Serbia lost a match it deserved to win in the second round of the qualifying tournament. Greece, with strange decisions by the referee pair Colombo (Italy) and Kurosaki (Japan), won 16:15 (3:4, 4:7, 6:3, 3:1) and thus remained in the race for one of the first two places. Serbia plays Hungary tomorrow at 12:30 and a victory takes them to Sydney, while a defeat leaves them in a chance to reach the final tournament in the rest of the competition.
Everything was decided at the end when the referees had different yardsticks. Serbia had the ball 1.34 and a 15:14 lead. Then the replay was watched at the request of the Greeks. The referees saw the brutality of Petar Jakšić. Then Stevanović asked for a challenge because in the previous action there was a similar situation. The referees did not react that way. The Greeks realized a five-pointer and then, playing with a player more, scored the winning goal.
Serbia played perfectly for 14 minutes. Everything went well for the European champion, the Greeks did not know where they were. Defense, a meaningful attack, an extra player gave Serbia an advantage of 11:4. It was shining from all sides, the Greek defense was in trouble, Zorzatos was quickly replaced in goal.
However, in the last 100 seconds, concentration dropped and Greece regained hope for a turnaround with three goals. Serbia had 13:9 in the third period, but the pressure from the home team, who had replaced the player, was getting stronger. At 13:11, Stevanović crossed for Misović but it was not worth it, Greece equalized with a great Argyropoulos 23 seconds before the end. Martinović brought the advantage in the last second.
At the beginning of the last part Stanojevic scored for 15:13 and it turned out that with 6.20 to go it was the last goal for Serbia. Spahis’ actions were repeated and he was reduced. Greece had no solution for Serbia’s defense until the referee’s decisions in the moments already described. Stevanovic earned a red card, Petar Jaksic also. It will be very difficult against the Hungarians, but Serbia, playing with ten players compared to the European Championship against Greece, which had only five substitutions, showed that it can play with optimism.
In the first match in our group, Hungary defeated the excellent Netherlands 16:15 (4:3, 0:3, 3:2, 4:3 – 5:4) on five points. Najdi gave the Hungarians a chance to reach two points on five points three seconds before the end. Hungary has five points, Greece and Serbia have three each, and the Netherlands have one.
In the second group, Spain won against Croatia 14:10 (4:3, 5:2, 2:2, 3:3). Tonight the USA and Italy play. Before that match, the Italians, Spaniards and Croats had three points, the Americans are without points.
Wednesday: Serbia – Hungary (12:30), Italy – Croatia (2:30), Greece – Netherlands (4:30), Spain – USA (6:45).
Greece – Serbia 16:15 (3:4, 4:7, 6:3, 3:1)
Referees: Colombo (Italy) and Kurosaki (Japan). Player more: Greece 12(6), Serbia 14(8). Peters: Greece 3(2), Serbia 2(2).
Greece: Zerdevas, Pouros, Tsazis, Argyropoulos 6, Papanastasiou, Kilas 1, Kalogeropulos 2, Alafrakis 1, Kakaris 1, Nikolaidis 1, Gardikas 2, Zorzatos, Spahic 1, Kastrinakis 1.
Serbia: Misovic, Pljevancic, Stanojevic 2, Lukic 1, Lazic, Milojevic, Trtovic 1, N. Jaksic 3, Krstic 1, Gladovic 2, P. Jaksic 1, Urošević, Glušac, Martinovic 4.
