The Spanish women’s team was left without the world gold jackpot due to a bloody penalty. After putting their souls into the Fukuoka Marine Messe pool to lift three goals in the last quarter (from 10-7 to 12-12), Miki Oca’s warriors failed in the fateful shoot-out (5-4), with the mistake of Bea Ortiz on her turn.
The silver, third in the world category that this unique generation wins, leaves a strange, bitter, insufficient taste for the Spanish, who had commanded in the final until 6-7. The fifth gold medal in women’s water polo is left without its second world gold medal a decade after the first.
It was the fourth World Cup final for Spain. Those of 2017 and 2019 had resisted him before his black beast, the United States. But without the Americans in the final, the path to gold should be clearer. Although the last obstacle, the Netherlands, is not an expert in sweets; She has a very powerful team, physically and technically, with well-known faces for Spanish women. And she had beaten Spain in the first match of the World Cup (7-6).
The lesson was well learned. In less than 30 seconds, Miki Oca’s team took the lead with a goal from the buoy by Maica García, assisted by her Sabadell teammate Judith Forca. The lead only lasted a minute, as Simone Van de Kraats, from CN Mataró, equalized with a left-footed shot, and in the next attack Sleeking made it 2-1 with a shot close to the post that Martina Terré missed.
The Spanish reaction was furious at 2-0 with a 0-2 run with goals from Judith Forca. The one from Sabadell, the tournament’s top scorer (she got 20 goals), peppered Aarts with her left foot. Anni Espar had two chances to add to the score, but she smashed her two Vaselines into the crossbar and the post.
However, the Netherlands showed off their power and quality with another very quick 2-0, from Rogge and Van der Slot, and went back to lead (4-3) to close the first quarter. He needed to better close the defense to Spain, which made the two-meter shots too easy.
The Oca team came out into the second quarter more plugged in, more intense in defense and lethal in each attack. So that the Netherlands was hit by a tsunami in the form of 0-3 at the hands of Maica García and Elena Ruiz (2 penalties). Spain got 2 up (4-6) and imposed its rhythm.
But that defensive intensity also cost him expulsions and inferiorities (up to 8 in the second quarter), which the Netherlands took advantage of to equalize the duel with two goals from Van de Kraats and Joustra (6-6) to reach the break with a draw and everything to decide.
In the third quarter, despite starting with a fabulous goal from Judith Forca on the counter and a shot placed in the squad (6-7), Spain ran aground in attack, losing fluidity. She did not find the way to pierce Laura Aarts, nor did she know how to take advantage of her superiority (2 of 5).
Nona Pérez, Paula Camus and Judith smashed their shots at the posts, while the Netherlands selected better and closer and hit the target with shots from Sleeking and Van der Slot to take the lead again (8-7).
With 18 seconds to go in the quarter, Maartje Keuning -the next Sabadell player- patted an assist from the buoy to establish a dangerous 9-7 that made the final very uphill. The 3-1 partial of the Dutch had been devastating.
In the last 8 minutes, Spain needed a small miracle. Everything was made more complicated with the 10-7 score by Van de Kraats in a long shot that slipped under the body of Martina Terré.
The miracle began to take shape with two goals in a row from Paula Crespí, a 10-9 that gave life to Spain with 5m30s to go. And more than believed the selection of Oca again with Bea Ortiz’s 10-10 heeled near the right post, after a good circulation of the ball. A partial 0-3 that returned hope. 4 minutes left.
But the players from the Netherlands did not stand still. Sleeking hit a long shot to restore the lead (11-10). Judith Forca responded with a low shot that slipped under Aaarts’ left arm (11-11), the 22nd goal for the Catalan.
Lieke Rogge put the Dutch ahead again with 1m40s to go. Spain needed to score. Miki Oca was asking for time with 56 seconds to go. “We are going with a buoy and without a counter-fault”, indicated the Madrid coach. Bea Ortiz leaked the pass to the buoy, to Maica García and forced an expulsion. Superiority and new dead time for Miki with 30s to go.
Last attack with 30 seconds. Bea Ortiz played a shot from center position that Aarts stopped. On the next attempt, Judith Forca found the opening to shoot low and hit the post and make it 12-12 with 15 seconds to go. The miracle was close. Spain would have to defend to the death.
The Netherlands attacked with a goalkeeper-forward, with 4 seconds to go the shot was blocked by the Spanish defense and the final went to penalties.
In the shootout of five shots, Spain missed the third, the one shot by Bea Ortiz, by crashing the ball into the post. Elena Ruiz, Forca, Espar and Maica were on target, but Martina Terré was unable to stop any Dutch shot. Gold was flying to the Netherlands.
Spain hung another silver, the third in a World Cup, the tenth since 2010 with Miki Oca. Judith Forca, the best European player of 2022, ends as the top scorer in the World Cup with 23 goals (5 in the final). And Elena Ruiz, at just 18 years old, was chosen Best Player of the World Cup.
Países Bajos: Aarts, Wolves, Sleeking (3), Van der Slot (2), Keuning (1), Van de Kraats (3), B. Rogge, Sevenich, Joustra (1), L. Rogge (2), Moolhuijzen , Ten Broek, Buis (PS).
Spain: Terré, Nogué, Anni Espar, Bea Ortiz (1), Nona Pérez, Crespí (2), Elena Ruiz (2p), Peña, Forca (5), Camus, Maica García (2), Paula Leitón, Laura Ester ( PS).
Partials: 4-3, 2-3, 3-1, 3-5 (12-12).
Penalties: 5-4 (17-16)
