Singapore World Aquatics Championships: China's women's water polo team narrowly loses 11-13 to Italy, missing out on the quarterfinals.
The Chinese team faced Italy, ranked seventh in the world, in the crossover match. From the very start, both teams engaged in a fierce "battle" underwater, fiercely competing on defense. China trailed 0-2 after the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, the Chinese squad gradually found their offensive rhythm, with Wang Shiyun scoring the first goal. After that, the two sides traded blows, exchanging goals back and forth. Goals from Zhang Yumian, Zhou Shang, and Zhang Qishuo helped China stay tightly in the game, though they ended the first half trailing 5-6.
Chinese team player Zhang Yumian (right) passes the ball during the match. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun.
In the second half, both teams continued to trade blows, with Italy struggling to extend their lead beyond three goals while China relentlessly closed the gap. In a critical moment during the fourth quarter, Yan Siya’s goal brought the score within striking distance at 10:11, and goalkeeper Shen Yinan made several crucial saves to deny Italy’s attempts. Unfortunately, China failed to capitalize on their scoring opportunities on offense, ultimately settling for a final score of 11:13. Italy advances to the quarterfinals, while China will now compete in the placement matches.
After the match, China's Yan Jing said: "Competitiveness is one of water polo's greatest charms. Our goal is to play every game well, and moving forward, we’ll work hard to improve ourselves and aim to beat them next time."
Chinese team player Yan Siya passes the ball during the match. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun
China's head coach Miguel Oca expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, saying: "I think the players performed well, and we're definitely growing. Of course, there’s still more to learn and improve on—and we need to gradually adapt to the rhythm of crucial moments during matches, gaining valuable experience as we move forward."
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