USA edges the Netherlands to win the World Championships again.

 

The game got off to a nervous start. Each time eager to set up its defence and not take too many risks on offence led to a silent and patient start of the big final. The deadlock was finally broken by Dutch captain Yasemin Smit who was left open on a counter attack with 2 minutes remaining and scored right past USA goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson. The two next attacks for each time were ended by turnovers but USA got their first man-up in the final seconds but an attempt from Maggie Steffens was well saved by young Netherlands goalkeeper Laura Aarts to maintain the 0-1 advantage after the opening quarter. The score went levelled however in the early stages of the next quarter, and this time on man-up for the USA as Rachel Fattal scored on the team's second attempt that posession. And the American women got the lead for the first time not much later. A shot by Smit for the Netherlands was saved and in the breakaway Maddie Musselman held off Dutch Nomi Stomphorst to score the 2-1 goal. And as the Dutch missed a man-up in the following attack USA could look to extend their lead. The chances kept coming for Team USA. In two more offensive posession they couldn't score, including a man-up, but with 4.27 on the clock yet another exclusion was called on the Dutch defence so that after a timeout the USA could go for another try. This time however, Fattal's shot went over past the goal and in the counter attack Dutch top shooter Lieke Klaassen finished to level the score 2-2 with 3.55 to go in the first half. The Dutch side however kept having trouble setting up their offence agains the physically superior American ladies who kept them far away from goal. It led to another silent phase with exclusion but also saves and no goals so that the defensive battle saw a 2-2 score half-time.

Striking first in the second half was USA, and standout Rachel Fattal who scored on man-up straight away to get the Americans leading 3-2. It took the Netherlands nearly 3 minutes to level, though. Two attacks by the USA were denied and in the following extra man, Maud Megens scored the equaliser as 5 minutes were remaining in the quarter. USA responsed quickly though as Kiley Neushul came through with an action goal from the right side to get her team in front, again. And it could have got worse for the Dutch but a certain looking goal was not called by the line judge. And the Dutch defence withstood another man-up not much later as they now looked to get in foul trouble conceding another exclusion. But with no goal from the US team, any damage was not yet made. But on the other end scoring proved harder and harder for the Arno Havenga coached squad. Whenever a shot was fired, goalie Johnson looked more and more certain adding save after save agains the, mostly contested, shots from the Dutch. Scoring got through finally with just 0.35 to go in the quarter, but it was veteran Courtney Mathewson who did it. She hit from outside for an important goal as now Team USA established a 2-goal lead. The Netherlands had its chance to reduce the deficit in the final moments of the quarter but Smit's goal was blocked by the tight USA defence to withstood another attack and kept its 5-3 lead intact for the final term. Things looked better and better for Team USA whose defence kept holding the Dutch far away from goal and let it slipped just once as Maud Megens went for the drive and earned the penalty, with under 4 minutes remaining, only to see Sabrina van der Sloot's attempt being saved by USA goalie Johnson. The goal for the Netherlands still came in the following attack where Maud Megens got room on the left wing and quickly shot and scored. Now three minutes to go, the tension got back again and Netherlands got fired up for the equaliser. It led to two great chances on counter attack, each of them on man-up, but goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson, once more, was there to make the save and ultimately get USA the 5-4 win as they held on in the final seconds and could celebrate their 4th world championship.

 

Waterpolo World - Tim Hartog