Water Polo
Serbia and Montenegro's water polo team lost to the defending Olympic champions from Hungary in their opening game, blowing a 4-3 lead in the fourth quarter. They recovered by beating Russia, Kazakhstan, Croatia and the United States to close out the group in second place. Two late goals against Spain sent them into the semifinals, where they handily defeated the hosts to earn a rematch with Hungary in the gold medal game. The final was tied 5-5 at halftime, and Serbia and Montenegro edged into 7-5 lead heading into the final quarter. However, just as in the opening game, three unanswered goals in the final quarter resulted in Hungary taking the win and the gold medal. Aleksandar Šapić was the team's top scorer with 18 goals, while Vladimir Vujašinović chipped in with 9 assists.
Team Roster
- Goalkeepers
- Nikola Kuljača
- Denis Šefik
- Centre Backs
- Predrag Jokić
- Dejan Savić
- Vladimir Vujasinović Captain
- Drivers
- Aleksandar Ćirić
- Danilo Ikodinović
- Vladimir Gojković
- Aleksandar Šapić
- Petar Trbojević
- Vanja Udovičić
- Centre Forwards
- Viktor Jelenić
- Slobodan Nikić
- Pool A
- Lost to Hungary (4 - 6)
- Defeated Russia (4 - 3)
- Defeated Kazakhstan (9 - 5)
- Defeated Croatia (11 - 8)
- Defeated the United States (9 - 4)
- 2nd in group, Qualified (8 points, 37 GF, 26 GA)
- Quarterfinal: Defeated Spain (7 - 5)
- Semifinal: Defeated Greece (7 - 3)
- Final: Lost to Hungary (7 - 8) (Silver Medal)
Read more about this topic: Serbia And Montenegro At The 2004 Summer Olympics
Famous quotes containing the word water:
“The Laws of Nature are just, but terrible. There is no weak mercy in them. Cause and consequence are inseparable and inevitable. The elements have no forbearance. The fire burns, the water drowns, the air consumes, the earth buries. And perhaps it would be well for our race if the punishment of crimes against the Laws of Man were as inevitable as the punishment of crimes against the Laws of Nature—were Man as unerring in his judgments as Nature.”
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)