, the rival got another chance and equalized 1:59 minutes before the end.

On the other side, Hárai, who was in his fourth Olympics, brought the exhibition, Zsolt Varga asked for time, and Vigvári’s somewhat tentative shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Vogel moved out of his goal and scored a ball, Zalánki’s shot was blocked by the goalkeeper. The ball remained with the Hungarians, but the result did not change, the five-meters could come. Varga was the first Hungarian to hit the crossbar again, and Vigvári’s shot was saved by the American goalkeeper. Vogel failed to save this time, and Zalánki shot at the post, thus ending the clash.