Serbia-Montenegro - Japan 15-7

Vujasinovic (left) fights for the ball with Nakagawa

Barcelona, SPAIN, July 18 (fina.org) - Here was a match that wasn't meant to be close. The final score reads well for the European champion but the spirit shown by Japan was fantastic. Japan used its speed to good effect but also scored traditional goals against the bigger opponent. Japan gained in confidence as the game progressed. Two goals in the first quarter, trailing 5-2, and a third in the second were backed up by two more in the third and a fifth in the fourth. Even Serbian Aleksandar Sapic, who would be expected to get free rein against Japan, only managed a modest three goals. Koji Tanaka scored twice, including the final goal just four seconds from time, on extra after a timeout. Dejan Savic and Viktor Jelenic also scored three goals each.

FINA world water polo championships, Group B, Gameday 3, Barcelona, SPAIN, July 18

Serbia-Montenegro - Japan 15-7 (5-2, 5-1, 3-2, 2-2)

Goals in man-up: Serbia-Montenegro 4/6; Japan 1/3. Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GREAT BRITAIN) and Raul Alberto Amaya (BRAZIL).

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: Kuljaca, Nikic (1), Zlokovic (2), Udovicic, Savic (3), Ikodinovic (1), Jelenic (3), Gojkovic, Ciric, Sapic (3), Vujasinovic (1), Jokic (1), Sefik. Coach: Nenad Manojlovic.

JAPAN: Mizutani, Nakagawa, Nagata, Kobayashi, Matsubara, Hoshiai (1), Aoyagi (1), Naganuna, Sato (1), Sato (1), Yamamoto (1), Shiota, Tanaka (2). Coach: Yoji Omoto.

Group B - Results and Final Standings
Serbia-Montenegro - Japan 15-7
United States - Australia 13-7

                       G W D L    F-A   Pts
1. USA                 3 2 1 0   32-16   7
2. Serbia-Montenegro   3 2 1 0   27-18   7
3. Australia           3 1 0 2   23-22   3
4. Japan               3 0 0 3   13-39   0

              G W D L   F-A  Pts
1. Hungary    3 2 1 0  29-15  7
2. Croatia    3 2 1 0  32-19  7
3. Romania    3 1 0 2  24-24  3
4. Canada     3 0 0 3   9-36  0

              G W D L   F-A  Pts
1. Italy      3 3 0 0  36-17  9
2. Germany    3 2 0 1  27-22  6
3. Greece     3 1 0 2  29-21  3
4. China      3 0 0 3  10-42  0

              G W D L   F-A  Pts
1. Spain      3 3 0 0  30-16  9
2. Russia     3 2 0 1  26-18  6
3. Slovakia   3 1 0 2  17-22  3
4. Brazil     3 0 0 3  10-27  0