Hanover, Germany, May 14th - Yugoslav national team won the first place in Olympic games men's waterpolo qualification tournament after beating Russia in the final match with 10-7 (3-1, 1-2, 4-1, 2-3).
Yugoslav water polo players won the first place in the tournament by scoring seven victories and one draw out of eight games. In the last quarter of the match against Russians, Yugoslav players led with 10-5 and if they had continued with engaged playing, victory would be even greater.
Russia opened the match through Nickolai Kozlov but Yugoslavia scored the next three goals, Vladimir Vujasinovic scoring from nine metres and then on extra and Petar Trbojevic slotted one on extra with 18 seconds left in the period - 3-1.
Andrey Rekitchinsky scored from the far post on extra while Veljko Uskokovic piloted one in from the top right -- 4-2. Nenad Vukanic missed a sitter of a counter-attack goal form in front and soon after Alexandr Yeryshov scored an action goal to round out the first half - 4-3 to Yugoslavia. Goals were traded by Uskokovic and Revaz
Tchomakhidze - 5-4.
Predrag Zimonjic edged it out to 6-4, finishing off a counter. Dejan Savic scored on extra then Alexander Sostar proved why he is one of the best in the world, stopping a penalty shot later in the third quarter. On another occasion he blocked a point-blank shot and sent the ball upfield to a breaking Vukanic who baulked Russian goalkeeper Ilia Smirnov for about three seconds and scored - 8-4.
Vujasinovic scored on the drive and Serguei Evstigneev replied - 9-5. On the next attack Aleksandar Sapic scored off a pick on right-hand catch - 10-5. At 3:31, Irek
Zinnourov scored on extra and then Yeryshov snapped one in on the drive - 10-7.
OLYMPIC GAMES MEN'S WATER POLO QUALIFICATION
TOURNAMENT, Semi-finals, Hanover, Germany, May 14
YUGOSLAVIA - RUSSIA 10-7 (3-1, 1-2, 4-1, 2-3)
Swimming pool in Hanover. Attendance: 300.
Goals in man up: Yugoslavia 2/5, Russia 3/6.
Penalties: Russia 1 (0)
YUGOSLAVIA: Sostar, Trbojevic 1, Kuljaca, Zimonjic 1, Savic 1, Ikodinovic, Jelenic, Uskokovic 2, Ciric, Sapic 1, Vujasinovic 3, Vukanic 1, Vasovic.
P R E V I O U S . . .
Group B, Round 1, May 6: YUGOSLAVIA - Slovenia 13-4
Group B, Round 2, May 7: YUGOSLAVIA - Holland 10-5
Group B, Round 3, May 8: YUGOSLAVIA - Brasil 14-4
Group E, Round 1, May 10: YUGOSLAVIA - Greece 8-8
Group E, Round 2, May 11: YUGOSLAVIA - Romania 8-4
Group E, Round 3, May 12: YUGOSLAVIA - France 12-5
Semi-finals, May 13: YUGOSLAVIA - Slovakia 14-5
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Yugoslavia, 2. Russia, 3. Greece, 4. Slovakia, 5. Netherlands (all qualified for Sydney), 6. Romania, 7. Germany, 8. Cuba, 9. Brazil, 10. Poland, 11. France, 12. Canada, 13. Slovenia, 14. Colombia, 15. Uzbekistan.
